Creative Writing Writing Dialogue and Voice 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of dialogue in fiction?
- To reveal character, advance plot, and create conflict or connection (Correct answer)
- To provide factual information about the story's setting
- To replace action scenes with conversation
- To allow the narrator to step back from the story
Correct answer: To reveal character, advance plot, and create conflict or connection
Effective dialogue simultaneously reveals character personality, moves the plot forward, and creates tension or intimacy between characters.
Question 2: What is 'subtext' in dialogue?
- The unspoken meaning or tension beneath what characters literally say (Correct answer)
- Stage directions written within dialogue
- A character's internal monologue interrupting speech
- Dialogue that foreshadows future events
Correct answer: The unspoken meaning or tension beneath what characters literally say
Subtext is the underlying meaning, emotion, or agenda in dialogue that is communicated through what is not said directly.
Question 3: What is an 'as-you-know-Bob' dialogue problem?
- Characters explaining information they would already know, purely to inform the reader (Correct answer)
- Two characters who speak in identical voices
- Dialogue that is too long and slows pacing
- A character who monologues without interruption
Correct answer: Characters explaining information they would already know, purely to inform the reader
As-you-know-Bob dialogue is an exposition device where characters tell each other things they already know, which feels unnatural and is used only to inform the reader.
Question 4: What is a dialogue tag?
- A verb phrase like 'she said' that attributes dialogue to a speaker (Correct answer)
- Punctuation marks that open and close quoted speech
- A character's nickname used by others in conversation
- Italicized inner dialogue or thought
Correct answer: A verb phrase like 'she said' that attributes dialogue to a speaker
A dialogue tag is the phrase that identifies who is speaking, typically using a verb such as 'said,' 'asked,' or 'replied.'
Question 5: Why do writing instructors recommend using 'said' over more colorful dialogue tags?
- 'Said' is invisible to readers and keeps the focus on the dialogue itself (Correct answer)
- 'Said' is grammatically more correct than verbs like 'exclaimed'
- Using 'said' avoids copyright issues with trademarked dialogue tags
- 'Said' makes writing appropriate for all reading levels
Correct answer: 'Said' is invisible to readers and keeps the focus on the dialogue itself
Readers skim past 'said' without noticing it, keeping attention on the dialogue, while tags like 'he ejaculated' distract from the content.
Question 6: What is interior monologue?
- A character's unspoken thoughts presented directly to the reader (Correct answer)
- A long speech a character delivers to other characters
- A narrative summary of what a character is thinking
- Dialogue a character rehearses before speaking
Correct answer: A character's unspoken thoughts presented directly to the reader
Interior monologue gives direct access to a character's inner thoughts, often in first person and present tense, as if the reader is inside their mind.
Creative Writing Writing Dialogue and Voice 1
What is the primary purpose of dialogue in fiction?