By Award-Winning Dialogue Writer John Geary

1. An Overall Subject 2. Pre-writing 3. Writing 4. Feedback 5. Editing

 Pick from a list  Be told what to write about  Pick a subject out of thin air  Don’t make subject too broad

1. Creating web of ideas 2. Make a possible timeline 3. Free Writing

Know Your Actors  Keep it appropriate (level, content)  If using difficult language, do it phonetically  Style – narrative, persuasive, descriptive Know Your Audience  Keep it appropriate (level, content)  Keep it interesting

 Imagine you are the actors speaking  Don’t write as if you are speaking it, but as if THEY (the actors) are speaking it.  Don’t worry about grammar and mechanics.

Check it Yourself  Read it through for time purposes  Check grammar, spelling, mechanics Run through with Actors  Have actors read in front of you  Get their opinion  Make notes on anything too difficult or too wordy.

 Using notes from feedback, re-write dialogue.  Read final draft for time appropriateness.  Make copies for number of actors.

 San Hu Elementary’s Director comes to John.  “We have a dialogue competition and we would like you to write some dialogue. The subject is beautiful vacation places in Taiwan, so we want you to write about your winter break vacation.”  Two of our sixth grade girls will be reading the dialogue.

 The two girls see each other for the first time after winter break back at school. They are very excited to see each other.  Penny : Hey Sally! It’s good to see you!  Sally : It’s good to see you, too, Penny. Where did you go for your break?  Penny : Oh, I just stayed at home. How about you? Where did you go?  Sally : Oh my God, it was so cool. I went down to Kunding.  Penny : I am so jealous. How was it?  Sally : It was beautiful. I took the high speed rail down to Kaoshiung (make a gesture like a rocket), and then I took a taxi to the hotel.

 Penny : Was the hotel nice?  Sally : It was real nice. It was called the Surf Shack Hotel, Bar and Grill. The restaurant served hamburgers and sandwiches.  Penny : What did you see while you were there?  Sally : First I went and had a picnic in Kunding Park.  I saw some monkeys and a goat.  Penny : That is so neat.  Sally : Yes, but the best part was going swimming at Baisha.  Penny : You went swimming?? Wasn’t it cold??  Sally : You’d think so, looking at all the people NOT in the water. I don’t understand those silly people.  The temperature in the air was 24 degrees, but the water temperature was 25 degrees. It felt great.

 Penny : Did you see any sea monsters?  Sally : No, silly, but I did come face to face with a baby sea snake.  Penny : Oh my gosh, Sally, don’t you know the sea snake is the deadliest snake in Taiwan?  Sally : Yes, but I’ve seen enough Animal Planet to know that sea snakes will not attack. Remember,  Look, don’t touch!!  Penny : Well thank you Mrs. Jock Coo-stoe. You’ll have to tell me more about your trip later. We have to get to class.  Sally : You mean, like the giant ball I got in and rolled down the hill?  Penny : I am so jealous.  Sally : Next time we can both go.

 I am proud to say that the only change the girls wanted me to make was to change the names of the girls (I forget their names).  I am even more proud to announce that these girls won second prize in the contest.

 Write some dialogue.  For 2-3 people  Time limit for dialogue 2-3 minutes  Topic: the dangers of driving in Taiwan