Second Wind Publishing discussion

As a reader, do you prefer lots of descriptive narrative, or is your preference for a dialogue driven story, which allows you the freedom to relate to the storyline, characters and settings in your own way?Backstop: A Baseball Love Story in Nine Innings

Wow, good question. I like character driven stories and I think dialogue does that better but I need enough narrative to "see' a scene. I also like a fast paced story. I guess whatever it is narrative or dialogue it needs to move the story forward.

Since I tend to skip over descriptions when I read, I prefer dialogue. To the extent that I have to go back and add more narrative, but I'm all about the characters.

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery

I don't like a lot of dialogue, especially dialogue that goes nowhere, but I don't like a story that has long paragraphs of description, either. Narrative is fine as long as the author doesn't tell me what I should think or feel. As Lavada says, whatever moves the story forward.

I like description that adds to the plot/story by giving relevant details re setting, location, environment, etc. Same with dialogue, which should move the story forward or give information re the same things - environment, setting, etc.

I tend to get bored with wordy dialogues and descriptions, and prefer the lyrical and poetic in descriptions.

I think you need a balance. Too little dialogue and the narrative starts to feel heavy, too much and it becomes lightweight. Dialogue should take you somewhere, moves the plot forward and equally important that it doesn't sound like somebody's tea party. (Unless of course it is somebody's tea party!)If dialogue doesn't inform the reader, or express something about the character talking it loses its point and becomes waffle. Equal right for narrative and dialogue, I say.

I like narrative, but in only to an extent. I like a brief paragraph or two to give me a sense of place. I don't need to be Dorothy, dumped with just the view out the door. I like a more subtle lead in.

Dialogue should never tell me what a person is thinking, it should be slightly disjointed, just like a real conversation. Half-finished thoughts and interrupted sentences are fine.

Honestly, for me to go with it, whatever it is--it needs to be consistent. I can follow and will follow almost any style, but stay the course. I drop books that feel like they've been written by Eve and her three faces.

Lavada wrote: "Wow, good question. I like character driven stories and I think dialogue does that better but I need enough narrative to "see' a scene. I also like a fast paced story. I guess whatever it is na..."

Lavada,
I would say I agree with you. I do not like a story that is slow and drags on. Good question!

If you're talking a book here, I need both. Almost all dialogue is a play. But dialogue can really move the story along in a way that's difficult to do with narrative alone. I like to hear the character's voices and see what's happening through their eyes. Short stories can get by with narrative alone.

For me, I see my mind wandering if there is a lot of description. I enjoy reading a combination of dialogue and narrative. I find that dialogue is a good way to know what the character is thinking.

I think there has to be balance. Providing too much narrative description is telling, not dramatizing. Dialog and appropriate action tags bring the story to life - it dramatizes the work - and that is the goal of every author. We need to strive to put the reader in the story emotionally by engaging the senses. Detailed descriptions don't do that.

It truly depends on the writing for me. If I'm reading an author who can describe the world in magnificent terms, who uses unique words and phrases, I can read their narrative for a long time before I get to any dialogue. Sooner or later, though, I need characters to CONNECT with, so I'll need someone to at least think something in italics! For authors who tell a good story but aren't particularly word-smithy, the dialogue is a must for me, because I'm going to skim the narrative, looking for action. I feel a little badly about this - all those words gone to waste.

Gayle wrote: "It truly depends on the writing for me. If I'm reading an author who can describe the world in magnificent terms, who uses unique words and phrases, I can read their narrative for a long time befor..."

I agree with you.

I enjoy a combination of both, but if I had to choose it would be dialogue. Jeannette Wall is excellent at descriptions but other authors drag on and on with setting the scene. So long, sometimes, that my mind begins to wander.

I tend to skim a lot of descriptive paragraphs to get to the dialogue. :)

Margie wrote: "We need to strive to put the reader in the story emotionally by engaging the senses. Detailed descriptions don't do that"

I disagree, Margie. Detailed descriptions engage the senses that dialogue doesn't. They engage sense of place, period, and more. I don't understand this criticism many have of "taking the reader out of the story." I love those moments when I read something that begs to be read again, followed by a momentary regret that I didn't write what I've just read. So what if it takes me out of the story for a moment. So do commercials on TV; but it doesn't interfere with my enjoyment of a program or movie.

J. wrote: "Margie wrote: "We need to strive to put the reader in the story emotionally by engaging the senses. Detailed descriptions don't do that"

I disagree, Margie. Detailed descriptions engage the sens..."

Hi J.,I believe there needs to be balance. Too much narrative puts an emotional distance between the reader and the characters.

Very neat question. Let's assume that the author has a good command of language and that the pacing of the book is well done. So - that being the case, I generally need a balance. Whether it's a quick mystery, detailed historical fiction, or chick-lit I need 3 dimensions to the story: Character, Time/Era, and Place/Location. I really resonate with stories that have a strong sense of place and that's pretty tough to do without really good narrative. I have found that when I skimmed through stupid dialogue or long narrative that I lose something and frequently go back and have to re-read. Yes, a lot of characterization can occur through dialogue but I have read books with very limited dialogue, where characters leaped off the page. But, I have rarely read a book with a majority of dialogue that fulfilled me completely.

I think my stories often start with lots of dialog; then I edit and include the narrative. I think I need a balance when I'm reading.

Too much description and I will skip over it. A nice balance to describ the scene is fine but yes I prefer a dialog driven story. I do enjoy a character's description (thoughts) that goes hand in hand with the dialog.

Such as crime scenes, cops/FBI/detectives and medical examiners. I enjoy learning from the character that makes that scene 3D, real and believable. Describing just enough of the character can give you a great impression of who they look like or imitate. Over describing can bore the reader. Continually giving a perception of the character throughout the story is a good balance especially in a series. That character becomes important and defines the story being told.

I would say if the author can make a nice balance with descriptive and dialogue responses than I personally won't skip over anything. If the description is coming straight from the character and totally grabs me, then excellent!!!! I dig those moments!

I like both but tend towards narrative. I enjoy dialogue too, but GOOD dialogue isn't easy to write and my editorial side comes out when I see too many mistakes in grammar and such which can ruin the story to a degree.
I love to imagine the story as much as possible so narrative is a must. Then dialogue moves the story along and good dialogue can make you feel as if you are there.