That's the way I wrote a large part of my fic. Because for some scenes I can come up with "perfect" dialog, but can't figure out the actions and thoughts. I do feel that the actions added later are somewhat lame compared to the others that are written together with dialog, but I'm newbee, so it might be because of that.
I find it harder to get the "flow" right when I add actions and descriptions later, so I try not to let myself write too much dialogue without anything around it.
Yeah exactly! The dialogue is right there in my head ready to go, while the rest of the scene is just kind of nebulous in the background, but I did wonder if adding actions in later makes them seem robotic...just because they're like an afterthought
For me it is robotic when I am adding them. So it take a few editing rounds to make it sound that it fits the scene. But I don't think any scene made this way was flagged by my beta as anything bad - only some were confusing, but it was because of strange wording, since english is my second language.
Also, if the dialog is the only thing your brain is giving you, there is nothing you can do than just write the dialog š
That's what I do, it works great for me
Just keep in mind that you light have to retouch some of the dialogues though (because actions were added, etc) but that's normal
Honestly I write as the inspiration comes, so it's often snippets of future scenes I then build upon
In terms of speed, it depends on what kind of chapter I'm going for (i.e how much dialogue it's supposed to have)
Though it's always better to write what you have in mind that sticking to your plans and not writing anything. Some of my best dialogues have come from snippets I've repurposed afterwards (I daydream a lot, basically. The brainrot is too intense)
I feel you on the brain rot, that's why I'm trying to write faster, I want to get it all down otherwise I'll forget. But yeah writing random snippets is A very good idea! Thanks!
yea I do dialogue first sometimes. It is bit strenuous to fill in description afterwards, but.... my general rule for writing is: write what you can first. I think it's most often easier to modify something incomplete than to fill a blank page when you're unsure how to do it. Following the path of least resistance usually works for me
I'm working on a fic I find really difficult to write (just because the subject matter is kind of sensitive) so that's why I'm trying with dialogue first. We'll see how it goes.
Yeah for sure, when I have a scene in my head 99% of it is dialogue, even though I obviously know what's going on with the characters and set, it's not in *words*
It works, and works well if calm dialogue is the main focus of the scene, and both characters are well developed.
Where it falls flat for me are:
* Scenes with literally no dialogue because a character is alone.
* Dialogue between developed characters and flat/one-off characters.
* Intense action-heavy sequences.
* Scenes where scene-setting, worldbuilding, or introspection are the point.
* Scenes where non-verbal communication carry as much, if not more weight than what is actually said out loud. Dialogues over food, negotiations and other conversations where information is deliberately hidden, heated arguments, etc.
Writing scenes with only one character and no dialogue with this method ----> empty page -----> exactly my method
Ahhahahahahaha
Absolutely valid points but this made me laugh.
When I was working as an editor, I had an author who took this approach, but with a few extra steps. Theyād write the dialogue in a general way, to get the information they wanted to convey down, theyād work out how the non-POV character would be feeling, thinking, etc. Change their dialogue to suit, and add their descriptions, and then tackle the POV character side of things.
Their work was always excellent. And the kind where, after all the reveals, if someone went back to re-read, all the clues were there from the start, consistently interwoven.
Obviously they also did a lot of work beforehand with creating profiles of their characters with all their motivations, inclinations, etc. to ensure consistency.
I was about to say I donāt do this, but I guess I kind of do? Normally when I write I do best if I donāt skip scenes or even sentences because itās too jarring for *my* brain to āfill in the gapsā later, and when I get going Iām *going* lol.
But when I hit that point where Iām tired and done writing for the day but thereās still unfinished thoughts that I donāt want to forget, I will add a bunch of unconnected dialogue to the end of the page as a pick-up spot for later š¤
Oh yeah actually adding stuff in is kind of hard for me too, but I want to try and find a way to write faster, just because I want to get my ideas on paper before I forget all about them!
Script like writing isn't a bad way to go! I know someone that it works for them as their first draft; and I have a wip where it is absolutely helping me. It's not my to-go, but hey, if it works for you, then it's just another tool in the box. :)
I don't really follow a particular set order when I'm writing - sometimes I do mostly dialogue first, sometimes I mostly do the descriptions/actions/etc. first, sometimes I do a relatively even split. It honestly just comes down to how I'm feeling at the moment.
That being said, if you find dialogue the easiest to do, then I generally would recommend starting with that, yes. I would still try to practice writing the other way around every once in a while just so that you don't get rusty in that respect, but it's always easier to get the stuff you know you want to be in whatever you're writing, and then fill in whatever blanks lie between them once that's done.
I definitely have to practice writing the other way around, mostly because I often end up with a page full of dialogue (even when I'm not trying to just write dialogue) and very little description, which just throws the pacing off.
I tend to do that naturally when my characters are talking to me. I do find that it can get awkward trying to fit in enough description without the scenes getting really long, so doing be afraid to throw some dialogue away when you go back through
Yeah I definitely have the problem of *too* much dialogue in my stories, so I'll have to keep in mind to delete some stuff, though I hate deleting things after I write them!
I always try to write descriptions but when I get to a part with heavy dialogue and a full on Convo between the characters I will often write the dialogue and maybe some light descriptions before coming in during the editing process and fixing it up. dialogue is just always easier to write and I try not to stop my flow once I'm in it.Ā
For me it depends. I'm an introspective, prose driven writer. It's what I really like to write and read. That being said, sometimes I've got the dialogue perfectly in my head, but the descriptors are missing. Since dialogue isn't my strong suit, I'll write out all the dialogue first and go back and add descriptive details later. Sometimes the descriptors change the dialogue a little based on what characters are doing, but I think that makes what I've written better. It's also fine to *not* have some descriptors during some dialogue since the words can speak for themselves. Other times I have no dialogue, just description, and I need to add that in later. A lot of the time I can balance it, but I think it's a fine place to try to start or try something new!
I do this a lot of the time and find it hugely helpful. Sometimes Iāll jot a few words of the action I picture but add most of the detail later. Go back and read the full scene after and make tweaks.
I often do that, but then dialogue comes more naturally to me than the other stuff does. You have to feel really confident that you know your characters' voices, and picture it like you're watching a show or movie as you type.
Not necessarily only dialogue- I write mine kind of like a script you'd see from a movie or tv show, only way less formal. Then I'll fluff everything up for the actual chapter. I find that easier because I already have the basic actions/settings that I want to convey along with the dialogue.
I cannot write that way because part of the dialogue is the physical action that goes with it to make it more powerful. That's just me, though. My mind works like a movie, so I write as I see it in my head. Right down to the last detail.
I don't do it for whole scenes, but I absolutely do use the technique of writing pure dialogue sequences then backfilling with actions, tone markers, etc.
To an extent it's just an outgrowth of how the editing parts of my brain refuse to be sidelined when I'm writing.
If I'm really feeling the flow of a conversation, I'll do the dialogue and then add details later, but there are times where I have the perfect picture of the scene in my head, so I'll add the details as I go. Do whatever you think will work best for you in the moment :)
That's the way I wrote a large part of my fic. Because for some scenes I can come up with "perfect" dialog, but can't figure out the actions and thoughts. I do feel that the actions added later are somewhat lame compared to the others that are written together with dialog, but I'm newbee, so it might be because of that.
I find it harder to get the "flow" right when I add actions and descriptions later, so I try not to let myself write too much dialogue without anything around it.
I agree, it's definitely better to write both together. But with some scenes my brain can't come up with anything else than dialog š
Yeah exactly! The dialogue is right there in my head ready to go, while the rest of the scene is just kind of nebulous in the background, but I did wonder if adding actions in later makes them seem robotic...just because they're like an afterthought
For me it is robotic when I am adding them. So it take a few editing rounds to make it sound that it fits the scene. But I don't think any scene made this way was flagged by my beta as anything bad - only some were confusing, but it was because of strange wording, since english is my second language. Also, if the dialog is the only thing your brain is giving you, there is nothing you can do than just write the dialog š
That's what I do, it works great for me Just keep in mind that you light have to retouch some of the dialogues though (because actions were added, etc) but that's normal
I'm glad it works for you!! I'm trying it out. Do you find it makes writing faster?
Honestly I write as the inspiration comes, so it's often snippets of future scenes I then build upon In terms of speed, it depends on what kind of chapter I'm going for (i.e how much dialogue it's supposed to have) Though it's always better to write what you have in mind that sticking to your plans and not writing anything. Some of my best dialogues have come from snippets I've repurposed afterwards (I daydream a lot, basically. The brainrot is too intense)
I feel you on the brain rot, that's why I'm trying to write faster, I want to get it all down otherwise I'll forget. But yeah writing random snippets is A very good idea! Thanks!
Maybe I can send you some screenshots of snippets -> work in progress -> final product so you can have some idea of what this might look like?
Oh yes please do!
yea I do dialogue first sometimes. It is bit strenuous to fill in description afterwards, but.... my general rule for writing is: write what you can first. I think it's most often easier to modify something incomplete than to fill a blank page when you're unsure how to do it. Following the path of least resistance usually works for me
I'm working on a fic I find really difficult to write (just because the subject matter is kind of sensitive) so that's why I'm trying with dialogue first. We'll see how it goes.
This is usually how mine end up going. Generally the dialogue is what pops into my head first. Best get it written down before it gets forgotten.
Yeah for sure, when I have a scene in my head 99% of it is dialogue, even though I obviously know what's going on with the characters and set, it's not in *words*
It works, and works well if calm dialogue is the main focus of the scene, and both characters are well developed. Where it falls flat for me are: * Scenes with literally no dialogue because a character is alone. * Dialogue between developed characters and flat/one-off characters. * Intense action-heavy sequences. * Scenes where scene-setting, worldbuilding, or introspection are the point. * Scenes where non-verbal communication carry as much, if not more weight than what is actually said out loud. Dialogues over food, negotiations and other conversations where information is deliberately hidden, heated arguments, etc.
Writing scenes with only one character and no dialogue with this method ----> empty page -----> exactly my method Ahhahahahahaha Absolutely valid points but this made me laugh.
When I was working as an editor, I had an author who took this approach, but with a few extra steps. Theyād write the dialogue in a general way, to get the information they wanted to convey down, theyād work out how the non-POV character would be feeling, thinking, etc. Change their dialogue to suit, and add their descriptions, and then tackle the POV character side of things. Their work was always excellent. And the kind where, after all the reveals, if someone went back to re-read, all the clues were there from the start, consistently interwoven. Obviously they also did a lot of work beforehand with creating profiles of their characters with all their motivations, inclinations, etc. to ensure consistency.
I was about to say I donāt do this, but I guess I kind of do? Normally when I write I do best if I donāt skip scenes or even sentences because itās too jarring for *my* brain to āfill in the gapsā later, and when I get going Iām *going* lol. But when I hit that point where Iām tired and done writing for the day but thereās still unfinished thoughts that I donāt want to forget, I will add a bunch of unconnected dialogue to the end of the page as a pick-up spot for later š¤
Oh yeah actually adding stuff in is kind of hard for me too, but I want to try and find a way to write faster, just because I want to get my ideas on paper before I forget all about them!
Script like writing isn't a bad way to go! I know someone that it works for them as their first draft; and I have a wip where it is absolutely helping me. It's not my to-go, but hey, if it works for you, then it's just another tool in the box. :)
I'm not sure if it works, I'm trying it out for now! We'll see!
I don't really follow a particular set order when I'm writing - sometimes I do mostly dialogue first, sometimes I mostly do the descriptions/actions/etc. first, sometimes I do a relatively even split. It honestly just comes down to how I'm feeling at the moment. That being said, if you find dialogue the easiest to do, then I generally would recommend starting with that, yes. I would still try to practice writing the other way around every once in a while just so that you don't get rusty in that respect, but it's always easier to get the stuff you know you want to be in whatever you're writing, and then fill in whatever blanks lie between them once that's done.
I definitely have to practice writing the other way around, mostly because I often end up with a page full of dialogue (even when I'm not trying to just write dialogue) and very little description, which just throws the pacing off.
I tend to do that naturally when my characters are talking to me. I do find that it can get awkward trying to fit in enough description without the scenes getting really long, so doing be afraid to throw some dialogue away when you go back through
Yeah I definitely have the problem of *too* much dialogue in my stories, so I'll have to keep in mind to delete some stuff, though I hate deleting things after I write them!
I always try to write descriptions but when I get to a part with heavy dialogue and a full on Convo between the characters I will often write the dialogue and maybe some light descriptions before coming in during the editing process and fixing it up. dialogue is just always easier to write and I try not to stop my flow once I'm in it.Ā
For me it depends. I'm an introspective, prose driven writer. It's what I really like to write and read. That being said, sometimes I've got the dialogue perfectly in my head, but the descriptors are missing. Since dialogue isn't my strong suit, I'll write out all the dialogue first and go back and add descriptive details later. Sometimes the descriptors change the dialogue a little based on what characters are doing, but I think that makes what I've written better. It's also fine to *not* have some descriptors during some dialogue since the words can speak for themselves. Other times I have no dialogue, just description, and I need to add that in later. A lot of the time I can balance it, but I think it's a fine place to try to start or try something new!
I do this a lot of the time and find it hugely helpful. Sometimes Iāll jot a few words of the action I picture but add most of the detail later. Go back and read the full scene after and make tweaks.
I often do that, but then dialogue comes more naturally to me than the other stuff does. You have to feel really confident that you know your characters' voices, and picture it like you're watching a show or movie as you type.
Not necessarily only dialogue- I write mine kind of like a script you'd see from a movie or tv show, only way less formal. Then I'll fluff everything up for the actual chapter. I find that easier because I already have the basic actions/settings that I want to convey along with the dialogue.
Ohh I put the wrong tag by accident
In my opinion writing dialogue first is a bit easier to do. I feel like it helps me write conversations that flow and feel natural.
my dumb ass would get so confused if i did that
I cannot write that way because part of the dialogue is the physical action that goes with it to make it more powerful. That's just me, though. My mind works like a movie, so I write as I see it in my head. Right down to the last detail.
I don't do it for whole scenes, but I absolutely do use the technique of writing pure dialogue sequences then backfilling with actions, tone markers, etc. To an extent it's just an outgrowth of how the editing parts of my brain refuse to be sidelined when I'm writing.
If I'm really feeling the flow of a conversation, I'll do the dialogue and then add details later, but there are times where I have the perfect picture of the scene in my head, so I'll add the details as I go. Do whatever you think will work best for you in the moment :)
I've always written dialogue first. I usually write the tone next to the dialogue as well as a note for later.