Fri 29 May 2009
Thoughts on Dialogue-Only Flash Fiction
Posted by Jordan Lapp under advice
[9] Comments
AT EVERY DAY FICTION, we get a lot of “Dialogue-only” stories. These are stories with zero description, just (at minimum) two characters talking to each other.
I can count on one hand how many of them we’ve ever accepted (and have fingers to spare).
The biggest reason for rejection? Both voices sound the same. With dialogue-only stories, you’re basically saying as a writer that you’re so good at writing dialogue that you don’t need all that mundane stuff like description, setting, and plot. You can do it all in the spoken word. Well, if you can’t even make two character sound different from each other, you’re in trouble. As an editor, I should be able to point to a random line of dialogue and say, “Oh, that’s character A speaking.” I can tell because of his/her (way of speaking/accent/personality/etc).
Other good reasons for rejection are:
- You’ve inserted a random line of description at the end. If you have description at all, you need it everywhere. Otherwise it just looks like you tried to write a dialogue only story and failed.
- More than two characters. Two is hard enough. I’ve never seen a successful dialogue only story with three characters. The reader just gets confused.
- Info dumps. Just because it’s in dialogue, doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.
- The story sucks. A “clever” format like dialogue-only can’t save this.
Dialogue-only pieces make for great exercises, but poor stories. Disagree? Prove me wrong. And then submit that proof to EDF’s slush pile.
Jordan Lapp is the managing editor of Every Day Fiction. He is a member of both the Codex and Spec 24 writing groups. He recently won first place in the prestigious Writers of the Future contest. In 2007, he decided to combine his love of blogging with his passion for fiction and became a founding member of Every Day Fiction. He blogs at http://www.jordanlapp.com/withoutreallytrying/.
9 Responses to “ Thoughts on Dialogue-Only Flash Fiction ”
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[...] you’re there, read some of the other recent blog entries. Jordan wrote an interesting one on dialog-only stories, K.C. contributed one about common story ideas, and there are quite a few other interesting reads, [...]
Jordan, thanks for this. As a slush reader, I’m always happy when someone highlights things to do and things not to do.
Great insight into the editor’s mind! Very interesting and helpful tips. Thanks J!
Thanks Angela! I throw these up occasionally on my blog, and Gay was gracious enough to reprint it here.
All dialogue is difficult to accomplish. There have been a few at EDF, but it is true a writer can get lost and have to tag-on description at the story’s end.
I love dialogue in a story, but it rounds a character, is rarely a story in itself. As to your challenge, Jordan, I’m sure there are a few talented folks, such as Bill Ward or Kevin Shamel who might take you up on that!
–dj
It’s been a while since I’ve seen either of those authors in the slush. I know why Bill’s been quiet and I think that Kevin’s knee deep in novels.
Still, you’re no lightweight yourself! Consider it a challenge!
I appreciate your final comment and just might take it on.
–dj
In one of my grad school creative writing classes, I tried to write a dialog-only story. I was way too ambitious — it was a short story, not flash, so there were five or six characters. I really did work hard to give each character his or her own voice and style of speech, but I totally cut off more than I can chew. I’ve been leery of writing this type of story every since. Though, when I see one done well, I’m always really impressed.