  Drama
This week: Edited by: StephBee  
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Drama is:
#1 - The Greek word for action.
#2 - A real life situation or succession of events having the dramatic progression of a play.
What would a play be without dialogue? While not empty, I'd say it would be hallow. Dialogue is action and drama demands action.
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Can you believe it? I've just finished two years as a Drama Newsletter Editor and it's time to party. Hang around for my contest announcement. |
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For a script or a play, dialogue is action, and dialogue that shines sets extraordinary plays apart from average ones. When writing dialogue, keep this in mind: it needs to be concise, clean, and understandable. Remember an audience doesn't get an opportunity to "go back" and you don't want to weigh them down with a heavy speech or weighty words they can't understand.
Some things to keep in mind when writing dialogue:
 Think of the nature of the dialogue. Subtely incorporate inflection to express surprise or frustration.
 Does the character have an accent or distinctive speech patterns that would augment the characterization?
Use dialogue economically to show evasion or hedging.
Read dialogue out loud to hear how it sounds. This helps when you're ready to edit the dialogue.
 Having a problem writing dialogue? Just listen to how people around you speak. Also - read other authors for ideas. For me, one author I enjoy is JK Rowling. Her dialogue is sharp, spot on, and easy to understand. I think another author who writes good dialogue would be Stephenie Meyer. I've just started "Twilight," but it's easy to understand and keeps the story flowing.
SOME DIALOGUE NO-NOs:
 Cut out any "Uh-huhs" type lines. These are brief and insignificient and bring a vibriant play down. Make every word count.
Dice up what's known as "transitional" lines - lines that set up the audience for a change. Examples are:
Besides...
Let me tell you...
Well...
So...
As I was saying...
When writing dialogue in a manuscript form keep these tips in mind:
If you have a need to identify the speaker, keep it short. Use "he said," or "she replied." DO NOT put action in a dialogue tag. Keep it a separate sentence. These are things a professional editor or an agent keys in on when they are reviewing your work.
BAD EXAMPLE: "I don't know how to do that," she said, shrugging as she fumbled through a stack of paperwork.
GOOD EXAMPLE: She fumbled through a stack of paperwork. "I don't know how to do that."
A great contest here on WDC that will help you work with an economy of words and fine tune your dialogue is:
If you know dialogue is an area you need to work on, give this contest a try.
Results of the Hot Drama Poll
Question: What's your favorite holiday season drama?
#1 - Home Alone
TIED: It's a Wonderful Life
TIED: The Polar Express
TIED: A Christmas Story
Check out the Hot Drama Poll for a new question this month.
NEXT: February is awards season. I'll be taking a look at two awards given out for drama acting - The Academy Awards and The Tony Awards.
FEATURED PRODUCT REVIEW
  My Drama Birthday Contest
This January I'm celebrating TWO complete years as a Drama Editor and to commerate the occasion, I'm hosting a Drama Contest in the Drama Forum. Post your static Drama items. I'm looking for short stories or plays.
THE RULES:
#1 Drama Short Stories or Scripts/Plays only
#2 One entry item per author
#3 4000 Word Count on short stories, 5000 on script/plays
#4 The contest is open between now and 31st Jan. Judging will take place between 1-15 FEB with the winners being announced as soon as the judging is over, no later than 15 FEB.
THE PRIZES:
#1 - 50K Awardicon
#2 - 25K Awardicon
#3 - 10K Awardicon
Two Honorable Mentions will receive Drama Merit Badges.
Help me celebrate two years with the Drama Newsletter. The link for the forum is below. |
Here's some Drama picks from around the site:
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Some Drama Activities:
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For those of us drama queens and kings, a forum to swap writing ideas and post questions
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Jaye P. Marshall 
Steph, going back to the dream journal - I've been keeping one for about 40 years. The trick is remembering to program your subconsicious mind to remember them before you go to sleep.
Great tip. Have you been able to mine a couple of stories from your dreams? If so, send in some links and share. 
KimChi 
I love to read stories about forgiveness and charity during the holiday season. The gratitude of Thanksgiving continues until the New Year, and all kinds of miracles are born from our desires to give back to the world in thanks for our own blessings. I never thought of those things as "drama," but of course they are. Loved the newsletter.
I'm glad you liked the topic. I agree - there's a lot of charity around this time and it's heartwarming to see. The holidays bring out the best in most of us.
Kristina
My favorite holiday drama theme is that of finding yourself and finding the love of humanity. I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in the commercial side of holiday s and lose touch with humanity but when there are stories of people finding that other side of the holiday it makes my holidays brighter. That's why 'It's a Wonderful Life' is my favorite holiday movie.
Thanks for writing in and sharing. I think the holidays are a wonderful time to rediscover yourself as well.
*Jenny*
Hello Steph,
As far as my answer goes, I voted A Christmas Story.
Now to be a critic..... None of those listed are dramas. Dramas don't just have to do with acting. Dramas are on a more serious side. Movies like The Shawshank Redemption, 12 Angry Men, and Pulp Fiction are considered to be dramas. The only actual drama I think you have listed is It's A Wonderful Life. Maybe The Polar Express. The others are comedies. I hope this helps and doesn't offend or anything. I just think you should change it to better suit the titles. Just my opinion though.
Write on,
Jenny
Nothing wrong with being a critic, however I would put forth that comedic drama is as old as drama itself - that's why one of the drama masks is laughing. The Greeks, as well as writing such tragedies as "Antigone," also wrote comedic drama. Shakespeare was known for his comedic dramas as well. A comedic drama has perhaps been thought of more as a 'sub-category' of drama, as of late, but it's been around for a while.
Miss Pageturner
A perfect poll... great selection, excellent variety! :) I chose "Home Alone".
Miss Pageturner
Thanks for taking the poll!
flex
The ending is satisfying, Steph. Edmund's last words sum up his journey through the play well.
Thanks for reading the play. I'm glad you liked it. - I'll be introducing the Drama Campfire in my next (February) Newsletter.
StephBee is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. Her story, "The Watch Tower" was recognized with an Honorable Mention in Genre Fiction Writing by the 77th Annual Writer's Digest Competition. You can find the story in her port.
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Drama: January 07, 2009 Issue [#2809]
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