2WayParadox
Sage
I've noticed that i don't use all that many little dialogue beats in my dialogue, and I think it's vecause I don't really know that many. Any helpful advice on how I could expand my repertoire?
- Rolf smiled. This is a reassuring gesture. Everything's fine.“No no. I'll be fine. It's easy work anyway.” Rolf smiled and turned towards the inn. “What I'm thinking is you'd hike up to the top of Lookout Hill over there.” He pointed at a high cliff that rose out of the forest behind the house.
“Hmm, okay.” Enar squirmed. Couldn't he just sit here in the sun and take it easy? “That looks pretty high. Are you sure I'll pull that off? I was barely able to walk from the road up to the burrow last night.”
“Don't you worry my friend.” Rolf put a hand on his shoulder. “That was the Tannuhin, remember. You're fine today aren't you?”
- Start this section with no tag or beat at all to signify the line comes as a bit of surprise to Enar. It's the first line in a new scene.“Ice or no ice?”
Enar jerked back into the present. The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen stood right by his chair, trying to talk to him. She'd just said something, and he had no idea what. Large blue eyes, curly blonde hair, and round little cheeks that smiled like the sun filled his world.
She put a hand on his shoulder, just a light touch, and her smile grew even wider, almost blinding him. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Do you want ice with your cider?”
“Ice?” Enar shook himself awake and tried not stare.
“Frozen water. Used for keeping drinks cold. Rings a bell, city boy?” Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Yes. Yes, sorry.” Enar cheeks flared up. “I'd like ice with my cider please.” His entire face burned like fire. “If it's no bother,” he hurried to add.
“No bother at all hot stuff. Coming right up.” She winked at him and disappeared off to another table.
- A bit of internal thought.“Hey, you made noise too.” He'd probably made more noise, but that was beside the point. “And I didn't do anything. He's probably just tired from the walk. It took us a few hours to get here.”
Amanda rose and came back to the bench and sat down. “He's from Hyardum, isn't he? Stays with Rufus, right? You didn't walk all the way from there though, did you?”
“As a matter of fact, we did.” Enar sat a little straighter again. “Got up really early and walked most of the day actually. We just arrived a few minutes before you showed up.”
“Really?” She looked him up and down. “That's quite impressive. You don't look the type for long hikes.”
“Hey! You calling me fat!” Enar put on his best indignant face and tried to look insulted. “You... you sheep! I'll kick you down the hill.”
Mary Robinette Kowal had brilliant insight into this when she first appeared as a guest on Writing Excuses. Here's a link to the episode. Writing Excuses Season 3 Episode 14: The Four Principles of Puppetry, with Mary Robinette Kowal » Writing Excuses