Free How to Write a Brilliant Romance: The Easy, Step-By-Step Method of Crafting a Powerful Romance (Go! Write Something Brilliant) by Susan May Warren Page A

Where do you feel like going today, huh? Maybe the mall?”
    Or:
    “Idon’tfeellikegoingtoschooltoday,”Sarahsaid,pullingthecoversoverherhead.
    “Yeah,wellIdon’tfeellikegoingtowork,either,butthat’slife.Dealwithit.”
    Iusedtwodifferenthooksineachsentence,anditgaveeachadifferentdirectionforthedialogueto gonext.
    But what if we don’t have a big fight scene? How can we make that resonate?
    Irepeat:Youcancreatetensioninanyscene.Youjusthavetodigforit.Let’stakeanormal conversation,wrapitupinopposinggoals,andseewhathappens.
    Let’ssayahusbandcomesinfromworkandseeshiswifedolledupandlookingpretty.He’stoo tiredtogoout,buttheyhadafightthismorning,sohewantstomakenice.Buthealsoishidingthe factthatatworkhewasreallytemptedtogooutwithhisbeautifulnewfemalepartnerbecausehis wifehasbeensodistantlately,andheisfeelingguiltyaboutthat.
    So,underneaththesurface,hewantsareasonto1.Getmadandjustifyhistemptation,or2.Justget throughthenightwithoutafight.
    Meanwhile,hiswife,whohasbeenhomewiththekidsallday,isfeelinguglyanddesperatelywants tomakeupwithherhubby.Andshesuspectsthathemightbeseeingsomeoneelse,andjustwants toseethathecares.
    So,theirdialoguemightplayoutlikethis:
     
FoundationalConversation:
    “What’s the occasion?” he asks. (I’m not sure what to expect.)
    “No occasion. Just wanted to look nice. How was work?” (Don’t I look nice? Don’t you notice me? )
    “You always look nice.” (Don’t ask me about work, I don’t want to be reminded of what I nearly did. Another great dialogue device: dodging the question.)
    “The baby spit up on my other outfit.” (I was home, all day, taking care of the kids. I need some encouragement.)
    “What’s for supper?” (He’s hinting that he doesn’t want to go out.)
    “I haven’t even thought about it, what with Jimmy’s soccer club and Amy’s school project. And I have choir practice tonight.” (Family, church, responsibilities— see, someone has to take care of them!) “I s’pose I could throw in a frozen pizza, again.”
    “We had that last night.” (Nothing will ever change.)
    “So, you don’t want pizza?” (You don’t want me, even though I work so hard to take care of you and the kids?)
    “ It’s not really about what I want, is it? But what we have. Pizza is fine.” (I’mstuckinthisrelationship.Inthislife).
    “ Bytheway,Idon’twantpizzaeither.Butthekidsdo, andthat’s whatmatters.”(I’mnothappyinthisrelationship,either,butforthekids,we’llstaytogether).
    Now,thatseemslikeboringdialogue,butsetagainsttheirgoalsandmotivations,thereisalotbeing said.It'sjustthatitisallunderneaththe surface.Itdoesn’tmatterwhatPOVwe are in,we understandexactlywhattheyaresayingifwelookbeneaththesurface.However,thisdialogueneeds work,sowe’regoingtorampitupwithexternalconflict,justonthatfirstlayer.We’lldothisby addinginsomeFightingWords,some Zingers.
Zinger-addeddialogue:
    “You look real nice. What's the occasion?” he asks.
    “No occasion. Just wanted to look nice. How was wor--?” (First Zinger – interruption)
    “You always look nice.”
    “The baby spit up on my other outfit.”“What’s for supper?”
    “I haven’t even thought about it, what with Jimmy’s soccer club and Amy’s school project. And I have choir practice tonight. I s’pose I could throw in a frozen pizza, again.”
    “We had that last night.”
    (Now, here come the accusation Zingers)
    “And your point? You don’t want pizza? Maybe you don’t want a pretty wife, either, or clean kids. Maybe you want to go back to work!”
    “It’s not really about what I want, is it? But what we have. Pizza is fine. Just perfect.”
    “For your information, I don’t want pizza either. But the kids do, and that’s what matters.”
    Note,thisisthesamefoundationaldialogue,exceptIaddedjustafewmoreconfrontationalwords. Andsuddenly,thetensionincreased.Wecouldgotheotherwaywithittoo,andaddadifferentkind oftension.
Alternate ZingerDialogue:
    “What’s the occasion?” he asks.
    “No occasion.