butterfly | Dialogue and Perception

So, part of the problem with writing in character is having a good ear for words and for cadences. Now, it's certainly possible that some people just innately have a better ear, just as in music. But any skill gets better with training and practice.

Personally, I grew up around books.

I have always loved reading. My parents (especially my mom) more than just encouraged this, they also led by example. In middle-school and junior high, I was completely a 'book worm'. At that point in time, I had no knowledge of nor did I care about my popularity level (I had friends, some of whom lasted until high school, a couple through, and then none after I left school -- at that point, I didn't want to remember). I was perfectly fine with being the girl all the librarians knew by name, who spent hours looking through the school library for interesting titles. My reading list was extensive and eclectic. I watched TV, I played D&D, and I loved words.

I notice the way people speak and I notice because I care. It may not matter to anyone else in my family that my mom and her brother say a common word differently, but I find it fascinating (they were raised together, but only my uncle says the word the way that their mom does). The words that people choose and the way they choose to express themselves says so much about the way that they approach the world. In SG-1, the dialogue of the four main characters feels immediately distinguishable to me, even as Daniel, especially, has moved closer to Jack's mode of expression over time (in a more subtle way than Doctor Sam Carter's "for crying out loud" (Point of View), but to my ear, there's a distinct change over time). Jack's flippancy is unmistakable, I can feel the weight of Teal'c words even on the page, and Daniel and Sam, while both being run-on types, run-on in very different ways (Sam's the 'how' girl, Daniel's the 'why' guy and this is reflected in the way they approach any given information to be exposited -- Teal'c more of a 'what' guy, while Jack just wants to know if it's a good idea or a bad idea -- he doesn't need the details, because he trusts his team, so bottom-line, now, please).

Dialogue-writing may never come as naturally to some people as it does to others, but it is a skill and any skill can be improved. And as a reader, I have a vested interest in every writer being the absolute best that they can be.

There is so much information to be gleaned from a television show -- in a book, everything is laid out (still highly contestable and interesting, but still a much more unified view than you see in tv). Inflection, focus, environment, and priorities are there, just waiting to be found. Now, this doesn't mean that people are limited in the kinds of stories that they can write -- if you have a strong handle on character, then theoretically, you could put your characters into any situation at all and still have them ring true. Nor does it mean that character interpretation is limited.

Everyone watches a different show.

The Stargate SG-1 that I see is hopeless biased by my prejudices.

I'm used to women who can be strong and independent, to women who are not ordered around by men, so Sam feels like a step backward to me (Even compared to Zoe and not Buffy, Zoe who does follow orders, Sam feels like a weak personality in comparision, diluted).

I'm used to reading romance into close friendship (something that was no doubt started for me by watching Lois and Clark, where Clark became Lois' best friend first and where that connection was valued over Lois' more traditionally romantic 'love at first sight' attachment to 'Superman'.), so when I see how amazing well Jack and Daniel work and snark and play together, my mind adds, "in bed".

I'm used to shows with series' long themes and with myth and storyarc, so I read that into storyline of Stargate SG-1, find myself more willing to wait for the ending.

So, write the show that you see, but pay attention to the details. I've read many great stories where Sam comes across much better than she does on-screen, and I can buy the difference in perspective if there's a consistancy in detail and characterization.

Everyone is right from their own perspective.

They may change their minds later, but people make choices for their own reasons. They're doing the best that they know how to do with the information that they have. Just like in real life.

People are incredibly complicated. Often, they have more than one reason for any given choice. Relationships have their ups and downs. Emotions shift over time. Be aware of not just 'who' you're writing but of 'when'.

If you know that you aren't good at something and you want to get better, practice. Rewatch the episodes and focus on one individual character. Write out some dialogue for that character. Look it over and see if you can spot any personal writing quirks of your own that are slipped in (a lot of people write the way they speak, which is wonderful for essays and meta, but not so good for point of view fic). Get someone else to read over it. Watch that character's interaction with other characters -- each relationship is unique and will have its own vocabulary. Daniel and Jack have a delightful verbal back and forth that neither of them uses with other people. Sam is usually the only person visibly amused by Jack's Dumb Colonel Tricks. Teal'c is much funnier and aware than many authors give him credit for. Try watching an episode from several character points of view, trying to see only what that character sees.

Never be afraid to ask questions. If you don't understand why a character acted a certain way, ask around and get opinions. Decide which you think has most validity. Most of all, write as often as you can, because practice is a wonderful thing.