Talking out loud

Readers love to hear your characters talk. They might know nothing about the art of creating a believable plot. They may not care about whether your settings are factually correct. But they do know how real people talk. They hear it every day. Most of them like to talk too.

This informative book guides you through the pitfalls of creating dialogue, and suggests ways to tighten the words you put into the mouths of those who live on your pages.

It isn''t weighed down with theory. It won''t bore you with examples drawn from dusty old books or make you feel as if you''re in a creative writing class. What it will do - I hope - is entertain, as you learn how to turn good stuff into diamonds.

There are chapters on dialogue tags, exposition, repetition for effect, personality, and how to get humour right (and wrong).

It ends with useful advice to help format dialogue and give your finished work a professional edge.