21-01-2003 06:28									#1
	The most annoying writing technique, EVER Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

By this, I refer to instances where a writer has zero differentiation in language between characters. It happens when "simple farm boys" or career soldiers start spouting off on metaphysics, or when teenagers from the highland forest pontificate on how power corrupts. Try this: Blindfold yourself and have someone read dialogue spoken by Garion, Belgarath, and Silk in the Malloreon. I guarantee you won't be able to tell the difference four times out of five.

You'd think that A) people would at least try to make different characters speak differently, and B) that their publisher would have noticed.

Writers who are gulity of this sin include David Eddings, James Barclay, and sometimes even my current favorite David Gemmell. Writers whose work is relatively free of this scourge are T.H. White, Kate Forsyth, and Ian Rankin

	21-01-2003 07:19									#2
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Still, you can't deny that while your captivated by Eddings, none of this actually matters.

All these are commercial fiction. They don't NEED to be particularly outstanding on the fine points.

	21-01-2003 07:30									#3
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He just writes very well-rounded characters, that's all!

I do greatly prefer Eddings and his ilk over the ultra-stereotyped brand of commercial fantasy, though. Add Naive Hero, Aloof Spellcaster, Hippie Elf, Gruff Dwarf, stir, and vomit -- instant fantasy!

	21-01-2003 07:57									#4
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Don't forget that you need at least one representative from each character race, class, and gender in the party.

And a love element. Never forget the love element.

	21-01-2003 10:58									#5
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Very true.

	21-01-2003 11:15									#6
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Eddings is an author? His business card says "Creative Typist."

Other authors slogans:

Robert Jordan: A million Monkeys, a million typewriters: 10 Wheel of Time books and counting!

Steve King: Things go better with Coke

	21-01-2003 12:22									#7
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Stream-of-conscious writing aggravates me.

	21-01-2003 12:26									#8
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It's so incredibly hard to write accurately differentiating dialogue though. Sometimes you can try to do it and fail, and fail miserably at that. It doesn't really annoy me.

	21-01-2003 12:31									#9
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Twain did differing dialects and modes of speaking well...

	21-01-2003 12:32									#10
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AUGH!!! **retreats to a comic book**

	21-01-2003 12:35									#11
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Twain was also a fücking genius, I'll remind you!

	21-01-2003 12:52									#12
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should we expect less of anyone though?

	21-01-2003 12:58									#13
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quote: I do greatly prefer Eddings and his ilk over the ultra-stereotyped brand of commercial fantasy, though. Add Naive Hero, Aloof Spellcaster, Hippie Elf, Gruff Dwarf, stir, and vomit -- instant fantasy!

Doesn't that describe most of Eddings' work too?
Ho, and let's put a horse tribe of nomads, but let's not call them Rohirrim. What he did was using humans instead of elves and dwarves, but the same stereotypes are there.

	21-01-2003 12:59									#14
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Are you saying that I'm lowering my expectations of authors???
Not at all. I firmly believe that you shouldn't do "verbal tricks" with your characters unless you're really committed to it, and you know what you're doing. If each of your characters is unique and has his or her own motivations fully formed, it should only be natural for this to be seen in the dialogue.

	21-01-2003 13:57									#15
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quote: Originally posted by JohnT Robert Jordan: A million Monkeys, a million typewriters: 10 Wheel of Time books and counting! Steve King: Things go better with Coke

quote: Originally posted by Gatekeeper Stream-of-conscious writing aggravates me.

They forced my class to do that in the tenth grade.

	21-01-2003 15:18									#16
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I was reading a book where the main protagonist (who was also narrating the book) got trapped in an inescapable cell and was slowly going to suffocate and die.

He had to find a way to get out of there fast.

He did so by writing the story in the third person and escaping.

It was kinda irritating but I give the author credit for originality.

	21-01-2003 16:19									#17
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Yes, a very original deus ex machina...

	21-01-2003 20:46									#18
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There are several works of "great" literature like this. Hjalmar Söderberg's "Doktor Glas" for instance, where the protagonist, a not-too-bright, dry, technical physician, writes his diaries in cleverly paragraphed, extremely stylised prose. I hate it, a lot of people don't mind.

	21-01-2003 20:51									#19
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I think Prez just doesn't pay attention.
There are certainly differences between Aragorn and Frodo, or Old Wolf and Silk, for instance.

You want irritating? Read some e.e. cummings.

	21-01-2003 21:14									#20
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i love e.e. cummings
writing words
as if
they
mean
something

	21-01-2003 21:22									#21
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quote: writing words as if they mean something

will irritate
texans
like bush
and slowwhand

(Sorry, Slow. Couldn't resist. )

	21-01-2003 21:24									#22
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It irritates Bush, too? Learned something today.
Thanks, John.