Episode 266 – “Let’s Talk Dialogue with Jeff Elkins,” He Said Reflectively”

Mark has a conversation with Jeff Elkins, The Dialogue Doctor.

Prior to the main segment, Mark explains his goof-up that led to releasing this particular episode and then shares a few words about this episode’s sponsor.

You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.

During their conversation Mark and Jeff speak, chat, discuss, converse, reflect, consider, chew on, and talk about about:

How a book that is 160 K can read like it’s so much shorter because it’s 95% dialogueRemembering that dialogue is just another tool that we, as writers can use – and how can it help impact the emotional resonance of your storyThe distance skyline of NYC versus the details of a narrow street as a parallel for two types of writing (prose and dialogue)The energy-building dialogue of Aaron Sorkin in shows like The West WingDialogue in action scenesThe love/hate relationship writers can have with dialogue tagsAnd more…

After the interview Mark reflects on one of the things he is going to try in his own writing to help improve his dialogue.

Links of Interest:

Jeff Elkins’ WebsiteThe Dialogue DoctorSept 10, 2022 – Dialogue MasterClassDraft2Digital LIVE (Self-Publishing Insiders) – Sept 1, 2022 – The Dialogue Doctor with Jeff Elkins (FULL INTERVIEW)Episode 157 – A Conversation with Jeff Elkins, The Dialogue DoctorEpisode 172 – Understanding and Navigating GenderEpisode 226 – Reflective Round Table December 2021Buy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsBest Book Ever PodcastLovers Moon PodcastThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Jeff Elkins writes stories about outsiders who fight for outcasts, rejects, and the oppressed. He is the author of more than ten novels, a Certified Three Story Method Editor, and the host of the Dialogue Doctor podcast. During the day, he leads the writing team for a training company that simulates difficult conversations. He lives north of Baltimore, Maryland with his wife of twenty-years and his five kids.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0