Writing Advice Addendum: My Feud with Laurie Halse Anderson

So, some folks pointed Laurie Halse Anderson at one of my blogs on Dialogue, pointing out that my advice (seemingly) directly contradicted Laurie's. I, apparently, was saying, "You should not mix action description with dialogue!" And Laurie was saying, "You MUST mix action description with dialogue!"

This had all the hallmarks of a promising Writin' Feud, like the kind that killed Pappy Lyga back during the Depression, when F. Scott Fitzgerald and he took to the pistols to settle the issue of the serial comma once and for all. ('Tis an ugly tale, one I'll not repeat here for fear of frightening any children who may have stumbled upon the BLog.)

Sadly for those in the cheap seats rooting for a feud (oh, fine -- I was one of them...), Laurie and I agree more than we disagree. Her blog entry here points up the similarities in our positions. And for those who think I was saying, "No action in your dialogue! None! Ever!" please go back and READ that entry. You'll see that all I'm talking about is cutting out useless, deadwood, stuff that slows down your story. Never once did I say that narrative/action has no place at all in dialogue. I just encourage you to find a balance.

Which is what Laurie was doing, too.

Which means that Pappy Lyga's never-fired dueling derringer (that bastard Fitzgerald fired on "two," not "three!") will remain locked in its case.

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1

It's on!
By: Jon Skovron on Thu December 10, 2009, 10:58:58

You, sir, excessively use parenthetical phrases!

/me waits for backlash

2

Re: Writing Advice Addendum: My Feud with Laurie Halse Anderson
By: Barry on Thu December 10, 2009, 11:05:23

I cannot believe (no, really, I can't!) that you (Jon Skovron, author of STRUTS AND FRETS) would dare come here ("come here" in a virtual, not literal sense, of course) and attack me so viciously (you bastard)!

3

feudin'???
By: Jo on Thu December 10, 2009, 11:16:36

I'm finding this feud more in the nature of sword flourishes in a bad highschool play than a real bloody bout of fisticuffs and I am disappointed in all of you.
In particular the famed Lyga/Skovron incident smacks of pulled punches and not enough smacking!
Take the safety off and have at each other!

4

Re: Writing Advice Addendum: My Feud with Laurie Halse Anderson
By: Barry on Thu December 10, 2009, 11:19:47

@Jo: We're warming up! No one wants to jump in half-cocked a pull a hammy or something...

5

I see your serial comma and raise you an interrobang
By: Laurie Halse Anderson on Thu December 10, 2009, 19:03:10

Oh, come on, Baaaaarrrrryyyyyyy.

(see, I can whine, too)

Surely there is something we can feud about!

I am rather fond of the serial comma. I am overly fond, of commas. Period.

Or we could feud about college hoops. Who do you love? I AM GEORGETOWN. And syracuse (yes, deliberately Not Capped) when Georgetown sucks. Sarah Dessen is a wild-eyed UNC fanatic. Barry Goldblatt is a rock chalk (whatever the hell that is) Jayhawks fan.

You?

Oh, dear. What if you don't like college basketball?

We could feud about breakfast foods. I am rather passionate about that, too.

Ball's in your court. Or the waffle is on your plate. Whatever.

Laurie

PS - please do not expect timely responses to your dares and double-dog-dares and derringer waving. I'm trying to get a book done and am unchained from my writing space for only minutes each day.

6

Writing Advice Addendum: My Feud with Laurie Halse Anderson
By: Shannon on Thu December 10, 2009, 19:51:03

Wow, that was SO anticlimactic! Couldn't you guys at least smack each other with powdered gloves a few times? Just to entertain those of us who had a bad day?

7

Re: Writing Advice Addendum: My Feud with Laurie Halse Anderson
By: Barry on Thu December 10, 2009, 23:57:39

@Laurie:

I will feud with you over the fact that you refuse to make timely responses to my request for a feud!!!!!

8

Poor Pappy Lyga...
By: Ariella on Thu March 18, 2010, 14:08:24

WHERE IS THE LOVE YOU GUYS. WHERE IS IT. :'((((((

You make me sadface all over the place you big meanies.

On a more serious note that blog about dialogue actually helped me quite a bit.