How Cormac McCarthy Used Dialogue (And What We Can Learn From It)
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2023
- Cormac McCarthy was a master of dialogue. In this video I discuss 5 of the things that I think make dialogue come alive. Exposition, Character Voices, Motivation, Subtext and Movement.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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"I know writers that use subtext and they're all cowards." - Garth Marenghi
One thing I learned about McCarthy's writing style which I think really elevates his writing is that he doesn't like internal monologues or analyzing what his characters are thinking or feeling. A McCarthy character is always acting or talking or making some kind of expression in order to convey what they're thinking or feeling. Their thoughts or feelings never manifest as words on the page; it is only through their actions that the reader can infer if the character is mad, disappointed, disgusted, etc.
That's a great point, as I read your comment I realised you're absolutely right. Personally, I quite like that approach (even though it's not how I write myself) but I'd imagine, like a lot of things McCarthy, some readers would feel differently.
That's why I absolutely loved Suttree and why a lot of people hate it, imo that book is McCarthy's prose at its finest
Even though I have not (as of yet) read McCarthy, what you said about his prose seems to situate him as the antithesis of Virginia Woolf. One NEVER exits the mind of a Woolf character. All you get is internal monologues, thoughts, feelings, fears, desires, fleeting impressions, sense data, etc.
That’s exactly why his novels make good movies.
I've always felt like dialogue is one of my string points, so enjoyed watching this and seeing how I can make it better
I think I’m good with dialogue too generally, but good to have something to shake it up sometimes I guess ☺️
Best video I've seen on this topic, I'll be sure to apply these tips in my own writing! I especially like how you summarize the points you make throughout the video, using both visual references and short descriptions of the ideas conveyed. Thank you, Kieran!
Thank you! Yeah I definitely like to make a point to do that. I feel like I talk at a hundred miles and hour sometime so i think it’s worth just bullet pointing things for clarity ☺️
What's awesome about " tell mother I love her" is that he's implying that he's going somewhere if he dies that, his mother isn't and where his wife won't be going as well, when she dies.
I'd never thought of that, but you're right!
McCarthy also had a neat habit of having his characters often repeat the questions or statements addressed to them. Like in Blood Meridian:
"What's he a judge of?" the kid asked.
"What's he a judge of?"
"What's he a judge of."
I'm not sure exactly what this accomplished, but it's always stuck with me. It feels very true to life in regards to how people often speak in conversation.
Absolutely! I really like that too, it does feel really authentic to me. Sometimes conversations are messy and inefficient, it's realistic!
I love the examples! Although, I'd love to hear the accent too 🤣. It would bug me to read something without quotation marks 😂.
Haha that would take more bravery than I’ve got, not to mention probably offending anyone from the US 😂
The lack of punctuation does take some getting used to. It’s not something I’d say is a strength of his work, but it’s definitely a noticeable style!
@@KierenWestwoodWriting You won't know until you try 🤠! Who knows maybe it'll bring more viewers in😁?
😂
I'd love to hear you talk about Shirley Jackson's writing style/techniques
Thank you this was excellent!
Thanks for sharing the video.
Great advice.
Thank you for your insights, Kieren. I appreciate them very much.
Appreciate stopping in and watching, thank you!
Great job man. Very interesting, clear and simple advices coming from Mister McCarthy the master, meaning a lot. And very instructive with the demonstration by the example you give. Congrats from France. I'll be following you. Thanks for the tips.
This video was a masterclass. Thanks very much for taking the time to break down each principle with clear before and after treatments. I especially liked the store clerk exchange breakdown. After this I'm seriously wanting to read some Cormac McCarthy. Now the lack of quotation marks doesn't feel as alien.
A completely unrelated question: what is the brand and model number of your eyeglass frames? It's time for new glasses and I love that style! I'd love to find the same frames. Thanks!
Thank you, this is one of my favourite videos that I've made. I'd definitely recommend reading McCarthy and NCFOM is a good place to start I think.
My glasses are years old now to be honest, they're a brand called Storm and the colour is tortoisehell, I remember that much but I haven't got any other details I'm afraid!
@@KierenWestwoodWriting Thanks for the info on the glasses! Added NCFOM to my reading list. Can't wait, I'll give this great video another watch before I start the novel.
Great stuff! Thanks so much for your insights!
Thanks so much for watching! ☺️
Thank you for another great video. I wish your channel would grow because you are such a good and kind person and good teacher.
Well thank you ☺️ That would be great for sure, but it’s always good to be thankful for what you’ve already got too.
Awesome video!
Thanks very much! 😁👍
Thanks for watching! :)
Whew, you almost got me there. I was bracing for a Raid Shadow Legends sponsor.
Fantasic video. These are concepts that need to be in writing, but I rarely see. Cormac McCarthy is the perfect writer to use as an example. I'm constantly amazed at how much he says with saying so little.
Creating distinct voices is one of the most difficult things for me in writing, especially when the character won't be around long. But every time I read McCarthy, it inspires me to double down on it, and it illuminates just how important it is.
On the last tip, I've been guilty of overusing it. I tend to have to edit everything out except the most important gestures out on subsequent drafts. For that reason, I'm a thankful I overwrite instead of underwrite. The way you explained it is great, though: use gestures to convey mood and subtext. Don't use them to simply break up the dialogue (which is what I often see).
I wouldn’t dare! (Probably :D)
Absolutely, I’ve used movement just because I needed something to break up the dialogue. Quite a lot, probably.
I often use these videos to remind myself of stuff, we never absolutely nail all these things or remember them by heart in everything we write, but it’s just good to have reminders isn’t it?
I totally agree on McCarthy, whenever I want to demonstrate something, there’s just no writer who makes it as clear for me.
Still making my way through your read through of The Road btw, spent an hour walking in the sunshine today with it!
@@KierenWestwoodWriting well, you know what they say "to master something, you must teach it." So I think you're on the right path.
Glad you're still checking out the videos and enjoying them!
Absolutely helpful. Now, please breakdown the dialogue in Mao II by DeLillo. Thanks.
👍
The Road: Excellent dialogue
The Counselor: 110% undiluted Cringe Sauce
I notice he writes a lot of questions that aren't really questions without a question mark ... interesting. I might like. (I debated on using a period or a question mark at the end of that hesitant statement.)
He does do that yeah, it's something of a trademark of his. It's polarising, but I personally don't mind it!
Subscribed. Thank you for the excellent steak; your thought bubble salt and pepper, your bullets au jus.
Thank you! Much appreciate you dining with me! ☺️
Have you read anything by thomas pynchon? If so can you recommend where to start
I read The Crying of Lot 49 a long time ago at University and I’ve had Gravity’s Rainbow in my shelf for a while but haven’t got to it yet! From what I’ve heard, it can be a bit tough.
Vineland or Inherent Vice. Both are good and not as dense as his bigger books.
Long shot here and off piste...what are those lamps on the shelves? Thanks for any answer
Hey! So the lower one on the right (my left) is a Himalayan salt lamp, you can pretty much pick them up anywhere (Amazon etc). They're apparently supposed to have mood-boosting qualities etc, I'm not sure I believe that but they look really nice!
The one to my left on the shelf is actually a lantern style wax burner, specifically this one:
www.northernsoulscents.co.uk/products/edison-electric-wax-burner-gun-metal
That's a UK link but you might be able to find something similar wherever you are!
Thanks Kieren, much appreciated. I could do with a mood boost :) great channel, just discovered
The Udemy course is no longer accepting new enrollments?
That's right I'm afraid. It's been unavailable for a good while now.
I actually have a suite of micro courses already made, but I honestly don't think anyone's really looking for that kind of content from me so decided not to use them for now.
Most of my dialogue sounds too much like me. No matter how hard I push unless I push too hard, and then it all falls apart.
I find writing out some details about my characters and trying to imagine what their voice physically sounds like can help me differentiate. Getting to know my characters is key for me.
What business is it of yours how much exposition I use, friendo?
Hell I didn’t mean nothing by it. just passing the time of day…
Show, don’t tell. Someone alert Christopher Nolan
Is it possible to have you read some of my work?
I’m only able to spend time reading work through my editing service I’m afraid. Trying to balance my own writing and making videos and my normal job etc.
Kieren, dialogue should NEVER be functional -- that is, one should never feel as though the dialogue was interposed between action and description for the sole purpose of telling the reader something he or she needs to know in order for the narrative to move forward. Dialogue must always arise organically; it must seem as though it is a necessary consequence of who the character is who is speaking it, and the situation in which the author has placed the character. If it achieves both of these things simultaneously, without seeming as though the author was trying to achieve anything, then it is really good dialogue.
In other words base your characters on real people.
Pretty much yeah! Write people.