What About Dialogue

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The other night at our writer’s group in our usual free writing spot we chose  to write twenty minutes of dialogue. I love dialogue it’s one of my favorite writing styles so, this is what I wrote:

“Guess what I have behind my back?” The strange lady demanded.

“Do I know you?” My puzzled response.

   “That’s irrelevant,” she snapped.

   “Oh okay, if it gets you off my back. A box of chocolates.” I guessed.

   “Wrong! Guess again.”

   “No, I won’t, go away, you’re being a pest.”

   “So smart ass, I’m a pest, am I? – I’ll show you!”

In one swift move she thrust a sharp looking carving knife a few inches from

my face. Of hell, have I peed myself? I was terrified and shaking profusely.

  “What are you going to do with that?” I croaked like an idiot. Was she serious?

  “Guess what I ‘m going to do with this razor-sharp carving knife?” Her voice

was low, and her eyes burned through me.

  “Listen, are you serious, waving that weapon in my face?” My voice hit a

high pitch, almost squeaky.  My mouth was dry, gut tight. Is she going to stab me?

  Her voice lowered and her eyes were two slits, “Didn’t think you’d see me like

this did you?”

  “What are you talking about, I don’t even know you – why are you flashing   

that knife at me?” The woman’s insane.

  “Of course you know me, have you got such a short memory?”

“Please, there must be some mistake, I don’t know you and have never

done anything to harm you.” Now my voice was definitely a squeak and yes, I

had peed myself.

 “Give me your shoe!”

“Whaat! my shoe?” Never in my life had I removed a shoe with such deftness and

speed. With what a seemed like lightning she grabbed the shoe and chopped it in two with the carving knife!

“Ha, ha, caught you – have you ever seen a knife work like this? Now its yours for only ten dollars.”

With trembling fingers I gave her fifty dollars – she left, I fainted.

Next week in this same spot, I’m going to give you more detail on dialogue writing and why it’s important to use in your writing.

Meet you then…