tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post2338919124914180308..comments2024-03-15T09:26:02.796-05:00Comments on PROJECT MAYHEM: Writing Dialogue for Middle GradeProject Mayhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05154342399869089664noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-11521763692407908242010-11-08T19:39:19.587-06:002010-11-08T19:39:19.587-06:00Excellent post, Dee! I actually bookmarked it.Excellent post, Dee! I actually bookmarked it.Kell Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18089691866850131698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-56495453343781142702010-10-27T09:49:35.600-05:002010-10-27T09:49:35.600-05:00Great tips! Thanks!Great tips! Thanks!djhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01358259075165671565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-64778124780490870782010-10-21T23:12:16.965-05:002010-10-21T23:12:16.965-05:00Thought-provoking post, Dee. Thanks!Thought-provoking post, Dee. Thanks!Dawn Lairamorehttp://www.ivyseverafter.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-26869895771473058182010-10-21T22:52:04.136-05:002010-10-21T22:52:04.136-05:00I totally had to laugh at your description of a gr...I totally had to laugh at your description of a group of kids talking "at" each other. I remember this so well from when I taught fifth grade. What's great is they always surprised me - they somehow were listening to each other while having these parallel conversations! <br /><br />Great points about realistic dialogue.Marissa Burthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13079821721448782710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-18500500583709051052010-10-21T18:10:57.272-05:002010-10-21T18:10:57.272-05:00Thanks all, David, I think it depends on the story...Thanks all, David, I think it depends on the story. I've read some great middle-grade books with very self-aware narrators who purposefully try to speak differently because the story wouldn't work without it. <br /><br />SCONES AND SENSIBILITY is hilarious because the main character wants life to be like a Jane Austen novel, and so she manages to keep to an Austen-like speech pattern most of the time. Artemis Fowl certainly speaks more like an adult too, but that totally fits with the story as well.deegarretsonhttp://deegarretson.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-19125545861307231682010-10-21T15:27:18.758-05:002010-10-21T15:27:18.758-05:00Great post. I sometimes wonder though how importa...Great post. I sometimes wonder though how important or desirable it is to make middle graders (or any graders) sound exactly like what they are. Does a typical 12 year old boy think he sounds like a typical 12 year old boy, or does he think he sounds like James Bond or whoever he imagines himself to be? I guess the question becomes, how desirable is "realistic" dialogue?Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311450979063952296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-14682714919558016722010-10-20T15:10:53.467-05:002010-10-20T15:10:53.467-05:00Great post, Dee! Right on the money, IMO. :)Great post, Dee! Right on the money, IMO. :)Timothy Powerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01086133231193872660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-44248592896147442172010-10-19T19:46:08.307-05:002010-10-19T19:46:08.307-05:00i work with 8th graders and this is SO true. Norm...i work with 8th graders and this is SO true. Normally there is two or three kids who are SUPER smart and snarky but most kids dont.<br /><br />Awesome.Erinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936046127305211439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-36144941393326122542010-10-19T12:14:46.378-05:002010-10-19T12:14:46.378-05:00great tips and observations of middle-schoolers. T...great tips and observations of middle-schoolers. They really are in a class all by themselves as they straddle that line between child and teenager.Kerriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09850852586149578236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-69010854393553121902010-10-19T10:40:27.712-05:002010-10-19T10:40:27.712-05:00Thank you! I learned a lot from this post! =DThank you! I learned a lot from this post! =DTarie Sabidohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04105469967850020791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-10509478082756129492010-10-19T10:10:17.046-05:002010-10-19T10:10:17.046-05:00Excellent post, thank you! Thanks to Becky Levine ...Excellent post, thank you! Thanks to Becky Levine for sharing it on Twitter/Facebook.<br /><br />I keep telling myself I can't wait until my children are old enough to allow me to write tween fiction. Your tips are fantastic.Heather at My Coupon Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14429799440079596667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-33225897518183874272010-10-19T09:42:38.791-05:002010-10-19T09:42:38.791-05:00I agree about the parallel conversations. When my...I agree about the parallel conversations. When my 12-year-old and his friends are at the house, they have absolutely no problem ignoring what the other person is saying (maybe with the occasional "yeah" before returning to their own topic). It's pretty funny, because once in awhile the conversation will come together because of a single word or phrase. They'll all pounce on it with this bizarre enthusiasm that makes me smile. Thanks for the post!Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121018905141253640noreply@blogger.com