My Writing Advice

The Great Balance

In practically every early piece of work anyone has written it's all actions, but I'm talking about what came after, the abomination, the invasion, the plague that is dialogue. (At least when it's overused.)

Dialogue is a very useful tool as it helps not only to move plot, but greatly improves characterization when used in the right way. There are probably more examples, but I'm not here to tell you the pros and cons of dialogue, I'm firstly here to explain why the overuse of dialogue is bad, and to the best of my ability, how to fix it.

So let's say you're writing a basic  script, you write what they say, simple and quick action, and who said it as well as maybe how. This is the most basic format to writing a story and people overuse this structure to the point where it's like reading a script. Well it might be a breeze to read, it's not very descriptive and doesn't give the reader a greater image than two or more people standing still while having varying voices. Like:

"How are you?" said Emma enthusiastically.
"Awful." he responded grimly.

Of course, the dialogue isn't well written here, but usually goes on like this until the occasional need for more description.

There are different levels, sometimes it's not bad, you as the reader don't notice, or other times it is as it looks above. Either way, you need to add more description.

Your characters are able to thrive without talking, I promise, give them some personality, maybe one of them flashes a scowl at another or maybe someone is tired so instead of saying it you describe that they were falling over in place.

Characters are not it, you can go into detail about the surroundings, inner feeling of the character, (just keep in mind point of view and just whose thoughts you can tell the reader.) Basically if you haven't described something about the scene in your head, then you need to get it down. This only works to a fault, however, which brings me to the second part of this chapter.

Too much description.
It's so hard to read books that describe everything, every last bit of every little thing. I don't care if the cup is in the middle left of the middle of the right half of the table, I don't care if it's on the table unless someone just laid it there. It can be to extremes like these, but it can also be just enough that you only notice later on the book.

This sort of styles wears out words and names like nobody's business. You'll start liking something, and then by the end you're praying the author doesn't use the word name, or other again. I will forever hate the psuedo name, "Bestial Form," for Wolf Link ever since I read "Into Twilight." It's a possible side effect when you've used just about every adjective, so you decide to overuse one.

But there's also the amount that is being described itself. I talked about Into Twilight already, briefly, and it's a book that suffers from over description. It's fine to read at first, the style is fine, the descriptions are fine, overall it's very good, but then later on you're tired of learning why a certain character decides to do or say something every time they do or say most things. You also tired of hearing the exact attitude everything has when doing something. You also get to hear a piece of everyone's backstory every two to three paragraphs unless they're in a light conversation. 

But sometimes this can work, it's just that there is no variety in it when it's used throughout the whole book. If you think your readers can imagine it already or don't care, then do not write it down, (sometimes you need a second opinion though, don't go deleting everything, take it lightly and be skeptical because if you don't give it thought you could very well be destroying your own style.)

There is an ideal in between in the center of these two problems though, the balance of over and under description, and here's how I think works.

It's all in a variety.

It's good to use both, as well as an average amount of description. Sometimes if you've been going along with an average amount of description in a conversation and you aren't sure what to say, you can throw in a piece of dialogue without actions or observations, just who said, and maybe how. And sometimes you don't even need to put who said it. It gives readers a quick break from hefty reading. If you write a ton usually, be sure to lighten up  in other areas. 

You can have your elaborate designs of a lover's dress, just make sure you aren't telling me just how many hairs the other lover has on their head in the very next paragraph. You can tell me why he said what he said, just make sure I'm not being told why exactly he needs to use the bathroom. There's a balance, and if there's no variety, it can show laziness or it can turn away a reader because their brain hurts from trying to keep track of exactly how this character's mouth, eyes, eyebrows, hair, cheeks, jaw, all look with their own adjectives.

That's all I got to say, I'm not editing this since I'm on vacation. (I'll do it later maybe.) Sorry if some of this makes no sense or is amateur, I'm not a professional. 

If you have a specific subject you're having trouble with comment below and I'll see if I have anything I can say about it. Have a good day.