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DeeLerious184
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05 Apr 2013, 2:17 pm

hi! How do I make the dialogue sound better in the following passage from a novel:

Hi! i was wondering where I should add description. in this passage. Thanks!

Quote:
After a few more questions, she got up, and stood in front of the mirror next to her desk. She said a few words in the smooth elvish language, when Queen_________ of Glascu’s face appeared.

“Yes? What is going on?” The queen asked. She folded her arms, and dressed in her everyday regal lavender robe with puffy sleeves, and complex geometric embroidery. The head agent of the group of intelligence agents, who guarded the portal, had a direct line to her, in case of an emergency.

“Your Highness.” The agent bowed. “I am very sorry to disturb you, but Prince Simeon of Nadi’um is asking for political asylum.”

“Let me see him.” She requested.

Prince simeon positioned himself closer to the mirror. “You’re majesty! It is good to see you again, even under these circumstances.”

“I remember you quite well. I visited Nadi’um when I was still Princess of Glascu. You were a teenager then.”

“Yes Highness.” Simeon took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you had any word on my family? How is it that my aunt became queen?”

Simeon forwent contact with his family, when his mother tried to force his hand during his travels abroad by telling Queen Emataly of Tz'ibilchaltun that Simeon would marry her. This resulted in Simeon arriving to Tz'ibilchaltun only to find out that there was to be a betrothal party in his and Queen Emtaly’s honor that very night. Not knowing what to do, he asked his friend and travel companion, Aed, for help, and he suggested going to Urth, where the latter lived for most of his life, coming only to Mitteworld to visit.

“Your mother became ill and I’m afraid she did not make it. The healers could not help her. I am sorry.”

Simeon blinked back tears and nodded. “And the rest of my family?”

“Queen Genofa ursurped Queen Adara from the throne because of the reforms she was trying to make. Your sister sits in a jail cell, while the rest of your family is under house arrest.”

“There’s hope.” Simeon felt some relief and joy.

“I have reason to believe that your aunt means to make war on my kingdom to take the island of Findon.” The Queen continued. “My sources tell me that she is having most of the Nadi’um’s naval fleets gather in Lamia port with the pretexts of repair and renovation.”

“Perhaps other kingdoms could help you?” Simeon asked. “Make no mistake, she won’t stop at Findon. Once my Sister is made Queen of Nadi’um again, peace will reign again in Mitteworld.”

“I doubt the other kingdoms, principalities or city-states, will want to get involved for fear of having war declared on them.”

“Shouldn’t you evacuate the island?”

“If I do that, your aunt will figure how my methods of gathering intelligence, and cut off that supply of it. This could prove detrimental down the line.

“So your not going to defend Findon?”

“I will cede Findon to her.”

“But why?”

“She has no quarrel with me aside from her wish to take back the island. I have sent word through my Ambassador in Nadi’um.”

“What about the people of Findon? Shouldn’t they have a say?”

“As queen, I get the say.”

“But the Findon residents will be the ones will be stuck under my aunt’s rule, especially the men.”

“They do not want my rule. Radical anti-monarchists have been calling for the island’s independence and for it to be a city state. They’ve been causing trouble for my troops, and sailors via sabotage, both magic and mundane.” The queen said.

“Really?”



“Yes. The few leaders the authorities managed to find and jail are on a hunger strike. It costs more to keep peace, and maintain the island, than the treasury gets from it in taxes and tariffs.” The Queen crossed her arms. “ And as if that is not enough, the Nadi’um population insists on mistreating its men and continuing with the practice of polyhusbandry. Your aunt can have the island of Findon.”



Greb
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05 Apr 2013, 3:05 pm

English is not my mother tongue, so I'm sorry for lack of writing style or grammatical problems. But, in my opinion:

- You give too much info too quickly. You should slow down it.
- There's too much dialogue using words. It lacks some verbal dialogue.
- Sometimes the dialogue feels like a gun machine, one sentence after another. That case you should add some relax sentences.

For example, just some possible changes, from my point of view, of course.

(Italics mean striked out)


After a few more questions, she got up, and stood in front of the mirror next to her desk. She said a few words in the smooth elvish language, when Queen_________ of Glascu’s face appeared.

“Yes? What is going on?” The queen asked. She folded her arms, and dressed in her everyday regal lavender robe with puffy sleeves, and complex geometric embroidery. The head agent of the group of intelligence agents, who guarded the portal, had a direct line to her, in case of an emergency. [Now that the action is speeding up, it breaks the rhythm]

“Your Highness.” The agent bowed. “I am very sorry to disturb you, but Prince Simeon of Nadi’um is asking for political asylum.” [Not formal enough] “I’m afraid I must disturb you. Prince Simeon of Nadi’um has arrived unexpectecly. He has asked for political asylum.

[Some Queen’s thought about the Prince]

“Let me see him.” [She is a Queen and doesn’t ask] “I want to see him now”. She requested said.

[Some description here]

Prince simeon positioned himself closer to the mirror. [I doesn’t show any character’s feature] Prince Simeon was watching himself in the mirror when the Queen entered. He turn back and made a reverence. “You’re majesty! It is good to see you again, even under these circumstances.” [he’s a refugee asking for political asylum, shouldn’t be he less dominant?]

“I remember you quite well. I visited Nadi’um when I was still Princess of Glascu. You were a teenager then.”

“Yes Highness.” Simeon took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you had any word on my family? How is it that my aunt became queen?” [This came too fast. They should have some conversation that show how about their characters before reaching this point]

Simeon forwent contact with his family, when his mother tried to force his hand during his travels abroad by telling Queen Emataly of Tz'ibilchaltun that Simeon would marry her. This resulted in Simeon arriving to Tz'ibilchaltun only to find out that there was to be a betrothal party in his and Queen Emtaly’s honor that very night. Not knowing what to do, he asked his friend and travel companion, Aed, for help, and he suggested going to Urth, where the latter lived for most of his life, coming only to Mitteworld to visit. [You should have stated all this info before, so now, when he asks, the reader is involved emotionally with the question]

“Your mother became ill and I’m afraid she did not make it. The healers could not help her. I am sorry.”

Simeon blinked back tears and nodded. “And the rest of my family?”

“Queen Genofa ursurped Queen Adara from the throne because of the reforms she was trying to make. Your sister sits in a jail cell, while the rest of your family is under house arrest.” [Too much info at the same time. Better leaving those news for later].

“There’s hope.” Simeon felt some relief and joy.

“I have reason to believe that your aunt means to make war on my kingdom to take the island of Findon.” The Queen continued. “My sources tell me that she is having most of the Nadi’um’s naval fleets gather in Lamia port with the pretexts of repair and renovation.”

“Perhaps other kingdoms could help you?” Simeon asked. “Make no mistake, she won’t stop at Findon. Once my Sister is made Queen of Nadi’um again, peace will reign again in Mitteworld.” [In just a few sentences you have introduced them, given news about their whole family and debated war strategies… is not too much?]



Well, I think that's enough critics!! :D


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DeeLerious184
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05 Apr 2013, 3:12 pm

Thx for the advice! Descriptions are not my strength.



Greb
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05 Apr 2013, 3:23 pm

Just think that this is not a movie neither a action story. It's about people, relations and feelings. Pace it down. If I would be you, I would to try to rewrite the whole scene accepting as condition not using more that two or three twists. For example: he has appeared and is asking for political asylum and the news about her mother. And nothing more.


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1 part of Asperger | 1 part of OCD | 2 parts of ADHD / APD / GT-LD / 2e
And finally, another part of secret spices :^)