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In fiction, I tend to write fairly realistic dialogue-not…

“In fiction, I tend to write fairly realistic dialogue-not always, and it tends to vary from book to book. But in many books, there is a colloquialism of address. The characters will speak in a quite idiosyncratic way sometimes.” quote by Don DeLillo
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“In fiction, I tend to write fairly realistic dialogue-not always, and it tends to vary from book to book. But in many books, there is a colloquialism of address. The characters will speak in a quite idiosyncratic way sometimes.”

Don DeLillo

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Dialogue should reflect realistic speech patterns, varying by character and context.

In simple terms: Dialogue mimics real speech.

Key Takeaway

Write characters with distinct voices.

Themes

writing dialogue realism

Mood

analytical creative

Type

literary instructional

When to use this quote

  • novel writing
  • screenwriting
  • teaching writing

Key Concepts

literary technique characterization

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance realism and clarity?
  • When should dialogue be stylized?
A Different Perspective

Overly realistic dialogue can distract from narrative flow.

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