: Re: How can I make dialog sound like that of a six year old? I'm a contemporary romance author writing a romance Christmas book. The hero in my story has a six year old girl. There are lots

@Twilah982

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My best advice: spend some time with six-year-olds and see how they talk. Go to an elementary school and listen to them. If that's not possible, watch vlogs or family videos.

From my experience, they meander through their thought process, they stutter, they use run-ons, they mention unnecessary details, and they get distracted easily. Their speech is halting because they're searching for words but really want to talk, but they're old enough to be self-aware and consider a few outcomes of what they say and do.

In terms of behavior, they have favorites and focus on their favorite things, mentioning everything about them. They'll never deny a free gift out of propriety or modesty. They're proud of their accomplishments. They especially care about rules and the bottom line, and they'll strongly tell you when you're wrong or out of line.

I very much disagree with a child being shallow. They see and know more than they let on, and they'll make conclusions based on what they see, especially on what someone really cares about as opposed to what they say they care about. They can sniff out phonies after an extended period of time, and they'll tell you what they heard when they're contradicted since they care about rules.

This might help: www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/six/index.html

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