: Re: Is going 'off-topic' a sign of bad dialogue? I always wondered if going off-topic in a dialogue is a bad or a normal thing. For example, let's say I'm writing a novel where the main theme

@Sue2132873

Vote Up Vote Down

Studying real life conversations is fascinating, because they do ramble and wander, especially if the people know each other well. It is part of the richness that makes up real discussion, where tangents provide insight into the original discussion because they are tangents, and it indicates something about the mind working of the speaker.

I think there is a place for a novel where the theme is "love and loss", in which the characters do not talk about either of these topics directly, but the theme is developed by their skirting around them. It would not be easy to write, but would work by drawing the themes in relief - the particular topics that they do not talk about. And you would learn a lot because of the way that the conversation had to avoid them.

So yes, talk about other stuff, talk about life, because people do. And use this to show their thinking about the bigger issues. Where your core themes are big ones, then all issues will touch on them. A favorite breakfast was the last one I had with George. Or the one we took on our first holiday, in the open air.

(0)

Login to post a comment!