TECH: Nanowrimo Notes #14: Do You Hear The Drum?

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The Beats Go On ... Er, In?

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King has a whole chapter on beats. What the heck are they? It's little bits of action interspersed through a scene. Usually physical gestures, they're the story writers' equivalent of stage business. And they're great for revealing character and providing depth to dialogue. He said, she said, he said dialogue tags are a necessary part, but they don't provide the action and spice that beats do.

"Beats enable your readers to picture the action of the scene, allow you to vary the rhythm of the dialogue, and help reveal your character's personalities. In effect, they remind your readers of who your characters are and what they are doing." Browne and King
 

They do warn you not to get carried away with them. A light touch sketching the ongoing action behind the dialogue works -- heavy-handed detailing of every step makes it hard to follow the dialogue. Trust your readers to fill in the blanks. Beats connect the dialogue with reality -- people really do fiddle with papers, light cigarettes, swirl their beer, and so forth. But keep the balance.

When and how often do you use a beat?

First, to let the readers picture the dialogue taking place with actions. Enough details, but not too much.
Second, to vary the rhythm. When the tension is high, spare the beats. Relax with more beats.
Third, use beats to define characters.
 

Remember, good beats are unobtrusive. Sometimes they fill in reactions, or turn up the tension, or provide a break. Make sure you don't have too many beats, and beware of repeating trite beats. Make sure that your beats are individual, unique, special for this character. And check that if you read it aloud, the beats fit.

http://www.expert-editor.com/id11.html has a nice discussion of dialogue that includes a little about beats.

So, as you dash for the nanowrimo goal, consider beating your dialogue. When your characters are talking, what are they doing? If they're in a bar, are they ordering drinks, dealing with the help staff, looking around at the other inhabitants, looking at the news playing silently on the TV, fiddling with the coasters, ripping a napkin to shreds -- or just jittering on their stools? No matter where they are, there is likely to be some action going on. Imagine a movie where as soon as the characters started to talk, they froze -- and didn't do anything until they had finished talking? That would be a really strange scene, and yet too often that seems to be what we write about. So as you start the dialogue, think about the action -- the heartbeats of the setting and characters that keep it real. And write some of them in!

What would your character be doing while they are talking in a scene? What about the other characters? What are the interruptions? Don't get carried away, but add enough action to remind us that they are people, not just talking heads.

Okay? As the beat goes on . . .

tink
(about 500 words)
baby, baby, can't you hear my heartbeat?