Changes in Conversation

I am spending time watching television and movies for a purpose.  Do you have a friend who speaks with a Midwest accent?  How about someone who says "really" all the time or "ya know what I mean" hoping to get you to agree to some ridiculous theory that they are concocting.

 I wonder what they would be saying if they could talk!

Writing conversations demands the writer to be aware of  different speaking voices...as in tones, accents, habits, attitude, inflection and much much more.  I am acutely aware of this but it is challenging.  Usually a character is modeled from your experience in life. Perhaps it is someone you have met in passing who fits into your storyline some way.  You go over in your head how they spoke to you and weave in the appropriate data to fill in the conversation.  Next you edit it until you feel it is right and then send it on to your editor for more edits and then back to the conversation again...until it is ready to go. It can just flow and be right the first time...or not.  Either way, it is an interesting learning experience to examine why people say what they say....and do what they do.

Passive aggressive behavior is something that I am beginning to understand as of late because of one of my characters need to "zing" people with backhanded complements or using excuses to not follow through with their promises to friends.  It takes the recipients awhile to realize the true meaning of these actions....and when she discovers the truth...her eyes are opened. The most interesting fact is that sometimes....she chooses to close them again...because she hates to see the bad in anyone.