Let’s Get Monologue-ing!
- If you don’t develop a good character, you cannot have a good monologue
- Don’t sit in the easy seat when you want to write monologue. Write about something that is NOT about YOU. (Note: You must admit, this will challenge you, and I love a challenge.)
- Go to where people tell you not to go — Taboo Land.
- Find your hook – this is your first sentence and it makes me want to know more!
- We MUST feel your character’s heartbeat in their monologue. Should have attitude.
- Monologue does not have to have just one emotion.
- If you write something phony, it brings your work to a standstill.
- Do not write about something you do not have feelings about.
- To make it real– it must have connections to other things: place, personalities that are insinuated, etc.
- Need a tone to your dialogue. Needs to sound individual. Imbed the tone into the monologue.
- When writing a monologue, remember what it is– don’t make it its own novel within your novel.
- You must know who you are to write good dialogue.
Order of writing:
- You must choose a topic from within the parameters previously discussed and get it approved
- Write the first three sentences of your monologue to perfection and get them approved
- Next, write a character sketch for your character using the questions provided and get that approved
- Look back at your notes from the PowerPoint to determine what is NECESSARY for a monologue. Do you remember that slide that looked like a rubric? Make a check list. Make a checklist.
- Write your monologue keeping in mind the requirements, who your character is, what the tone should be, and the conflict. Get your rough draft approved.
- Type your monologue. Mark up your monologue by underlining, highlighting, and changing font colors to demonstrate where the check list is met.
- Make the document double spaced and try to write in subtext. Get the subtext approved.
- Find your voice. What does this character sound like? Stand like? Try saying your monologue in character.