Like watching a movie
I love dialogue. Love, love, love.
If I go back to all my old favorites, Arsenic and Old Lace…Abbott and Costello, Breakfast at Tiffany’s…. Bringing up Baby. I could go on. The thing about those old movies is that they would have collapsed without good dialogue. The time when movies were based on really good writing.
We’ve got that today, don’t get me wrong, but more often I like to sit down with a book and enjoy the lost art of dialogue and conversation–a witty read that pulls me into the character’s lives.
How do I apply that to my own writing?
I see it in my head like an old-time movie. [okay, i'll admit, this movie line just cracks me up]
Bobe Hope on Zombies [sorry, the embeding html didn't work 
]
I love old movies and Jenn, you are so right about the dialogue sparkling in them. With the lack of special effects to carry the movies to that era, the dialogue and body language of the actors had to carry the whole shebang.
Maybe that’s another tool we can use as writers? Try to picture our characters on the big screen – all the movements, gestures and yes – the dialogue.
Interesting post!