Conversations with Friends- Talking to Your Characters
Hello friends.
“I like to start my notes to you as if we’re already in the middle of a conversation. I pretend that we’re the oldest and dearest friends….”
Do you know what film that line is from?
You’ve Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
It’s one of my all-time favorite movies.
And this year it’ll be 25 years old.
Twenty-five!
Anyway…
I do like to have good conversations with friends.
But I’m H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E at small talk.
So today I’m going to jump into a conversation with the main character in a book I’m working on. (This is a great way to get to know your character and flesh out your story. Try it sometime if you’re also working on a story.)
ME: Hey, Benedetta, where did you get your necklace?
BENEDETTA (fingering the short chain and trying to see it): If it’s a butterfly, my mother gave it to me. If it’s something else, I don’t know where it came from or how it got around my neck.
ME: It’s a butterfly. Does it mean something to you?
B: Butterflies are super duper quiet. I’m not super duper quiet. I think my mother gave it to me to remind me to be super duper quiet sometime.
ME: How’s that working for you?
B: (just shakes her head)
ME: Well, it’s very pretty. How come you can’t be super duper quiet? Have you ever tried?
B (her eyes get really big): Why, why, why would I want to be quiet? Where’s the fun in that?
ME: True. Tell me why you gave me a picture of a hedgehog when I asked for a picture of you.
B: Who doesn’t like a good hedgehog photo? And I’m not about to be giving out pictures of me willy-nilly. One of these days, when I’m a famous singer, people are going to have to pay for my photos. Did you know that I love to sing? Singing’s like talking but all the words are linked together like a chain, and you have to take those words on a little romp through a meadow. That’s what my singing coach tells me. And there are actual important Italian words that tell me when to sing louder or quieter. Bet you can’t guess what my favorite way to sing is?
ME: Louder?
B: YES! Louder is FORTE! Quieter is tranquillo. Did you know that I’m Italian? I’m the only Italian girl in my whole class.
ME: Are there any Italian boys?
B: No.
ME: So you’re the only Italian altogether in your class. How does that make you feel?
B: The best! Being Italian is better than anything. My daddy says so.
ME: How about your mother?
B: How about her?
ME: Is she Italian?
B (shakes her head): No. The Italians wouldn’t let her in.
ME: What? That’s not very welcoming.
B: No, it isn’t. Life is like that sometimes. But my mom wouldn’t make a very good Italian anyway. She doesn’t like pasta.
ME: There’s more to being a good Italian than liking pasta, Benedetta. But if her parents weren’t Italian and she wasn’t born in Italy, then, you’re right, she’s not Italian. Were you born in Italy?
B: I don’t even know where Italy is! I was born in Diggity Hospital right here.
ME: Diggity Hospital? Like Hot Diggity Dog?
B (looking at me sternly): That would be a dumb name for a hospital, ma’am. It’s Diggity. Like self-respect and grace. That’s what my mom says.
ME: I think you mean Dignity.
B: Ma’am, that’s what I said.
ME: Okay. Well, I think I’ve gotten to know you a little better. You’re 7 years old, in second grade, you like to sing, you’re not quiet, and you’re Italian American.
B: Italian.
ME: But you weren’t born in Italy. You were born here. So, Italian American.
B: Italian.
ME: Okey-dokey. Thanks for the chat.
B: Okey-dokey is what my mother says when she wants to be done talking to me because she’s tired of arguing and going around in circles. But there’s one other thing you should know. I have a baby brother. He’s five. But you don’t ever need to meet him. I’m just telling you because you might hear him sometime. He’s also not super duper quiet.
ME: What’s his name?
B: Not important. I just call him Big Baby. You can do the same.
ME: Benedetta, I think you’re going to be fun to write about. Thanks for the chat.
B (uses fingers to open her eyes really wide): You’re going to write about me? I’m going to be famous! Who do you think will play me in the movie? Or maybe I’ll play me in the movie!
ME: One step at a time, Benedetta. One step at a time.
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