Here's the first example: Why is it good? Because it's funny. If you saw this in a movie or book, you'd laugh. Hopefully.
Jeremy Clarkson: You know in the run up to Euro 2004, a lot of people believed that David Beckham had done some practice and been...you know, training... and they've put flags on their cars to kinda show their support for the team. Cause we were in with a shout, we thought anyway... of winning. While everyone had flags on their cars, somebody has done some research on how much drag that created. I'm not joking...
Richard Hammond: Yes?
Jeremy: Yeah seriously, he said, 'You'll lose with two flags, four break-horsepower... uh, and that means that in the run up to the tournament, 4.5 million gallons of fuel was wasted by people flying flags. I actually know the man who did this survey, okay? I will spare him his blushes and wont say his names but I will tell you he has face hair. Okay? So, I've done a calculation of my own...if a mustache weighs two grams, and we think it does...
Richard: Sounds fair enough.
Jeremy: So, if you can get into a Ford Fiesta, you will increase its weight by 0.0000036 of a percent.
Richard: With you...
Jeremy: Which means you'll increase its fuel consumption by, complicated equation here, by 0.000083 miles to the gallon. So over a year, normal mileage, your mustache is costing you an extra five pounds in fuel...
Richard: Five pounds to run a mustache for a year?
Jeremy: That is the kind of information you simply don't get on any other shows.
From: Top Gear (Series 4, Episode 7)
Okay, so why is that good writing? I should say, good dialog? Because it's natural...study it, learn from it.
Richard Hammond: Yes?
Jeremy: Yeah seriously, he said, 'You'll lose with two flags, four break-horsepower... uh, and that means that in the run up to the tournament, 4.5 million gallons of fuel was wasted by people flying flags. I actually know the man who did this survey, okay? I will spare him his blushes and wont say his names but I will tell you he has face hair. Okay? So, I've done a calculation of my own...if a mustache weighs two grams, and we think it does...
Richard: Sounds fair enough.
Jeremy: So, if you can get into a Ford Fiesta, you will increase its weight by 0.0000036 of a percent.
Richard: With you...
Jeremy: Which means you'll increase its fuel consumption by, complicated equation here, by 0.000083 miles to the gallon. So over a year, normal mileage, your mustache is costing you an extra five pounds in fuel...
Richard: Five pounds to run a mustache for a year?
Jeremy: That is the kind of information you simply don't get on any other shows.
From: Top Gear (Series 4, Episode 7)
Okay, so why is that good writing? I should say, good dialog? Because it's natural...study it, learn from it.
This is what makes it good:
1) The speakers use contractions where possible.
2) One person may answer a question, the other replies with something complete different, ignoring the question all together...that's natural.
3) You get a real feel for the personality of the characters though their speeches.
1) The speakers use contractions where possible.
2) One person may answer a question, the other replies with something complete different, ignoring the question all together...that's natural.
3) You get a real feel for the personality of the characters though their speeches.
Try taking your favorite tv show and typing out the dialog as they speak...you will really improve your dialog technique.
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