Writing in dialect

Micky McGuinness 287 posts

I have written a short story for a competition, but unlike other stories I have written, a lot of it is in Geordie. I usually slip few words in here and there to a Geordie flavour, but a lot of this is proper Geordie!

Do you think that by doing this I am wasting my time entering?

almost 4 years ago

kseriphyn 1065 posts

If the dialect is supports the story or character (setting, background etc) then it should be fine. The only thing you need to be careful, in regards to dialect, is ensuring the reader has someway of understanding what is being said and its implications. Otherwise, I wouldn’t see any problems. You’ll never know if it was worth it if you don’t enter.

almost 4 years ago

Micky McGuinness 287 posts

Hmm I have posted this in another writers forum and everyone was totally against the idea, so I have toned it down a bit changing Y’knaa to Y’know and removing some of the more obscure Geordie words. I have still kept worsel’s (our selves)as in the context of the sentence the meaning is obvious even if you don’t understand the word.

“It was all about positive thinking, and how we express worsel’s. Y’know like when somebody asks you how you’re feeling, it’s best to put a positive slant on it. "

almost 4 years ago

KEITH R. WILL... 120 posts

MICKYMC U HAVE TO APPEAL TO YOUR READERS SOMETIMES WHAT U LOVE JUST WONT DO, REACH DEEP DOWN INSIDE OF YOU, AND BE CREATIVE, AND GEORDIE TOO!

almost 4 years ago

Micky McGuinness 287 posts

Cheers Porask, I’m sure there must be a way!

almost 4 years ago

kseriphyn 1065 posts

You might like to skim through works such as Lord of the Rings, Daggerspell and other epic fantasy novels. A lot of these works have adapted Celtic languages within them. It might give you some ideas on how to bring the Geordie language to your readers.

almost 4 years ago

Micky McGuinness 287 posts

Thanks I’ll give that a try; but first I think I’ll wait and see what kind of response I get from the submission I made. If I have got it right (ha, ha), I might not want to tamper with the formula :^) that said I’m not sure how much of a formula you can glean from 241 words!
Cheers
Micky

almost 4 years ago

Pagly2 30 posts

Micky….simple …It is YOU…the REAL YOU…GO for it…………..PLEASE………..
dont write what you think we want…..let us work for the pleasure of reading what YOU have written……….

almost 4 years ago

Micky McGuinness 287 posts

Thank you Trisha, I’ll keep at it!

WMG

Writers' Market Group

Writing in dialect

almost 4 years ago Micky McGuinness 287 posts	I have written a short story for a competition, but unlike other stories I have written, a lot of it is in Geordie. I usually slip few words in here and there to a Geordie flavour, but a lot of this is proper Geordie! Do you think that by doing this I am wasting my time entering?
almost 4 years ago kseriphyn 1065 posts	If the dialect is supports the story or character (setting, background etc) then it should be fine. The only thing you need to be careful, in regards to dialect, is ensuring the reader has someway of understanding what is being said and its implications. Otherwise, I wouldn’t see any problems. You’ll never know if it was worth it if you don’t enter.
almost 4 years ago Micky McGuinness 287 posts	Hmm I have posted this in another writers forum and everyone was totally against the idea, so I have toned it down a bit changing Y’knaa to Y’know and removing some of the more obscure Geordie words. I have still kept worsel’s (our selves)as in the context of the sentence the meaning is obvious even if you don’t understand the word. “It was all about positive thinking, and how we express worsel’s. Y’know like when somebody asks you how you’re feeling, it’s best to put a positive slant on it. "
almost 4 years ago KEITH R. WILL... 120 posts	MICKYMC U HAVE TO APPEAL TO YOUR READERS SOMETIMES WHAT U LOVE JUST WONT DO, REACH DEEP DOWN INSIDE OF YOU, AND BE CREATIVE, AND GEORDIE TOO!
almost 4 years ago Micky McGuinness 287 posts	Cheers Porask, I’m sure there must be a way!
almost 4 years ago kseriphyn 1065 posts	You might like to skim through works such as Lord of the Rings, Daggerspell and other epic fantasy novels. A lot of these works have adapted Celtic languages within them. It might give you some ideas on how to bring the Geordie language to your readers.
almost 4 years ago Micky McGuinness 287 posts	Thanks I’ll give that a try; but first I think I’ll wait and see what kind of response I get from the submission I made. If I have got it right (ha, ha), I might not want to tamper with the formula :^) that said I’m not sure how much of a formula you can glean from 241 words! Cheers Micky
almost 4 years ago Pagly2 30 posts	Micky….simple …It is YOU…the REAL YOU…GO for it…………..PLEASE……….. dont write what you think we want…..let us work for the pleasure of reading what YOU have written……….
almost 4 years ago Micky McGuinness 287 posts	Thank you Trisha, I’ll keep at it!