I was thinking a little about small talk the other day. How in everyday life we seem to come across times that we use it. However, I realized how little I use it in my writing. We usually just get to the point. I mean as writers we slightly beat around the bush a bit but we get there without the small talk lol. It is usually very minimal or nonexistent in most stories we read or write.
At least for me the amount of times I have two characters talk about the weather is well, to be honest…zero. I don’t see much of a use for it unless you are developing a relationship in a normal situation…maybe. In my current novel (in order to keep it at its current 438 pages with a second in tow) I try to avoid the unneeded use of words. That being said there are many novels out there that use those words and it works. In my case, a Thriller novel, there is always a little bit more of a rush, at times for information. So for the current genre I am writing in (until this book is complete), small talk doesn’t really work for me. For you it may be the opposite as sometimes it can be unavoidable and needed to move a story along.
In those cases you should make it entertaining. Short stories that I’ve written include this a little more. Make it real. I cannot say that enough, as you’ve probably read in many of my other posts, I always recommend using real life as inspiration. Many of us have experienced the dreaded small talk awkwardness in real life, more times than we would probably like lol. Even if you are determined to avoid it, somehow we tend to settle into the comfort of small talk to avoid seeming too awkward but we always end up doing just the opposite. So to write it without including the awkwardness or even sometimes comedic aspect of it would be a waste.
As we write, every sentence is meant to do something. Whether it is to push the story forward, have a hidden meaning, create a bond, reveal something to the reader, etc, it has a meaning of some kind. That being said, your small talk should do the same thing. Don’t just add unneeded ‘fluff‘. Use that chance to add a little detail in there or reveal something about the characters.
In reality when we talk to each other, using small talk, we are thinking about something at the same time. Depending on what perspective you are writing in you could even use that time as insight into the characters mind.
I’m not in anyway saying that small talk can’t be important but rather just the opposite. If you intend to use it, then make it important. Make it, less of just filling in your novel, adding it just for length (something I never recommend as it can water down your novel in an unsavory way) and more of a needed sentence. The way you can tell which kind of sentence it is…is by thinking whether or not it ties your story together, or if it were to be removed would it have a domino effect or just impact a very small section of your novel?
There are a few instances where maybe it could be considered small talk but it is also character building, in my novel. I have a couple who ask each other about likes and dislikes…situations like that are important even though they are just small details in the bigger picture. I wouldn’t call it small talk per say but it is the closet way I can describe that it is important, even though it seems insignificant at the time.
Readers love details, that’s why we read the book and see the movie in some cases, because we want as much detail as we can get to better understand the characters and the story. In my case I love both reading the book and seeing the movie (even if it’s not as good) because I like seeing the visual aspect as well as reading the detail. So as both, us writers can’t disappoint the readers. Those who will be putting their faith into the description on the back of our books to pick it up and give it a chance. Give them the detail and the ‘Fluff’ at the same time, encouraging their curiosity and imagination.
For example, instead of….
“Hi Penny, did you see the weather report today? Its supposed to be raining cats and dogs all day long. Much like last week. Boy I wish we could just see the sun for at least one day out of the week.”
Learning only that it is supposed to rain all week and that they want to see the sun.
You could say….
“Hi Penny, did you see the weather report today? I watched it after I let my dog out this morning, and they said it’s supposed to continue on through the day. Man, I hope it doesn’t cause the Parade to be cancelled, we worked so hard on that float the other day.”
In the more detailed example you learn information that you wouldn’t in the first one. Like that the person who is addressing Penny has a dog, they are planning on attending a parade in the near future and they worked on one of the floats.
Of course this is just an example of a very simple conversation but you still get the idea. It is small talk with a little more detail mixed in. Putting your character in a place at a time you will disclose in the near future, letting the readers know that they have a dog (an obligation at home), and that they worked with someone or someone’s on a float. Which raises curiosity and questions for the reader later.
Now I realize that this could be a first meeting between two people.
So you could say something like…
“Oh excuse me, I wasn’t paying attention on where I was walking. I didn’t mean to bump into you. I was just distracted by the weather report on my phone.”
“Yeah it’s supposed to rain all week isn’t it. They may have to cancel the parade.”
“I know, I helped make a float for it and am worried that we won’t have dry enough weather. My dog was supposed to be riding on the float with the kids but I don’t think that will happen now.”
“Oh, yeah that’s a shame, I see why you were so distracted. Don’t worry about it, my name is Penny and you are?”
****I just realized that I just rained on someone’s parade lol****
Anyways, that way you still give detail and include the first meeting/interaction that you planned on in the first place. You can turn just filling in a novel to something substantial and keep your word count in the realm of possibility. That is why I ultimately decided on a two part novel because as I wrote the first part I realized that I was getting to 400 pages faster then I thought. However, it was without having told the entire story I wanted to tell and yet being unable to get rid of any parts of it because I made every interaction and situation important to the progression of the story. Of course I am still doing the final edits so we will see if I still can reduce or add anything in the future.
So keep track of your ‘fluff’ or ‘filling in your novel. See if it’s even needed or could be condensed to tell more of the story you are trying to tell. Small talk maybe be just like its called….small but that doesn’t mean that it has to be insignificant. Sometimes the most important things in life come in small packages and the same can be said for conversations in your work.
Thank you for reading my blog and until next time….JUST KEEP WRITING.
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