Reviews from

A Good Conversation

All too rare

22 total reviews 
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
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Who is Renie?

Well, that first conversation just confirms that people are into themselves and will talk only about what interests them.

I'm guessing part 2 will be the most interesting conversation Bob has had all night - maybe all week!

I can't speak to the script format, as I don't write this way, but I can say that this was relatable, and I'm looking forward to part 2.

I've often thought of dragging something out of the basement and re-writing it to see how much better it might do. Hope this works for you.

xo
Pam

 Comment Written 22-May-2024


reply by the author on 22-May-2024
    Renie is his pet name for his wife, Irene. Good guess on part 2. We'll see my idea of how to carry on a good conversation.

    This was my first script with the exception of one short chapter in my last novel where the main character called in to a radio psychologist talk show and got some advice from her.

    I think this worked better than the original. It was mostly dialog and didn't really need the narrative stuff to get the point across.
Comment from Wendy G
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Very well done. You made an engrossing and engaging script out of all those boring so-called "conversations" - but unfortunately many or most people are like that it seems, and that probably explains my distaste for social gatherings. I am looking forward to the next part!
Wendy

 Comment Written 22-May-2024


reply by the author on 22-May-2024
    Thanks so much, Wendy. Did you remember the original from a couple of years ago?

    I too dislike most social gatherings for the same reason. I usually end up saying very little, as they always seem to be dominated by talkers. Occasionally I'll meet a good conversationalist, but they are rare.

    In part 2, I will try to show my idea of a good conversation and analyze what makes bad conversations.
reply by Wendy G on 22-May-2024
    I could only vaguely remember it, but I might look it up. Then it will definitely come back to me. Sometimes I don?t even remember very well things from last week. And sometimes I look at a title of something I rote myself last year and gave to reread it as I have no clue about what the story was. Lol.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
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This was well-written and seemed like natural speech. Unfortunately, natural speech is often boring or someone interrupting someone or someone walking off after not getting a word in edgewise. You did a good job of getting all these in.

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 22-May-2024
    I find most social gatherings like this and tend not to enjoy them very much. Most people don't converse; they just talk. They ought to teach classes in it in school because there are some principles involved. In part 2, I will analyze what makes for good and bad conversations and demonstrate what I feel is a good conversation.
reply by Carol Hillebrenner on 22-May-2024
    That sounds like a great idea. I tend to just listen in and move around. But when I do get going in a conversation, I can make people laugh.
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
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It never fails to amuse me how different male conversation is to female conversation. I met a friend of a friend in the park a couple of days ago and all she talked about was her husband and how she disliked him so much after nearly 30 years of marriage and wished she'd left him years ago! No mention of outdoor pursuits like fishing or golf! I think women talk mainly about their emotions, men have a more practical approach. I enjoyed your inventive dialogue Jim, love Dolly x x x

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 22-May-2024
    You are so right about conversations between men only and women only for the exact reasons you stated. So much male conversation is about sports, and unless we are talking about golf, I have very little to contribute. I actually prefer talking to women who, I usually have better conversations with. There are exceptions, of course, but that's what I've discovered as a general rule.
Comment from royowen
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I never thought of a good conversation as a skill, I have an ability to prattle on, but I don't like small talk, as a matter of fact, I just like thinking, heh heh. This is a change of form for you, but I like it, there aren't many who can script well, and this looks promising, well done, Jim. Blessings Roy

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 21-May-2024
    Thanks, Roy. I'm not fond of small talk either, or large talk with folks like these in the story. In Part 2, we'll finally get to see a good conversation which demonstrates some of the skills involved.
reply by royowen on 21-May-2024
    That?s great
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
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I missed out on your first posting as I didn't start here until March 2023. But I really like what you've done here in terms of demonstrating how little people actually engage in a two-way process when it comes to conversation. I found myself getting increasingly tense with each new dialogue and Lydia was definitely the last straw and deserved to be throttled. It reminds me of my doctor who nods and agrees even before he (and
I) know what I'm going to say! Your post is original and perceptive and evidence you can excel in yet another genre in your repertoire. Well done! Debbie

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 21-May-2024
    I just had to think about "conversations" I've had with people over the years to come up with good examples. It wasn't too hard, unfortunately.

    Part 2 will show my idea of a good conversation, but there will also be analysis of why so many conversations are not very good.

    Thanks very much for your kind words, Debbie.
Comment from Tom Horonzy
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I can see this becoming a murder scene with blood and gore as if written by Scorsese. What? I am trying to reach the 50 qualifying characters.
As for the dialogue - well done. Now I am going to search for the original.

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 21-May-2024
    Yeah, Bob takes his revenge on all rotten conversationalists. He goes around the country rubbing out most of the population with a tommy gun, laughing maniacally as he mows them down.
Comment from Wayne Fowler
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Very well done.
You should try a threesome with the other two being selfish, ignorant, and clueless. Getting a word in is sometimes impossible. And when the subject changes before you get your very timely remark in... grrrrrrrrrrrrr
Best wishes.

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 21-May-2024
    So you've experienced the same kind of conversations I have! This was easy to write; I only needed to remember my own experiences with bad conversations. All of them have happened to me at one time or another. In Part 2, I plan to show my idea of a good conversation.

    Talking with my sister-in-law is very difficult. She's one of those people who asks you a question, and you start to answer. You get one sentence out, planning to say more, and she jumps on that one sentence and turns it to herself, whether she has anything important to add or not. I always feel in a hurry to get my point out with her before she monopolizes the conversation. Grrrrrrrr.

    And, like you said, in group conversations there's always one or two people who do 90% of the talking.
Comment from lyenochka
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Thanks for sharing your first posting! I didn't know about promoting when I started either.
Glad you are using the script format to share about your investigation about writing dialogue through real conversations. It requires a lot of listening more than engaging in conversation.

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 21-May-2024
    Yes, that it does. In Part 2, I hope to show an example of how a good conversation would go.
Comment from Michael Ludwinder
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Your adaptation from a short story to a script seems to be working perfectly! You seem to have a knack for creating engaging dialogue that highlights the nature of everyday interactions. The characters are well written. Each has a distinct voice. Bob's earnest attempts to engage in meaningful dialogue are enjoyable to read.

 Comment Written 21-May-2024


reply by the author on 21-May-2024
    Thanks very much, Michael. It was easy to come up with these characters. I just patterned them after some people I know and have talked to on occasion. I'm sure you've met folks like these too.