Ear Training…for Authors
What’s the story here? What does ear training have to do with writing?
Much.
You should know by now that music is a metaphor for many things here at Pen & Paper. This is another example of said metaphor.
However, you might not know what ear training is. Let me explain.
When I enrolled at the university with the intention of pursuing a degree in music performance, there was a course of study. One class in that course of study was in ear training. The teacher would play a note on the piano and tell the class which note that she had just played. Then she would play a second note. I had to listen and discern the second note. It was maddening, and I had little to no talent or patience for this practice. What made matters worse was one young lady in the class who could hear a whole of notes all played together at once and name them off one by one. I’m fairly certain I dropped that class after a week. I couldn’t “hear” a bloody thing.
And yet, when it comes to matters of the written word, I am resolute in my opinion of what “sounds good to my ears”. I cannot discern a middle C from an F sharp, but by God, I know good writing when I read it. Conversely, I know bad writing when I read it.
The ear is an infallible editor. You speak the language. You write the language. You think in the language.
These “ear training” lessons are intended to help you to know good writing when you hear it. Also, they are designed for ease of use. You can learn while listening. You can learn while doing something else…like driving.
Dig Deeper
When you are writing dialogue it is important to keep things simple. Consider the passage below:
“One credit?” I said. “That’s it?”
“That’s why I’m a year older than everybody else. I lost a whole year of school. A whole year,” he repeated. “Do you know what that’s like? Losing a year of your life?”
“Maybe not a year, but…” I said. I’d lost several weeks of my life in the hospital. That had to count for something.
He shook his head and held up a hand.
“Don’t bother,” he said. “I’ve heard it before.
_____
It is best to keep things simple by using the word “said”. In the passage, the characters did not utter, blurt, call, cry, exclaim, blab, babble, jabber, or affirm a single word. Primarily, they “said”. Only once did the author choose a different word, and that was done to emphasize a point.
Also, the characters never said anything softly, carefully, sharply, etc. There is no need to qualify “said” with an adverb. It detracts from your writing.
And so remember, when it comes time for your characters to utter achingly poignant prose, don’t let the thesaurus get in your head. Keep things simple and use the word “said”.