Stories need drama, which can come from character interactions or how something is said. Descriptive speech uses verbs that offer subtext and create visual images, keeping readers engaged. It helps convey how a character speaks and enhances the reading or acting experience.
Everyone loves a good story, whether it’s heard on a grandparent’s lap spinning a good plot, found in the pages of a book, or seen on stage or in a movie. To be compelling, all stories must contain elements of drama. Sometimes, dramatic moments are a result of what happens between characters, and other times, they stem from how a character says something. When a storyteller, writer, or playwright tells the reader or actor how something is said, that author is using descriptive speech.
Verbs can be divided into two categories. Some verbs are purely functional. They inform the listener about what is being done. Verbs like “walk” and “said” offer information but no more. If a couple walks in the park, use their legs to move. If he says something to her, use his mouth and voice to speak.
Other verbs offer much more subtext in the form of mode or quality of action. Perhaps the couple from the previous paragraph took a walk in the park; it is now clear that they are taking time to enjoy each other. If he does mutter them, it’s safe to assume they’re words of endearment. When a writer uses descriptive speech, it is this second category of verbs that is used.
Characters in stories and plays have a lot to say, but just letting them say these things gets boring fast. A story that relates a conversation using “he said” and “he said” too many times seems flat and uninteresting. A writer faces an additional problem if this is the only way conversations are conveyed. Bored readers wander off the story or interpret how characters speak, and these interpretations may not be what the author intended.
This means that most writers employ speech description to entertain readers but also to keep them informed of exactly how the character is saying something. Generally, these aren’t the same types of verbs that people use in real-world conversation. While a character in a story might growl, gasp, choke, or howl, it’s rare for people to include those words in a conversation unless they, too, are telling the listener a story about something that happened.
Describing speech often creates visual images. A character who sneers, sneers or glares is easy for the reader to imagine, thereby enhancing the reading experience. An actor who is instructed by the playwright’s script to beg, demand, or whine knows immediately how these words are to be pronounced because the author’s use of describing speech has made this clear.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
