If you want to add more substance to your writing, you should write a monologue in your story. What is a monologue? What makes it so important? How will it add to your overall story?
A monologue is a speech in a story that is delivered by a single character. It is technically the character’s thoughts being voiced out. Aside from being used in literature, monologue is also used in television and film. If you are going to write a monologue, you should have a set strategy. Here are some tips on how to write a monologue as effectively as possible.
1. Avoid Overly Long Monologues
If you are going to write a monologue, you should limit the length of your monologue. Remember that monologues are meant to show a single character’s thoughts, and could be used to elaborate on the story. However, if you write overly long monologues, it may take too much time, and come out sounding too contrived and dragging for readers in the long run.
2. Details are key
When it comes to writing a monologue, you should remember that details are key. Remember that one of the main uses of monologue, is to elaborate on a specific subject. If you are going to write your monologue, you should make sure that you add as many details as possible. You should use vivid wordplay in order to make the monologue sound more profound.
3. Choose your monologue placement wisely
A key aspect of using a monologue, is the placement. When it comes to using monologue placement, you should not just have your character blurt out a monologue out of the blue. What’s important is that the monologue doesn’t look out of place in the story.
It would be strange if your character just started saying a random line without any prompting. If you are going to write a monologue into your story, you should make sure that there is an event that triggers the character to deliver the monologue. The event could be a myriad of things. What’s important is that the monologue adds something to the dialogue, and helps clarify specific aspects of your story.
4. Make your character’s motives as clear as possible
If you are going to write a monologue for your characters, you should make sure that the character’s motives are as clear as possible.
Remember that people don’t just start saying long winded monologues without a reason. For example, your main character delivers a monologue because he wants to explain why he did a specific action. By giving your characters a clear motive for the monologue, you will be able to give further weight to the monologue as well.
5. Take cues from other monologues
If you want to expand your knowledge on monologues, you should take the time to check on monologues written by established writers. Remember that it usually takes a lot of practice in order to write a monologue. Before you start writing your own monologue, you should read examples of great monologues, and take cues on how they were written. Here are some great monologue examples to get you started.
Examples:
… I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system — that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.
– To Kill A Mockingbird
I believe in a personal god who cares about me and worries and oversees everything I do. I believe in an impersonal god who set the universe in motion and went off to hang with her girlfriends and doesn’t even know that I’m alive. I believe in an empty and godless universe of causal chaos, background noise, and sheer blind luck.
– American Gods
…there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft…when you kill a man, you steal a life…you steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness…there is no act more wretched than stealing…a man who takes what’s not his to take, be it a life or a loaf of naan…I spit on such a man. And if I ever cross paths with him, God help him…
– The Kite Runner
Conclusion
If you are going to write a monologue in your story, you should make sure you know what it entails and how to write it effectively. With these tips, you’ll be able to write a monologue in the most effective way possible.
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