Writing Visual Dialect in Fiction
Standardized spelling is the magic trick that lets readers and authors know they share a vocabulary. But let’s face it – different people pronounce words differently, and a fieldworker from Cornwall is unlikely to use American collegiate English. What can authors do to make words on the page sound the way they do in the air, without alienating readers? Tony Burton, author of “Bluetick,” opens up his writer’s toolbox.
Bluetick
Walter Shelton patted and smoothed the mound of red clay with the back of the shovel. Another long, hot Georgia day was done, and Helen no doubt had corn bread, [...]