In creative nonfiction, to make quotes sound like dialogue, writers:

Question

In creative nonfiction, to make quotes sound like dialogue, writers:

a. change the words

b. put the quotes in context

c. do nothing at all

d. add imaginary characters

Answer 1

If a writer of a non-fiction piece wants their work to be more immersive than just paragraphs of facts, then they will try and write as though everything they are saying is unfolding before the reader's eyes. With quotes, the writer will describe the time, place, and overall setting surrounding the quote. For example, if a writer wants to insert a quote from Abraham Lincoln, they may describe where he was, what he was doing, what was going on in society, or who he was talking to when we said that quote. Bringing the reader into the context of the quote is a simple but effective way of making it feel like a dialogue.