The KHS Press

In this model, a dialogue develops between a number of students and their advisor for the school newspaper. Notice how the dialogue takes on a lighthearted tone; it was based on actual conversation. As you begin to write your own dialogue, model it after conversations you have heard. This will help you create dialogue that sounds natural and reveals the personalities of your characters.

The KHS Press

Characters

Mr. Pulaski, the advisor for the KHS Press

Ms. Cebon, another teacher

Lena, Weasel, Beth, and Bryon, student reporters

Mr. Pulaski stands behind a podium. Weasel, with a knee brace, sits at a table with his wounded leg sticking into the aisle. Beth and Bryon sit at desks.

Mr. Pulaski:	O.K., people. We need to start our meeting. Ms. Cebon has offered to help us with this issue because we don’t have a lot of time or staff reporters, and we need to get going. We need to find some stories. Has anyone started to— (Lena enters and interrupts Mr. Pulaski.)
Lena:	Sorry I’m late, Mr. Pulaski. On my way I ran— Weasel, what happened to you?
Weasel:	I got hit by a telephone pole.
Lena:	Who hit you?
Bryon:	Not who, a telephone pole. That is, after he hit it.
Lena:	What?
Weasel:	Yes, and if I have to tell the story one more time . . .
Beth:	Just tell it, Weasel. You’re perfectly fine.
Weasel:	Beth, do you see my knee? I am not perfectly fine.
Beth:	I want to hear it again, anyway. Lena, this is hilarious.
Weasel:	No, Beth, “hilarious” is not the right word. I can’t even run. That takes me out for the rest of cross-country season!
Beth:	It’s even on video!
Lena:	Where?
Weasel:	The police have it. Oh, fine, I’ll narrate it again. I was driving down Crest Street in my dad’s van . . .
Beth:	When was this?
Weasel:	Yesterday. I had a key on the dashboard, and it slid off when I went around a corner. I was looking for it when I, uh, hit a telephone pole.
Lena:	(laughing) Why would you . . .
Weasel:	Then the pole rolled off the windshield and into the street, causing the electrical wires to droop down over the road. I was fine, though. I was wearing my seat belt, and the air bag went off. The electric company came. The cops were there. And then a semitrailer truck came down the street and ran into the wires, which pulled the telephone pole, which hit me and Officer Packard.
Lena:	It hit a police officer?
Weasel:	Yeah, but I was the one who did a back flip through the air, got knocked out, and landed on my knee. I woke up as they were putting me in the ambulance.
Lena:	I’m trying not to laugh, really. Wait, how did it get on tape?
Beth:	The camera on the police car’s dashboard was on.
Lena:	Have you seen it?
Weasel:	No. My parents and I are going to go see it this week.
Bryon:	You’ll probably get to watch it again in court, too.
Weasel:	Oh, man. You know what, Bryon? You can just shut—
Mr. Pulaski:	O.K. We’re all here, so we can begin now.
Beth:	Where are Danielle and Troy?
Bryon:	They’re in Mexico on some school trip.
Lena:	(to Weasel) So you can’t run at all?
Weasel:	No, so there goes the team’s chance of winning conference again this year.
Lena:	How about the van?
Weasel:	Totaled.
Lena:	Any kittens killed while you were at it? (Weasel gives her a dirty look.) Just kidding!
Weasel:	No, no kittens involved. But when the wires snapped, they tore the chimney off a house across the street.
Lena:	Now you’re just giving me a hard time.
Mr. Pulaski:	No, that did happen. People, we need a newspaper here. (Bryon raises his hand.) Yes, Bryon?
Bryon:	A newspaper would be great, but first we need some stories.
Mr. Pulaski:	Yes, at our last meeting we discussed step one of journalism: find a story. I’m glad you remembered that. Does anyone have any possible stories to cover? (silence) We do have a deadline.
Lena:	When?
Mr. Pulaski:	Three weeks.
Lena:	Hey, Weasel, doesn’t Principal Jones live on Crest Street?
Weasel:	Yes.
Lena:	Isn’t his the only house on Crest Street?
Weasel:	(sighing) Yes.
Mr. Pulaski:	So no one has any stories?
Weasel:	(getting up on his crutches to leave) Mr. Pulaski, you could give us three months and not much would happen in this school. But we do have three weeks, so how about we all try to find something to cover by our next meeting. (He exits.)
Bryon:	Right. We need more time to find newsworthy topics. See ya, Mr. P., Ms. Cebon. (He exits.)
Beth:	I would look for stories now, but Senator Menlan is speaking to the student council at three o'clock. (She exits.)
Lena:	Don’t worry, Mr. Pulaski. I’ll dig up some stories for you after I go to the airport to greet our foreign exchange student from Swaziland. (She exits.)
Ms. Cebon:	How long will it take them to figure it out?
Mr. Pulaski:	Oh, it usually takes them until about two days before the deadline. (They exit.)

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