Why I Don't Write Dialect and Other Vagaries by Karen Ranney

My books all have a Scottish setting. However, the minute I mention that fact, some readers’ eyes glaze over and they get that look I have come to know as The Dread of Dialect Look.

I canna tell a lie. Lo, I was once guilty and ‘tis a hideous thing I confess – pages and pages of ing missing from words, paragraphs rife with ken, lass, laddie, and dinna. In other words – Scottish Lite.

After my third book of this (all published by Zebra), something happened to me. Well, four things, actually.

1. I realized that I hated writing that way, that it took too bloody long to write “wrong”.

2. I realized I hated reading it. If I hated reading it, what was the reader feeling?

3. The third revelation was that language cadence can be demonstrated by HOW a character speaks, not dialect.

“How can you say goodbye?” she softly said.

“With my heart. With every drop of my blood. With great care, my love. With the greatest care.”

I can hear a Scottish accent in that speech, and if I’ve done my job right, so will the reader.

4. But the fourth light bulb was probably the most important – the sudden and inescapable knowledge that I’m a 21st century woman and how presumptuous of me to think I know how an 18th century educated Scot spoke. He probably spoke Gaelic prior to 1745, or heavily accented English, or perhaps not heavily accented English at all, but perfectly proper London English.

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I use Robert Burns as an example all the time. He wrote in English, and ostensibly how people talked at the time (1759-1796). How would you like to try reading a book full of this?

To a Mouse

Robert Burns

On Turning her up in her Nest with the Plough



Wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie,

O what a panic's in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

Wi' bickering brattle!

I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee

Wi' murd'ring pattle!

Uh, no.

I read to lose myself in the story. Every time I have to trip over dialect, I get jolted out of the story. So, my books may be set in Scotland, but you needn’t dread the dialect.

Secondly, I love all parts of Scotland, from Perth to Dundee to Inverness to the border. Scotland has such a rich history that I don’t have to stay in the Highlands. Plus, as nice as a kilt is, there is something to be said for a sexy Scot in a suit. Yum. Or nothing at all. Ahem.

Karen will pick two winners from all who leave a comment about her article. One winner will receive a copy of "The Devil Wears Tartan" and one winner will receive a copy of "The Scottish Companion". Good Luck!