Colloquial Writing Makes Characters More Real
According to the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), the specialized workshop on ‘Colloquial Writing in Story Composition and Editing’ was held on Monday (November 16, 2025) with Hooman Abbaspour as instructor and Leila Esnaashari as secretary. It took place at the House of Writers’ Pen, part of Iran’s House of Book and Literature, in collaboration with the Professional Association of Editors, and was attended by enthusiasts both in-person and virtually.
Initially, Leila Esnaashari, the workshop secretary, spoke about the goal of holding this workshop: ‘Examining the principles of colloquial writing, its application in story composition and editing, answering common questions from writers and editors, and providing practical guidance for representing spoken language in fictional texts are among the objectives that led to the formation of this workshop. Colloquial writing means writing words and sentences in accordance with spoken language and natural pronunciation, which holds special importance in dialogues and conversations in stories.’
Hooman Abbaspour then delved into the history of colloquial writing, stating: ‘Some prominent masters, such as the late Abolhasan Najafi and Hasan Anvari, opposed this practice; these opponents believed the main reason was the dominance of the Tehrani accent over the Persian language.’
Reviewing historical experience in this field, he emphasized: ‘The acceptance of colloquial writing is natural, and different linguistic varieties have always coexisted; colloquial writing in stories provides the possibility of realistic and natural characterization and should be used with precision and awareness.’
The workshop instructor then explained the difference between ‘formal language’ and ‘colloquial language,’ adding: ‘Formal language is official and written, while colloquial language includes everyday conversational words and structures; some words, verbs, and adverbs are not used in speech and should be avoided when writing dialogues. Natural pronunciation of words and verbs like ‘miravad’ → ‘mire’ or ‘nemitavanam’ → ‘nemitoonam’ must be observed, but maintaining a balance between colloquial language and formal language is essential.’
Providing practical tips for colloquial writing, he stated: ‘One example is the use of a half-space in present verbs; there are also exceptions like the verb ‘istadan’ (to stand), which is written as ‘vaymiste.’ The importance of preserving the visual memory of words should not be overlooked; writing purely based on spoken pronunciation can make the text chaotic, and the writer should draw upon experience and recognized rules in the Persian language.’
Abbaspour concluded his remarks by saying: ‘Colloquial writing is applicable not only in stories but also in speeches, audio files, and social networks; my recommendation is that texts should be prepared in colloquial language from the outset so that readers and listeners can connect with them more easily.’
The workshop, through participants’ questions and Hooman Abbaspour’s practical answers, created an interactive and educational environment for editors and writers to represent spoken language in fictional texts with greater skill and gain practical experience in colloquial writing.
