Dialogue is an important part of creating memorable, believable characters. Unfortunately, it seems that many writers either underplay dialogue or try too hard and created overly polished, unnatural sounding speech for their characters. While not a comprehensive guide, the four tips below can help greatly in improving the readability and flow of your dialogue.
Speak It Aloud
This point cannot be stressed enough. When writing dialogue, talk it out. Get inside the heads of your characters and talk like they would talk. If you’re writing a conversation, have that conversation with yourself by taking on the roles of the two characters involved. In a sense, this is a bit like role playing, but with less emphasis on broad characterization and more on the speech patterns of the characters.
No, it isn’t something you would want to be seen doing in public, but when you’re alone and bouncing ideas around, it’s perfectly normal to think out loud. Your ear is a better judge of how something sounds than your eye, and as you talk out your dialogue, picking out what works and what doesn’t will come much easier. A line that may read like complete genius on the page may come across as a total clunker to the ear, so remember that your greatest filter is your own ear.
Draw On Your Experience
Good dialogue should sound natural but not flat. That means the writer has a fine line to walk. If the dialogue is too simple, the reader becomes bored and disengaged; if the dialogue is overly polished, it doesn’t sound realistic and the author comes across as “trying too hard.”
As a human, you’re a subconscious expert in talking. That may not translate to being an expert in grammar or syntax, but it means you have an ear for what sounds natural and what doesn’t, especially as it relates to the tempo, phrasing, and structure of the spoken word. When creating dialogue, always seek to write as naturally as possible. The structure of your dialogue should sound realistic, even if you’re writing about a member of an alien race or a creature from another world. You have years of experience in both talking and listening, so put those skills to work.
Remember What Medium You’re Writing For
Films and TV are not the same as short stories and novels. When directors like Quentin Tarantino are praised for their sharp and witty dialogue, keep in mind that they’re working in a different medium than the prose writer.
This isn’t to say you can’t be inspired by them or take away a few tips. On the contrary, it’s good to draw on as wide a range of influences and experiences as possible. Just remember that in movies and TV, dialogue is being conveyed by an actor who, through intonation, facial expressions, and body language, can make something otherwise unrealistic sounding come across as believable.
As a writer of prose, you don’t have that luxury. Your words are the only conduit between yourself and the reader, and your dialogue relies on your skill as a writer and the reader’s imagination. There is no third party to “bring it to life,” so make sure your dialogue stands on its own.
Dialects Are Fine, In Moderation
Dialects are a great way to tell the reader about a character in a very short amount of time. Intelligence level, region of origin, social class, and education are all examples of traits that can be quickly communicated via strong use of dialects.
That said, overuse of a dialect can become a distraction to the reader and quickly take them out of the story. Your goal as a writer is to keep the words your characters say as unobtrusive as possible in order to create a reading experience that flows seamlessly. Constantly shifting to an overly complex representation of dialect defeats that goal, so try to avoid using dialects as a crutch. Remember, they’re an easy way to tell the reader about a character, but they aren’t the only way.
Andrew Shirley - Andrew Shirley possess a B.A. and M.A. in Writing and Linguistics and has worked as a creative writer, news writer, teacher, and tutor.
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