Write Better Dialogue

by Nia Jones
October 2009

Dialogue may seem simple to create, it's not. It is one of the most challenging parts of writing, but it doesn't have to be. Read these reasons of why dialogue is important along with the tips on how to create authentic sounding dialogue and you will be on your way to giving your readers just what they want.

Why is Dialogue Important?

The Hook. Good dialogue is good dialogue, whether you overhear it on a bus or read it in a good book. Dialogue has the potential to hook readers, but when done wrong it can as easily turn them off. Good dialogue will set up a scene and make readers want to read on.

Read for Speed. Let's face it, gone are the days where readers could spend full days indulged in a good book. Now readers have to balance full time careers, children and families with their reading and most don't want to spend their time wading through muddy narrative. Readers are looking for that white space on the page that only dialogue can provide. Publishers are scouting it too. More white space on a page = more dialogue and the more dialogue you have = the faster read, and the faster readers read their books the quicker they are to buy another one.

Show, not tell. There is nothing worse than reading a novel in which the author continually tells you about the way a character feels or the backstory of a situation. An author could easily speed up or keep the momentum going in their story by cutting a few pages of narrative and adding some bits of insightful conversation between characters.

Characterization is key to drawing in readers because readers often side with the characters they identify with. Dialogue is the perfect technique to use to create character personality. Instead of saying Keisha has an attitude, why not show it to your readers with Keisha dishing out a few snarky verbal jabs. Your readers are more likely to believe it when they see (read) it.

6 Steps to Better Dialogue

1. KISS: Keep it simple silly. When it comes to dialogue, less is more. One of the biggest mistakes writers make with dialogue is trying to tell too much. Authors should avoid extended monologues and keep the banter between characters short and sweet. Oftentimes the best way to make good dialogue is by cutting out all the unnecessary details.
2. Break it up. Conversation should never be a ping pong match. It's just not realistic. Dialogue should always be accompanied by action. People don't stand still the entire time they are speaking and neither should characters. Movements also strengthens characterization.
3. Listen up! One of the best ways to hone your skill of creating good dialogue is by listening to real dialogue. Take a few days and listen to the conversations around you, whether it is on a bus, in the library or at a family function. Bring a tape recorder if you have to and take note of the pauses, the body language. By observing real conversations you will be better able to create realistic exchanges between your characters.
4. Drop everything and read. Is there a certain author who you love? If there is, flip through a couple of their novels and take note of how they use dialogue. Do they use it to flashback or to add characterization? How long are their exchanges between characters? Does their dialogue match they way the situation and the way the characters were described? Is it easy to follow along with what they characters are sharing? Use your answer to these question to your benefit.
5. Tag, you're it! He said, she said are the two of the most common dialogue tags. But don't overwork yourself trying to use too many different variations of this. A lot of authors either use "he said/she said" too much or try too hard to change it up by adding unnecessary adverbs. Face it, if your dialogue is good, and your characters are truly well developed, your readers will gloss over these dialogue tags because their voices will be different enough for them to realize who is speaking.
6. Accents and Slang, are wack! Accents have the tendency to not only offend some of your readers but it slows down the story. The time your readers will have to spend deciphering exactly what the characters are saying may turn some of them off from your story. Slang has the same potential. And it dates your work. So stay away from both if you can.
   
   

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K.D. Williams :

Posted 272 days ago

Man!!! She just told the damn truth, I swear, there are plenty of books on my shelf that I have failed to read because there was TOO much narrating going on and not enough dialog so I could never get into the book so this truly makes sense and I also agree on the backstory thing too, sometimes it's not needed, do movies all the time have backstory, NO! Soo, yeah I agree, so i'm gonna keep my writing style the way it is. Thanks for posting this. :-)

nicole :

Posted 282 days ago

This ain't nothing but the truth.So many times I pick up a book and the editing is ridiculous.Like the story can be a good story but it could be even better if they took the time out and edit things and show not tell readers... those 6 steps are the truth!!!

pathfinder :

Posted 285 days ago

Great information!

Erick Gray :

Posted 288 days ago

Amen to that. I always said that dialogue was always one key to a good book.

kenif :

Posted 288 days ago

This was tremendous information. Knowing the value of how to interest your reader and make reading easier for the reader to get through is a good point.

SR~ 'THE WRITER!' :

Posted 291 days ago

Y'ALL BETTER HEAR THIS SHIT!

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