AUTHORS GOTTA WRITE - WRITING CONVINCING DIALOGUE

AUTHORS GOTTA WRITE – WRITING CONVINCING DIALOGUE

Dialogue – ahhh, sweet dialogue. Dialogue is one of the most important things in your story; almost as important as your characters and your plot. One of the most memorable things about a movie or a book (or a TV series for that matter) is the dialogue.

In the "Sherlock" TV series by BBC, some of the dialogue simply BLOWS MY MIND. It is incredible dialogue, and the dialogue fits the characters; none of the characters go out of character by saying dialogue untrue to themselves. This is something I look for in movies or books: well-written dialogue.

Unfortunately, it is also one of the most challenging things to write about.

Why, you wonder? We talk all the time, and that's all dialogue is: your characters talking. It shouldn't be hard, right? Well, it is; it's hard to do it right, anyways. Since dialogue is one of the most memorable things about your book, here are some of the helpful tips I have done over the years to help me write dialogue.

Tip 1: Read it out loud.

It doesn't sound like it would be much help, reading it out loud, but believe me, it helps tremendously. Reading out loud is different than reading in your head; something can sound a lot better in your mind than it sounds when it's read out loud. Read your dialogue out loud; if something sounds wrong, chances are, you should re-write it.

If you aren't sure about whether or not the dialogue is adequate, ask someone else to read it out loud and share their opinions as to what they think. If they think you should re-write it, you should probably re-write it; if they think you should keep it, you should probably keep it.

Tip 2: Remember that no two people talk the same way.

No two people have the exact same manner of speaking. They may have the same accents, and they may "Jinx!" each other occasionally, but no two people actually talk exactly the same way, and the same goes with your characters.

It's alright if one character sounds slightly like another character; but if all your characters start talking exactly the same way, then you may have a problem on your hands.

Not everyone says "isn't." Sometimes, some people say "is not." The same goes with wasn't, can't, and just about all the other contractions you can think of.

Tip 3: Record your conversations with your friends.

This sounds really creepy, probably, to be recording just basic every-day conversations, but if you struggle with writing dialogue, you should do this. Ask your friends if they're okay with it, and if they say yes, record away! This could also give you ideas of how to give different characters different dialogue; your friends probably don't talk the same way, either.

Tip 4: Don't overdo the accents.

"It 'twasn't a pleasan' sigh', ya know. I reck'n it 'twas the w'urst thin' to 'ave ev'r been occurin'. Everythin' 'twas out-'o-da ordinary, every'tin, it 'twas impos'ble ta get 'round town wit'out bumpin' in'ta som'n bizzare..."

Did you actually get that? Maybe you did, or maybe it took a few minutes to register what the speaker was saying. If you can't read it without really, really concentrating on what it says, you've overdone the accent.

Here is the same sentance as above, only I've toned down the accent:

"It wasn' a pleasant sight, ya know. I reckon it 'twas the wors' thing to 'ave ever occured. Everythin' was out-'o-the ordinary, everythin', it was impossible ta get 'round town without bumpin' into somethin' bizzare..."

Was that better? :)

If you're writing a character with an accent, be careful of how the accent is portrayed; you never want to overdo the accent.

Tip 5: Think, "Would anyone actually say something like this?"

This is obvious: If no one would ever say what your character just said, then your character probably wouldn't say it, either!

Tip 6: What about when your character is angry?

This is a tricky one, but at the same time, important. How would your character react if they were treated badly? What would they say? Would they say anything at all?

Let's say you have a really sensitive and kind and compassionate character, but at the same time, the character is very outspoken. If the character was being treated badly and becomes angry, he/she might not yell; they might cry. They might ask, "Why are you so...so...cruel?" without becoming openly angry.

On the other hand, maybe your character is one of those characters who doesn't like to cry in front of other people. Maybe this character is a little too outspoken; maybe this character rebuffs anger with anger. In this case, they wouldn't ask the question, "Why are you so cruel?" They would openly shout, "YOU'RE SO CRUEL!!"

If your character isn't outspoken, they wouldn't say anything at all; they would, most likely, leave the conversation, be it quietly, or sobbing. Anger is often more challenging to write than other dialogue, which is also why it is so important.

Tip 7: Remember that arguments don't usually start heated: they start slowly, and become more intense the longer they go on.

Here is an example of what not to do:

Character 1: "Do you like the new curtains I put up?"

Character 2: "No, I think they're hideous."

Character 1: "HOW DARE YOU!?"

Character 2: "HOW DARE YOU!?"

Obviously, this is not a conversation that would happen in the real world; or, at least, it would not turn into an argument so quickly. Arguments take time to develop; lots of different points can be made in arguments, which often makes them challenging to write.

Here's a tip on how to write argumentive dialogue: Write your argument scene between your two (or more) characters, and then have someone read the argument with you, you as "Character 1", and your friend as "Character 2". Ask your friend their opinion; if they aren't convinced, your readers won't be, either.

In conclusion . . .

DIALOGUE IS CRUCIAL. There is no way to avoid dialogue; you can try, but it won't make for a very good story. Dialogue is incredibly important, and it's even more important than we may realize. If you struggle with writing dialogue, try and follow the tips given above. Your dialogue will be remembered by your readers: but how it will be remembered, good or bad, is up to you.

-Beyond