Writing Good Dialogue.

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There’s nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed
dialogue. Just stop and think about the average B-Grade Hollywood
Movie. Sure, at times the plot is bad and the characterisation woeful
but most of the time, what stops it from being a good movie is the
dialogue. Cringe-worthy dialogue.

So, how do you write good dialogue? There are a number
of factors and the most important one is: don’t try too hard. Not every
thing out of a character’s mouth has to be scintilating. Sometimes, the
best dialogue comes about because it’s so simple and normal. So relax.

You need to let your characters speak. If they are
highly educated, they will probably speak with great grammar and have a
high vocabulary. If they left school at fourteen and have worked for
five years in the local abottoir, their language is likely to be more
colourful. If your character is a chatterbox, let them ramble. If they
are the strong and silent type, let them be silent. Don’t force words
into their mouths and don’t try to make them conform to your own views
of good communication.

Good dialogue flows. The characters react to what another character has said. For example:

The other thing dialogue needs is connection to the action of
the story. Stop and think about the conversations you have. They are
always related somehow to the action of your day, whether it’s a
conversation you’re having as you catch the bus to work or a
conversation with a work colleague or catching up with your partner at
the end of the day.

Keep the dialogue connected to the characters, the
setting and the plot by surrounding it with action. The example above
is quite bland. But surround it with action and it comes alive.

Now the dialogue seems real, because we can picture the
characters and their setting. We also get an idea of how they’re
feeling. Carrie’s shrug tells us the show didn’t really thrill her.
Sophie’s sparkling eyes tell us she’s got something exciting to say.

So spend a bit of time developing your dialogue, and your stories will be much more successful.

About the Author

Nicole R Murphy is a writer and copyeditor. You can take advantage of a free trial of her copyediting by visiting www.yourbestwork.com.

nicole@yourbestwork.com

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