If you’ve ever found yourself stuck while trying to write dialogue, you’re not alone. Creating realistic, engaging conversations between your characters can be one of the trickiest parts of fiction writing. But fear not! With a few tips and some practice, you can master the art of writing dialogue that sounds natural and moves your story forward.
Let’s take a look at how you can do just that, together.
1. Listen to Real Conversations
One of the best ways to write realistic dialogue is to listen to how people talk in real life. Observe and learn in cafes, on public transport, or even in your own home, while respecting privacy in conversations. Notice the flow of conversations, the interruptions, the filler words like “um” and “you know,” and the way people express themselves differently depending on their mood or relationship with the person they’re talking to.
2. Read Out Loud
Once you’ve written a piece of dialogue, read it out loud. This simple step can help you catch any awkward phrases or unnatural rhythms. If it doesn’t sound right when you say it, it probably won’t sound right to your readers either. Dialogue should mimic spoken language, which means it can be fragmented, repetitive, and filled with pauses.
3. Keep It Concise
In real conversations, people rarely speak in long, uninterrupted paragraphs. They exchange short, snappy sentences. Keep your dialogue concise and to the point. If a character needs to explain something complex, consider breaking it up with responses from the other characters or inserting action beats to give the conversation a natural flow.
4. Use Subtext
Subtext is the underlying meaning behind the words spoken. In real life, people often say one thing but mean another. This can add depth to your dialogue and make it more engaging. For example, a character might say, “I’m fine,” but their body language or tone of voice might indicate they’re anything but fine. Using subtext can create tension and reveal more about your characters without spelling everything out.
5. Develop Distinct Voices
Each of your characters should have a unique way of speaking that reflects their personality, background, and relationship to other characters. Pay attention to their vocabulary, sentence structure, and any catchphrases or speech patterns they might have. This helps your readers distinguish between characters and makes your dialogue more dynamic.
6. Avoid Info Dumps
While it’s tempting to use dialogue to convey important information, avoid having characters deliver long-winded explanations. This can feel unnatural and bog down the pace of your story. Instead, reveal information gradually and naturally through conversations, actions, and other narrative techniques.
7. Use Action Beats
Action beats are short descriptions of what characters are doing while they speak. They can break up dialogue and add context to the conversation.
For example:
“I can’t believe you did that,” she said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.
This not only shows her irritation but also keeps the dialogue from becoming monotonous.
8. Show, Don't Tell
Incorporate body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues to show how your characters are feeling. This can add layers to your dialogue and make it more realistic. For instance, instead of writing “He was angry,” show his anger through clenched fists, a reddening face, or terse, clipped sentences.
9. Avoid Overusing Dialects and Accents
While giving a character a distinct accent or dialect can add flavor to your story, overusing it can make your dialogue hard to read and understand. Use dialect sparingly and focus on capturing the rhythm and tone of the character’s speech instead.
10. Practice, Practice, Practice
Like any other skill, writing realistic dialogue takes practice. Write short scenes focusing on conversation, experiment with different characters and situations, and don’t be afraid to rewrite until it feels right.
The more you practice, the more natural your dialogue will become.
Examples and Practice
To get you started, here are a few exercises:
- Eavesdrop and Transcribe: Spend some time in a public place, listening to conversations around you. Transcribe a few snippets and then try to rewrite them, changing the context or characters involved.
- Dialogue-Only Scene: Write a short scene using only dialogue. No descriptions or action beats. This will force you to focus on how your characters speak and interact through words alone.
- Character Interviews: Interview your characters. Write a series of questions and answer them in your character’s voice. This can help you get a better feel for how they speak and think.
Remember, the key is to keep it natural, concise, and true to your characters.
Happy writing!
