Dialogue can be hard to write, especially when we want to focus more on the storyline. But as you write your dialogue, keep in mind the following dos and don’ts:
Do: Make your dialogue realistic
Make your dialogue feel as if someone in real life would say it. People don’t typically speak in full, lengthy sentences. They can speak in fragments or have breaks in their sentences. Using ellipses (…), em dashes (—), or interjections such as “Hmm” or “Oh!”
Don’t: Make your dialogue completely focused on exposition or forwarding the plot
There have been many times where I have read a book where the dialogue seemed to be centered around giving the audience a backstory at the expense of telling a character what they should already know. For example, a character will tell their sister, “As you know, sister, our grandfather died last Tuesday. He was sick. We went to his hospital room, and he told us about his childhood home in Santa Barbara, where we live, if you recall.” This information may be important for the audience to know, but it should be discussed in a way that isn’t a blatant excuse to either forward the plot or provide exposition, especially if the two characters speaking are supposed to already be aware of the information.
Do: Personalize the dialogue for each character
If there is something special about your character, be sure to include that in the way he speaks. For example, if your character is meant to be from London, UK while everyone else is American, research common phrases, words, or expressions Londoners use. It adds more personality to the character while also making him feel more defined. He should not speak the same way an American from South Louisiana does. Also, your characters should not sound similar either. They should all have a way of speaking that defines them.
Don’t: Overuse dialogue
It’s always fun to write dialogue, especially when you have two characters who have an interesting dynamic. However, it can be easy to go overboard with dialogue. Real people don’t tend to talk in long spiels; their conversations go back and forth before going into a moment of silence. Don’t be afraid to include these moments of silences to allow your characters to do something other than talk. Make them move to a different room or do some sort of action so that it doesn’t feel as if your characters are just talking in a vacuum. It also gives readers a break from dialogue that may become annoying or tedious to read.
Do: Read your dialogue aloud
Your dialogue should flow naturally as your characters are meant to appear realistic. If you read your dialogue aloud, it can help you see whether or not the dialogue sounds robotic. This can happen when we’re focused on remaining grammatically correct, even though we usually aren’t when we talk. It’s helpful to ask yourself, “Do real people talk like this?”
Writing dialogue takes practice, but these tips can help you. Be sure to read your dialogue aloud or with another person to ensure that it flows as realistically as possible.
