Dialogue--It's More Than Just Words

Writing Dialog

Writing good dialog isn't easy, but it isn't that difficult either. Listening is the key.
Dialog makes the action of a story come alive. It allows the reader to enter into the immediate experience of the characters instead of just reading about them. By hearing what they have to say, he participates in their lives almost as vividly as he would if they were real people.

Most of us have read Alice in Wonderland. She glances at the book her sister is reading and says;
“What is the use of a book without pictures and conversation?

Dialog is more then just words spoken to fill in the blanks; it needs to sound believable, natural, “right” to the reader’s ear. It is also body language. As a writer, we learn how important it is to really “see” when we want to “show”, and “listen” to the lilt and cadence of individual speech. Notice how the language of an 8-year-old differs from that of a 50-year-old, not only in vocabulary but also in sophistication of expression.

It’s also important to observe how a person speaks. What changes do a character’s face and body go through as he talks? Gestures, facial expressions, body posture–all reflect his feelings about what he’s saying. Sagging shoulders indicate weariness or discouragement, bright eyes show excitement or intensity; and so on. The more clearly you can visualize a character as he speaks, the more vivid his portrait will be. Adding “body language” to your dialog will make your character that much more three-dimensional to the reader.

Her knuckles burned white as she gripped the edge of the desk. To be given the stressful assignment of writing a newsletter was definitely not in the program! Adding Preferred Author to the resume had secured her this dream job; even though she knew she couldn't write a complete sentence. Who would've thought she'd ever be called on it?

When her pinky nail finally broke from the pressure, she was shocked back to reality and quickly made a decision. Pulling her purse from the bottom drawer, she strode purposely out the door without a thought to protocol.

Returning to the office, Monica smiled brightly at the secretary. “I feel beautiful in my new blue dress.” Squaring her shoulders she confidently opened the inner door.

Let your characters be themselves. People don’t always speak in grammatically correct sentences. Just don’t overdo it. Dialog is there to help move the plot along and help with characterization. It shows the reader what’s happening, rather than just telling about it. Good dialog isn’t just extra fillers, it’s an integral part of storytelling.

What about creative spelling? I have several stories I wrote back before I knew anything. I spelled according to the pronunciation while trying to use dialect. “Wanna”, “gonna”, etc. I’ve learned from my reviews that too much of this distracts rather than helps. In reading my work over, I agree that I'd used more then I needed. Personally, I like reading a soft dialect in stories. It brings the character to life for me. But, too much makes reading a task rather than a pleasure.

I’m still practicing this and haven’t tried to revise yet. So, unless you know what you're doing, use the correct spelling, you'll never go wrong.

Thanks so much for reading.

"When I face the desolate impossibility of writing 500 pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me, and I know I can never do it. Then gradually, I write one page and then another. One day’s works is all I can permit myself to contemplate." - John Steinbeck