Writing dialogue can be one of the most challenging aspects of storytelling. Well-crafted dialogue brings characters to life, advances the plot, and engages readers. Poor dialogue drags, bores, disconnects your reader from your character and derails your reader’s experience. To help you master the art of dialogue, here are some dos and don’ts I have been told and found to be true.
Dos
1. Keep It Natural:
Great dialogue should sound realistic, like the way people actually speak. Avoid overly formal language or stilted phrasing unless it suits the character. Listen to conversations around you to pick up on natural rhythms and informal speech patterns. But not too natural. Minimize the ums, ahs, coughs, the circuitous dialogue (unless its a character trait/mental health signal, etc). Making dialogue too real, ironically, can make it sounded belabored.
2. Show Character Through Speech:
Each character should have a unique voice. A teenager will speak differently than an older adult, and a seasoned detective will have a different tone than a nervous rookie. Use dialogue to reveal key traits—whether it’s confidence, nervousness, humor, or intelligence. But don’t have every word be one tone. Your sanguine detective may be funny and dry, but if every word is a witty reposte, it does get old. Remember to give them some depth, some vulnerability, and dialogue is a great way to show these other aspects of the character too.
3. Use Subtext:
Not everything needs to be said outright. People often speak in layers, with unspoken meanings or underlying emotions. Subtext can create tension and depth. For example, a character might say, “I’m fine,” but their tone or body language says otherwise. But testing subtext is a great use of critique or beta-readers, even if they are not reading the whole project. Give them the passage in question and ask what they understand from it. That way you can see if the subtext worked!
4. Break Up Dialogue with Action:
Don’t just rely on speech—show what’s happening around the conversation. Breaking up dialogue with descriptions of actions or reactions can make the scene feel more dynamic and immersive. But just like with dialogue, don’t give every detail. “He opened the door slowly’ is probably better in most circumstances than, “he reached out with his hand, the sleeve of his jacket pulling back to reveal his watch. Grasping the golden doorknob he twisted. It moved smoothly and then, with a final click, he tugged and the door bounced open.” Unless this is a really important door, and a really important moment, this much detail is toooooo much.
Don’ts
1. Avoid Excessive Dialogue Tags:
“Bob said,” “she asked,” and “he replied” are fine, but using too many tags can be distracting. Stick to simple ones and use actions or context to indicate who’s speaking instead. But don’t forget people’s minds wander or they put a book down and come back the next day, so equally, don’t go 2 chapters without reminding us who is speaking!
2. Don’t Over-Explain:
Good dialogue doesn’t need to explain everything. Let the reader infer details from the conversation. Avoid using dialogue to deliver unnecessary exposition or backstory. i.e. Maid and Butler as it is often called, where the only point to dialogue is to inform the reader as both characters would know this information.
3. Stay Away from Long Monologues:
While occasional monologues can be powerful, long stretches of uninterrupted speech can overwhelm the reader. Keep it balanced with other characters speaking or actions occurring.
Mastering dialogue is about finding a balance between natural speech, character development, and story advancement. By following these dos and don’ts, your dialogue will feel authentic, engaging, and integral to your narrative.
Hope the above has at least something new or worth re-stating for you! How do you make good dialogue? As always, comments and suggestions welcome below!
Gideon P. Smith 