Writing Great Dialogue?
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I advise keeping dialog not real. Try listening and paying close attention to the way people around you actually speak. They're always interrupting each other, talking over each other, repeating themselves, using words such as um and uh, stuttering, or whatever.
Generally speaking, you do not want dialog like that in your novel.
Instead, you have the unique opportunity as a writer to conjure up all manner of brilliant, witty, or meaningful things your characters can say. Let them say those things--according to their personalities, of course.
Generally speaking, you do not want dialog like that in your novel.
Instead, you have the unique opportunity as a writer to conjure up all manner of brilliant, witty, or meaningful things your characters can say. Let them say those things--according to their personalities, of course.
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It should sound real in the context of literature. Surely, you won't want to add all those ums and uhs. However, repeating words is a very good technique, to show hesitation or the thought process of a character. Still, dialogue is supposed to simulate reality, not a verbatim copy of reality. Also, real people don't give speeches, and they don't speak in perfect grammar. Real people tend to break their conversation up, in shorter sentences and sentence fragments.
Listen to the best dialogue in films and TV shows. They don't have a lot of ums and uhs, but they do sound real. As if the characters actually speak it. And the BEST actors actually repeat words and phrases. It's true. Listen to the best actors do their lines -- it's a known fact that one of the best techniques to actually repeat phrases or words.
Yikes. No offense, I'm glad I don't read and/or write in your genres
If a novel's characters were doing that stuff all the time--and not just rarely for effect--it'd be instant qualification for wallbangery.Here are some sample quotes from my future works that I have planned:
"The difference between a thief and a murderer is that a murderer cannot return what he stole."
"I'd give anything to take back what I did, but we all know that time travel isn't possible."
"Anger and hatred are the worst prisons in existence and will trap you as long as you let them, but forgiveness can set you free."
"Stone may break and ice may melt, but fire will consume all at world's end, so too shall it consume you as it consumed your family."
"Without recognition, when you die, life will go on without you. It will be almost as if you had never been born."
"I know I've done terrible things, but I refuse to spend my whole life paying for them."
"There will be peace only when we can conquer the violence that consumes us."
"Anger and hatred are more destructive than nature itself. If you let them consume you, they will force you to do something which you'll regret for the rest of your life."
"We only get one chance at life. We must make the best of it with the time we have."
"The faith an entire kingdom places upon you is nothing compared to the strength of your own."
"There's so much we can't do with our life. What matters is what we can do. Not even the gods can do everything."
"How can you ask us to forgive you when you yourself can't do that yourself?"
"Once you reach the top, there's nowhere left to go...but down!"
"Life's not fair, but then again, neither is death. Get used to it!"
"For some, life is a disease. It would be wrong to allow them to continue suffering. But don't worry, I have the cure right here."
"For one who hates violence, you're awfully good at it!"
"Which is worse, ordering someone's death or doing it yourself?"
"Guns don't kill people, it's the bullets that do it. But still, someone has to provide them the motivation to do so."
"Bravery and stupidity are two completely different things."
"Discretion, not procrastination, is the better part of valor."
"The difference between robots and cyborgs is that only one has a mind to make its own decisions and a heart to feel emotion."
"How can you call me the lucky one? They didn't have to live with the guilt like I do!"
"Why do bad things happen to good people? Why can't they happen to someone who really deserves it, like Bin Ladin?"
"To think and act independently is what it truly means to be alive."
"Life cannot last. Regardless of the path we choose, death awaits us in the end. It's what we make of ourselves that makes the journey worthwhile."
"This isn't revenge, this is justice!"
"The right person in the right place can make a difference, but only by the right action."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants...mine and yours!"
"If you oppose everything I've ever stood for, and fought for, then you must oppose me as well?"
"How can you expect someone to love you when you're too much in love with yourself?"
"With great accomplishments, comes pride. And with pride, comes arrogance."
"Even if everybody does forgive you, what makes you think they'll forget about what you've done? You and I both know that isn't going to happen!"
"The stupid neither forgive or forget. The naive forgive and forget. The wise forgive, but do not forget."
"Just as the elements that make up our world benefit our existence, so too can they have the power to curse us."
"No good deed goes unrewarded. But the restored prosperity of our land and the pride we can take in playing a part in it are all we wish for."
"A wise warrior knows to run when the odds are against him."
"Forward is the only direction we can ever go in life."
"There are some situations for when diplomacy just cannot succeed. When you come upon a cave whose entrace is blocked, you can't just sit down and talk things out. You need to use force!"
"Violence should only be used when diplomacy fails."
"To lose your life is a tragedy. But to lose those you love is even worse."
"Magic can be used for good or evil. How you use it depends on what's in your heart."
"To be forgotten after death is worse than the eternal sleep itself."
"The difference between a thief and a murderer is that a murderer cannot return what he stole."
"I'd give anything to take back what I did, but we all know that time travel isn't possible."
"Anger and hatred are the worst prisons in existence and will trap you as long as you let them, but forgiveness can set you free."
"Stone may break and ice may melt, but fire will consume all at world's end, so too shall it consume you as it consumed your family."
"Without recognition, when you die, life will go on without you. It will be almost as if you had never been born."
"I know I've done terrible things, but I refuse to spend my whole life paying for them."
"There will be peace only when we can conquer the violence that consumes us."
"Anger and hatred are more destructive than nature itself. If you let them consume you, they will force you to do something which you'll regret for the rest of your life."
"We only get one chance at life. We must make the best of it with the time we have."
"The faith an entire kingdom places upon you is nothing compared to the strength of your own."
"There's so much we can't do with our life. What matters is what we can do. Not even the gods can do everything."
"How can you ask us to forgive you when you yourself can't do that yourself?"
"Once you reach the top, there's nowhere left to go...but down!"
"Life's not fair, but then again, neither is death. Get used to it!"
"For some, life is a disease. It would be wrong to allow them to continue suffering. But don't worry, I have the cure right here."
"For one who hates violence, you're awfully good at it!"
"Which is worse, ordering someone's death or doing it yourself?"
"Guns don't kill people, it's the bullets that do it. But still, someone has to provide them the motivation to do so."
"Bravery and stupidity are two completely different things."
"Discretion, not procrastination, is the better part of valor."
"The difference between robots and cyborgs is that only one has a mind to make its own decisions and a heart to feel emotion."
"How can you call me the lucky one? They didn't have to live with the guilt like I do!"
"Why do bad things happen to good people? Why can't they happen to someone who really deserves it, like Bin Ladin?"
"To think and act independently is what it truly means to be alive."
"Life cannot last. Regardless of the path we choose, death awaits us in the end. It's what we make of ourselves that makes the journey worthwhile."
"This isn't revenge, this is justice!"
"The right person in the right place can make a difference, but only by the right action."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants...mine and yours!"
"If you oppose everything I've ever stood for, and fought for, then you must oppose me as well?"
"How can you expect someone to love you when you're too much in love with yourself?"
"With great accomplishments, comes pride. And with pride, comes arrogance."
"Even if everybody does forgive you, what makes you think they'll forget about what you've done? You and I both know that isn't going to happen!"
"The stupid neither forgive or forget. The naive forgive and forget. The wise forgive, but do not forget."
"Just as the elements that make up our world benefit our existence, so too can they have the power to curse us."
"No good deed goes unrewarded. But the restored prosperity of our land and the pride we can take in playing a part in it are all we wish for."
"A wise warrior knows to run when the odds are against him."
"Forward is the only direction we can ever go in life."
"There are some situations for when diplomacy just cannot succeed. When you come upon a cave whose entrace is blocked, you can't just sit down and talk things out. You need to use force!"
"Violence should only be used when diplomacy fails."
"To lose your life is a tragedy. But to lose those you love is even worse."
"Magic can be used for good or evil. How you use it depends on what's in your heart."
"To be forgotten after death is worse than the eternal sleep itself."
One of my favorite dialogue tricks is when a character does not answer a question he/she is asked. Like this: "Did you see those aliens out there?" said Bob. "They're really weird and scary."
"Right," his partner said. "So, did you pick up the stuff or not?"
"I mean their heads are like basketball sized. Fangs, too."
I know that wasn't the best of examples, I just made that up, but you get the point. I see that a lot in funny books and it always makes me laugh. Anyway, for me, I always judge dialogue by how well it reads. If I can read it and forget that I am actually reading and not in the conversation with them then it is good dialogue. Which is why it is good not to be afraid to use plain old "said." "Said" is easy and it doesn't get the ready hung up words like "retorted" or "exasperated" or "countered." If the character isn't speaking in a mannor that can't be inferred by the reader through context, just use "said" or "replied."
As far as the actual language goes, just know your characters and keep it true to how they would speak. Let them speak to you. I think writing dialogue is a great way to develop your characters and figure out who they really are. Sometimes my characters say things that surprise me, and I learn something about them I didn't know.
"Right," his partner said. "So, did you pick up the stuff or not?"
"I mean their heads are like basketball sized. Fangs, too."
I know that wasn't the best of examples, I just made that up, but you get the point. I see that a lot in funny books and it always makes me laugh. Anyway, for me, I always judge dialogue by how well it reads. If I can read it and forget that I am actually reading and not in the conversation with them then it is good dialogue. Which is why it is good not to be afraid to use plain old "said." "Said" is easy and it doesn't get the ready hung up words like "retorted" or "exasperated" or "countered." If the character isn't speaking in a mannor that can't be inferred by the reader through context, just use "said" or "replied."
As far as the actual language goes, just know your characters and keep it true to how they would speak. Let them speak to you. I think writing dialogue is a great way to develop your characters and figure out who they really are. Sometimes my characters say things that surprise me, and I learn something about them I didn't know.
What kind of response are you hoping for by posting this long list of quotes (not even dialogue) without context?
I like to read my dialogue outloud. It gives me a better idea of how it sounds. Is it realistic while still reading well? Are the words actually the way my character would talk?
Read a lot and write a lot...you'll get the hang of it.
Read a lot and write a lot...you'll get the hang of it.
ummm yeah if that long list is a sampling of your dialogue, here's the bad news. It reads forced, phony, and trite. The philosophies in them are hackneyed and cliche's. There are so many better ways to say those things. If those are all different people saying them, thats even worse because it all sounds like one person is saying it. A person who thinks he is well-educated but in reality gets all his sentiments and beliefs from a Hallmark card. Sorry.
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I'm definitely with Maestro on this. I think part of the skill of writing dialogue is injecting it with spontaneity, so it reads like it just came out of somebody's mouth. People don't have a chance to revise and re-write their own spoken sentences; they normally fill them with other stuff, (including, *shock*, cliched expressions) and I think that's where the emotion comes from. Just an example-Yikes. No offense, I'm glad I don't read and/or write in your genres
"I don't care. I'm sorry."
"Look, I just don't care. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is, you know?"
The first example would actually work well when the character is being cold, or angry. The second example reflects a more weary, guilty-for-saying-this kind of emotion. Both say the same thing, both reflect very different emotions.
Most importantly, the two examples could be said by the same character in different situations. All IMO of course, and the examples might not be that great.
To DwayneA - RE the long list of quotes - scrap them. Seriously, delete the file you've kept them in.
Dialog has to flow naturally and fit the character. You shouldn't try to hard too be extra clever when writing dialog or it seems like you are trying too hard to be clever.
Within context of a full conversation some of those lines might work. But we'd have to see an actual exchange to really make a determination, not isolated lines. Dialogue is about conversation, not one-liners.
Also, I do agree with Ray for the most part about dialogue sounding genuine (within the context of the story, of course). You can take it too far in trying to make it sound "realistic" or "natural," and you can take it too far in trying to make it sound witty. The key is balance.
Dwayne, you seem concerned with making things great. Why?
The underlying implication in all of your questions about how to make something great is that you are not writing for story or to convey an idea, but to be recognized.
There are no easy answers in writing. No, do this in order to be a bestseller. Writing is hard. You have to first learn the craft, the mechanics, of what it is to be a writer, whether your style is that of a prosist or a storyteller. Then, you need to be a bit of a chemist, a bit of a chef, putting a dash of this in, a pinch of that, mixing it together... in order to get at the humor core, to touch passions, engender emotions, make people think, laugh, and cry... all while telling a damn good story.
There's no easy way to learn that. It's something each writer has to figure out on their own, in their own way. It takes time, energy, commitment, and dedication. That's how you write a great book.
The underlying implication in all of your questions about how to make something great is that you are not writing for story or to convey an idea, but to be recognized.
There are no easy answers in writing. No, do this in order to be a bestseller. Writing is hard. You have to first learn the craft, the mechanics, of what it is to be a writer, whether your style is that of a prosist or a storyteller. Then, you need to be a bit of a chemist, a bit of a chef, putting a dash of this in, a pinch of that, mixing it together... in order to get at the humor core, to touch passions, engender emotions, make people think, laugh, and cry... all while telling a damn good story.
There's no easy way to learn that. It's something each writer has to figure out on their own, in their own way. It takes time, energy, commitment, and dedication. That's how you write a great book.
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To me, dialogue is never used as gratuitous filler. Like solid, well-written narrative, it has a function. It should always be moving your story forward. Its place is to help define character, answer story questions, and sketch in back story.
Dialogue shouldn’t be used as a tool to info dump. It should have rhythm and cadence and be musically pleasing to the inner ear.
I’m sure there’s more, but I haven’t finished my first pot of joe yet…
Dialogue shouldn’t be used as a tool to info dump. It should have rhythm and cadence and be musically pleasing to the inner ear.
I’m sure there’s more, but I haven’t finished my first pot of joe yet…
I hope you're not feeling beaten up by all the criticism, but I think it's important to answer your question honestly. You can't possibly write a book that resonates with your character's dialogue in their own authentic voice if you take a bunch of random dialogue and just throw it in where you think it might have the most impact. At best it will interrupt whatever flow you have established and at worst will read like an inexperienced attempt to sound erudite, and fail.
If you haven't started writing, just start. If you haven't done an outline, (and you work that way) start and complete the outline. Do character outlines as well. Answer questions about your characters to get to know them, whether or not the information ends up in the book.
Where did they grow up? What are their religious beliefs? What shaped them? Who are their friends? Their personalities? Flaws? Weaknesses? Strengths? This will flesh out your characters and they will start speaking to you from your writing.
Good luck!
Writing great dialogue follows the same formula as writing great anything:
Write it, review it, rewrite it, review it, rewrite it, review it, rewrite it . . .
Some of the keys to follow are understanding your characters and their motivations, why they hold some stuff back in conversation (as all people do) and how their body language either compliments or betrays their words.
Write it, review it, rewrite it, review it, rewrite it, review it, rewrite it . . .
Some of the keys to follow are understanding your characters and their motivations, why they hold some stuff back in conversation (as all people do) and how their body language either compliments or betrays their words.
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Read through them again. And note what I said about people making speeches.
In real life, how often do you hear people making speeches in their conversation?
IMHO, if you make your dialogue sound more grandiose than it should be, it becomes pretentious and stilted.
Sorry, Dwayne, but if I came across that lot in a novel, something with a cover and pages would hit the wall and bounce into the bin.
Dialogue should be natural as others have pointed out.
It should also advance the story. No sneaky information hidden by wearisome things like: "Of course, Uncle Jim died two years ago, as you know." Gak!
Hi DwayneA. I have to agree, most of the lines of dialogue you quoted sound like someone making a speech, not having a conversation. They're too stiff and formal for the most part.
If I may, I do have a couple of comments on specific lines that might help a bit in showing what I mean.
"I'd give anything to take back what I did, but we all know time travel isn't possible."
Using the word that in the second clause may be grammatically correct, but most people do not talk in grammatically perfect sentences. That's part of why it comes off stiff.
Also, I'd use someone instead of one in the first clause. Again, using the word one makes it sound too formal and stiff.
I hope some of this helps a little.
If I may, I do have a couple of comments on specific lines that might help a bit in showing what I mean.
For this one, taking out one word makes it sound more like a real person talking:
"I'd give anything to take back what I did, but we all know time travel isn't possible."
Using the word that in the second clause may be grammatically correct, but most people do not talk in grammatically perfect sentences. That's part of why it comes off stiff.
This is a comment I could see someone making in a story, but you don't need the exclamation mark at the end. Sentences in dialogue should end in a period unless you need something like a question mark. Let the words convey emotional power. If you need an exclamation mark to give the line the impact you want, then the line is weak. Using the exclamation mark makes the line come off like a pontification. You really don't want your characters delivering lines like a Shakespearean actor trying to emote to the back row of a huge theatre.
Also, I'd use someone instead of one in the first clause. Again, using the word one makes it sound too formal and stiff.
I hope some of this helps a little.
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No, great dialog comes from interupting, hesitation, repeated words. One of my favorite moves is The Thing from Another World directed by Christian Nyby. What makes that so marvelous is the dialog between the characters. They interupt, talk over each other, just perfectly real.
If you can capture that in book form, then you've got something.
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