Writing dialogue for characters based on real people?

Listen to real people.

If you have an evil villain, he isn't going to 'giggle' or 'squeal' is he? But a scared female character will, because she isn't going to 'taunt' or 'growl' at other characters, is she? It depends on the type of person they are.

You should go to a public place and listen [not eavesdrop] but just listen to the way different types of people speak, the sort of things they say - for example do they swear/curse alot? Do they laugh a lot? Are they quiet? Do they gesticulate with their hands when they are talking?

Laura-Mae

I sure hope you're writing dialogue that is based on real people, and not robots or alien creatures.

(and it's done by listening to how people talk. Create the verisimilitude without doing the repetitions, fillers, ums, ahs, uhs, or pointless exchanges, etc.)


Or do you mean you want to write dialogue that is based on real dialogue by actual people?

Dialog is tricky because you want it to sound natural, but nobody talks like book dialog. Real people say um, and pause, and repeat words and do all the things that would make reading awkward. What you want to do is give the appearance of real dialog, but take out all the awkward stuff (unless of course, you're writing someone who is awkward)

Realistic dialog will sound like people talking because what they talk about usually matters to the people talking (even if it's small talk) and it isn't story told through dialog. If you find yourself having a conversation that explains stuff about your world or book, odds are you're not crafting realistic dialog. (there are exceptions of course, but basic rule of thumb).

Characters should have reasons for saying what they do that come from the individualized motivations of that character. If they only speak because plot tells them to, it's probably going to feel fake.

Lady Ice said:

Oh, you misunderstand. By real people, I mean people that actually existed, such as Tennessee Williams or the like.

Maybe I should clarify in the title?

Click to expand...

I think the advice is the same: listen to how that real person talks.

If you intend to create a character who talks like (or is) a famous person, whether living or dead, you can draw from that person's public works. There is probably a record of that person's public statements, or whatever made that person famous. You might learn more by reading a few biographies about the person on whom your character is based.

You can listen to real recordings of their speeches and conversations (say, someone like Tennessee Williams). For someone like Jane Austen... who cares? Since no one still alive ever heard her speak. For all we know, she might have stuttered or something. The only thing you can draw from is their writing, especially personal writing such as journals or letters -- but even those may not completely reflect on how they actually speak, but close enough that people who know their writing could infer that's "probably" how they speak, too. But do understand that people often write differently than they speak (I know I do)...