How much dialogue?

TaintedBoo · May 10, 2013

How much dialogue is too much? Right now I'm running pretty steady at about a 70:30 ratio. Oodles of talking. I think it's all necessary (of course, or else I wouldn't do it), but at one point people were pretty darn sure the world was flat too. I'm just curious what everyone else's take is on this. Is there a specific formula for dialogue vs. narrative? What is considered the norm, or better yet, is there a norm?

I've given my first chapter to a few people, and the responses have been equal: too much dialogue and not enough dialogue. :Shrug:

rwm4768 · May 10, 2013

I don't think there's any specific formula. Some writers are more dialogue heavy than others. It should be fine if you make sure that it doesn't seem like your conversation is just floating in a featureless room.

Kerosene · May 10, 2013

There is no formula. There's no formula for anything regarding writing. Writing is one of the most subjective crafts.

You can have a whole book told through dialogue, or a book with no dialogue; it does not matter. I've read and enjoyed both extremes equally.

What matters is: Getting the story across, evoking emotion, and keeping interest. That's it.

Do have to note: Readers like entertaining dialogue. It's easy on them.

Benedetto Youssef · May 10, 2013

Doesn't matter, depends on how you want to tell the story. You'd be surprised at how much back story can be told through dialogue etc etc.

Kaarl · May 10, 2013

As long as it drives the story and is interesting I don't think your ratio should matter. I had the same misgivings about my writing but I couldn't find any hard and fast rules on it, the only advice that seemed constant was not to use the dialogue to info dump. Horses for courses was my conclusion.

Shelley_Hernandez · May 10, 2013

if your characters talk to one another a lot, then they can't help it so don't sweat it. so your characters like to talk. i assume they have great relationships. maybe your characters hardly talk. that's fine, too. just make the story as real as you can. try to go by the personalities of your characters. don't keep your character from saying something they wanna say just because you have to have a certain amount of dialogue otherwise it's too much. there's no formula. just let your characters make the story. let them guide you and make it real.

Pammie Simon · May 10, 2013

I'm going to agree with everybody that there's no right or wrong amount of dialog... BUT if it's nothing but straight dialog, you're missing out on a big chunk of story telling. The things that people do while talking are going to give away just as much information about what they're thinking/how they're feeling as what they're saying.

blacbird · May 10, 2013

There is no cookbook for this kind of question. The only possible answer is "however much the story needs, and no more than that." Which is the correct answer to every "how much" question that gets asked here about writing fiction.

caw

Bufty · May 11, 2013

It's too much when it becomes boring, meaningless or repetitive, and doesn't lead anywhere.

kkbe · May 11, 2013

Bufty said:
It's too much when it becomes boring, meaningless or repetitive, and doesn't lead anywhere.

that goes for narrative, too.

Writer's Digest addresses the dialogue/narrative conundrum *here* . The following, plucked from the article, is relatively simplistic, imo, but generally speaking, it makes sense. . .

Pacing is probably the most common fiction element to pay attention to when considering when and when not to weave dialogue, narrative and action.

Is the story moving a little too slowly, and do I need to speed things up? (Use dialogue.)

Is it time to give the reader some background on the characters so they’re more sympathetic? (Use narrative, dialogue or a combination of the two.)

Do I have too many dialogue scenes in a row? (Use action or narrative.)

Are my characters constantly confiding in others about things they should only be pondering in their minds? (Use narrative.)

Likewise, are my characters alone in their heads when my characters in conversation would be more effective and lively? (Use dialogue.)

Is my story top-heavy in any way at all—too much dialogue, too much narrative or too much action? (Insert more of the elements that are missing.)

Are my characters providing too many background details as they’re talking to each other? (Use narrative.)

Whether we’re using dialogue, action or narrative to move the story forward, any or all three of these elements are doing double duty by revealing our characters’ motives.

And to understand a character’s motive is to understand the character.

TomW22 · May 11, 2013

What sort of thing are you writing? It depends a lot on what kind of story you're telling; what the context is.

Personally I write far too little dialogue because I get wrapped up in events. But then I write stories that revolve around large-scale events that characters have to deal with. If you're writing a character story that is first and foremost about the characters and their interactions, then more dialogue is to be expected.

Jamesaritchie · May 11, 2013

There's no amount that's right or wrong, but action always speaks louder than words. When a character has something to say that matters, let him say it. Otherwise, he needs to keep his mouth shut.

TaintedBoo · May 11, 2013

Thanks for the help!

Thanks for that link kkbe! I've just added that page to my favorites list, really good stuff there.

I never used to have a lot of dialogue in my writing, it was actually about 30:70 the other way around, so this is new for me. This is also my first time writing YA, and I'm finding that my teenage characters have a lot more to say than my adult characters. Right now the dialogue is steering the story, so I guess I should just roll with it and make sure it doesn't go off the path.

Thanks again!

yellowhammer · May 11, 2013

That's a great breakdown, kkbe. I also had the age old question of dialogue so thank you for asking it. As always, there have been some solid answers.

ellewest · May 14, 2013

Mmm, yes. I think about this, too. The thing is that when I read I REALLY hate a lot of description except when the writer has an exceptional voice -- like Stephen King or something where I could just read literally anything. BUT I also think that while the story might be compelling to you (who understands the characters and knows things about them that the reader's doesn't), you really risk not grounding your readers properly in the world you are creating - so they won't feel as invested and might just put the book down. Just make sure you are generous enough to build a world for your characters to talk in that seems real and present.

rainsmom · May 14, 2013

What are they doing BESIDES talking? I don't read a novel for talking heads. The characters have to DO something to move the story forward. I like dialogue, but it, like everything else in the novel, has to have a purpose. I don't want my time wasted with extraneous dialogue anymore than I want it wasted with extraneous description.

CrastersBabies · May 14, 2013

Kiss of the Spider Woman is all dialogue. All of it.

As long as dialogue isn't full of BS stuff like this . . .

"Hi, Bob?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"This is Mary."
"How are you, Mary?"
"I am fine, how are you?"
"Great. So, what's up?"
"Not much. Kind of an easy day."
"Good to hear. Weather sure is nice."
"Yes it is."

Blow-by-blow dialogue is like watching paint dry. If you're getting to the point and the conversation moves the story forward and you can keep some solid conflict at the fore, I don't see an issue.

triceretops · May 14, 2013

The only instance where I was tagged for being too dialogue heavy was in my up-front pages on the same book, with comments made by several editors. In my case, it slowed the pace and did not drive the plot forward as fast and steadily as it should have. I've kept a note of these remarks for future consideration on new WIPs, only because I agreed with the analysis. It's very hard to show action up front with intense and prolonged dialogue, unless the dialogue is short and choppy and happens to be during an action sequence or amidst conflict.

I think the lure of lots of dialogue stems from the fact (for me) that it's so damn easy to write and fills pages--not really the word count. But you end up with a heck of a lot of white space.

I think it was Joe Konrath who admitted to being very dialogue heavy in all his Jack Daniels detective mysteries, but that seemed to work for him.

Then you have small books like The Time Machine where almost no dialogue works to propel the story and no one seems to mind.

tri

Lady Ice · May 14, 2013

If you find yourself wanting to write lots of dialogue, it might work better as a play.

WeaselFire · May 15, 2013

TaintedBoo said:
How much dialogue is too much?

Characters speak as they need to. There is no upper or lower limit.

Jeff

kkbe · May 15, 2013

Some writers *ahem* love dialogue. Key is, does it sound authentic yeah, and is it extraneous bs or does it move the story forward, and does it ring true? Leonard says nobody skips good dialogue. He would know.

NeenSaunders · May 15, 2013

Personally I loved dialogue, both reading and writing it. I find it can be a great way of establishing your characters personality and it can also keep the momentum of the book flowing. I find that too much description can slow down a story too much or be an uncomfortable speed bump right when the reader doesn't want to be interrupted.

That being said...

I think that you could be in danger of having a story a bit 2D if its mostly dialogue. Description gives a book depth and if you are 70% dialogue you could be missing out on opportunities to add to that. You also could be telling the reader a lot instead of showing (that age old problem). Readers also like to pick up on subtle things sometimes by themselves and you can hint at that sort of thing better with description.

I think like anything with writing, it depends on the story, setting and the characters. If you're worried it has too much dialogue then maybe you unconsciously agree it does.

How much dialogue?

TaintedBoo

Benefactor Member

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen

Benedetto Youssef

Kaarl

Novice Wordsmith

Shelley_Hernandez

Pammie Simon

Pammie

blacbird

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

kkbe

Huh.

TomW22

Jamesaritchie

TaintedBoo

Benefactor Member

yellowhammer

ellewest

rainsmom

Feeling like an old timer

CrastersBabies

Burninator!

triceretops

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member

kkbe

Huh.

NeenSaunders