Every novel needs dialogue, but what is it, and how do you write it well? I’m glad you asked.
What is dialogue?
At the most basic level, dialogue is a conversation between characters. Like conversations in the real world, it contains several aspects:
- Spoken words.
- Unspoken words.
- Body language.
How do you incorporate dialogue into your story? Let’s look at each of these three parts for some tips on strengthening your book’s dialogue.
Spoken Words
In books, the spoken part of dialogue is set apart by quotations marks, i.e.
“How did you do that?” Mark asked Michelle.
Knowing what your characters will say is one part of spoken dialogue, but you want to consider these other factors to write realistic and engaging conversations.
- We’re lazy, y’all. Imagine someone saying, “We are lazy, you all.” Sounds a bit stiff, doesn’t it. If that’s your character’s personality, go with it! But most people speak with contractions, so make sure your characters do too.
- Vocabulary matters. An English professor with speak differently than a biology professor, who will speak differently than the cable repair man. Dialogue should represent the character’s vocabulary, not the author’s.
- Well, that makes sense. Is it realistic to start sentences with well, so, yeah? Absolutely. But there’s a fine line between realism and engaging writing. Your general rule of thumb: If it doesn’t add context or clarity, cut it.
- I don’t like that rule, Billy. Think about how many times in a conversation you say the other person’s name. Then look at how many times your characters say each other’s names. Another general rule of thumb: unless there are more than two people in the conversation, they don’t need to call each other by name. They know who they’re talking to.
Unspoken Words
The unspoken part of dialogue—a.k.a. thoughts—have a few specific rules you need to know.
- Each scene can only show one character’s thoughts. Whether you’re writing in first- or third-person point of view, there’s only one POV character. That means you can only show the thoughts of the POV character.
- The POV character IS the narrator. Unless you’re writing in omniscient, there isn’t a narrator in your story. The POV character for each scene is the narrator, which means the thoughts need to reflect that character’s speech patterns. Just like the spoken part of dialogue, the thoughts need to include contractions, the appropriate vocabulary, and any other spoken quirks of your character.
Body Language
Human faces and bodies speak loudly; so can your character’s faces and bodies. By using body language, you can show your reader what’s happening instead of telling them. Check out the examples below.
This: “Let’s go,” Linda said, eager to leave.
Or this: “Let’s go.” Linda grabbed Matt’s hand and pulled him through the door.
This: “I love it.” Beth lied. She didn’t like the sour candy.
Or this: “I love it.” Beth’s mouth puckered, her eyes watering. She chugged a glass of water.
Incorporating body language into your dialogue shows the reader what’s going on, allowing them to feel and interpret the scene with your characters.
By including all three aspects of dialogue into your writing, you’ll create more vivid and engaging scenes that pull your readers into the story.
If you have questions about dialogue, leave a comment or contact me at karin@writenowedits.com.
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