Dialogue is one of the most important elements in fiction. It establishes character voice, shows the interaction between characters, and makes fiction come alive. Learning how to write a dialogue is an important skill, which can be mastered by following some basic tips. So – here are 10 tips for writing effective dialogue in fiction.
1. Dialogue should sound natural and realistic, and should use everyday language and avoid overly formal or stilted expressions. Dialogue shouldn’t be like real conversations, with ums and ahs, people speaking over each other, but should not sound contrived. Listen to dialogue in movies to get a good idea of how characters talk, and pay attention to the rhythms and cadences of their speech. When thinking about what is dialogue in a story, remember that good dialogue in fiction should flow naturally, and not trip up the reader.
2. Use dialogue to reveal character traits and emotions. Each main character should have a unique voice, which helps readers understand the characters and their motivations. As you write a novel and get to know your characters better, you should be able to make each of their voices stand out in sections of dialogue.
3. Use dialogue tags to attribute speech, providing clarity and avoiding confusion. Dialogue tags such as “he said” and “she says” are almost invisible, and readers ignore them, but tags like “he opined” and “she inquired” stand out. You can use character names in dialogue tags, such as “John said,” or “Mary says,” but you don’t need to use them for each line. Use characters’ names from time to time so readers can be reminded of who’s speaking in a long conversation, especially if there are more than two characters talking.
4. Use action beats, text showing what a character is doing during dialogue, such as – “‘I don’t know,’ John said, scratching his head” – to break up the spoken words and give them space, and also help the reader understand what is happening during a conversation.
4. Don’t overload dialogue with too much exposition or backstory. Dialogue should mostly be short and snappy, and it should move the plot forward while showing how characters act. Remember, when considering how to write dialogue in a story, too much exposition can make dialogue a slog.
5. Be careful when using slang, accents, or dialect in dialogue. This can make it hard for the reader to follow and can date your novel. Today’s slang is tomorrow’s uncool speech, so it’s best to avoid trendy words and expressions unless your novel is meant to portray a specific time period. Dialect can be difficult to get right on the page, and it’s best to only use dialect if you’re familiar with that type of speech, or can have it vetted by someone who is.
6. Characters discuss things in order to resolve conflicts in fiction, so use dialogue to move the plot forward. Don’t use dialogue to repeat information that is already known, unless it’s one character telling another character about something that happened earlier in the story and it’s important to present their version of the event.
7. Vary the length of sentences in dialogue. Some dialogue can be single words, some can be longer sentences. This reflects the way people speak in real life; no conversations involve people speaking long or short sentences all the time. Varying dialogue also makes the page look airy and increases the pacing of a novel. In tense scenes, shorter sentences move the action forward more quickly.
8. Use contractions, unless a character is meant to use formal speech. Use “can’t” and not “cannot,” unless the character is the type of person who would say the latter. Sometimes, a character may stress words by not using contractions, such as, “Do not go there, Jane.”
9. Every line of dialogue should serve a purpose, and none of it should be filler. Even if two characters are engaging in small talk, after meeting at a party, the small talk should express the characters’ desires and feelings. Dialogue should be essential, not just words to fill the page or for characters to pass time. If your story can function without a line of dialogue, or an entire scene of dialogue, think of cutting it.
10. When editing dialogue, read it out loud. Go through your chapters reading just the dialogue, not the dialogue tags or beats, and see if it flows. If you get tripped up on any lines, then the reader probably will as well. Edit dialogue for clarity, coherence, and conciseness to ensure it serves its purpose effectively.
Scrivener Tip
When writing fiction with Scrivener, you can use the Linguistic Focus feature to dim all text that is not in quotes. This allows you to use it to read your dialogue without being distracted by what’s around it, and make sure that it flows.
Feeling inspired but want to know more about crafting a great protagonist? Take a look at our in-depth article for some more tips on how to write good characters.
Gabriel Gaynor-Guthrie is a freelance writer and editor.
Scrivener is novel writing software designed to help you craft your first draft with ease. Find out more here