SOME HINTS ON WRITING DIALOGUE

Writing compelling dialogue is truly an exercise in contradiction. Meticulously written, it must appear natural, smooth and spontaneous. In some situations, the proper use of dialogue must contain the same errors people make normally. Every line of dialogue should have a specific purpose within your narrative, and should help develop character and advance the plot, but that purpose is often implied and subtle. Writing effective dialogue is a balancing act of creating natural and necessary conversations. If you’re struggling to create authentic dialogue, get out and find a place to listen to people as they interact and talk around you. Pay attention to how people converse, the words they use and how they play off each other throughout a conversation. In conversation each person has an ‘agenda’ even if it is to terminate the conversation. Incorporate these details in your writing, and model the pace and progression of your dialogue after real conversations. In conversation lots of sentences have no subject. It is implied.[Ellipsis] Don’t forget to notice the things people don’t say but reveal with body language and gestures. These physical descriptions offer a perfect opportunity to break up lines of dialogue and space on the page.