How to Handle Dialogue
Beginner writers often shy away from using dialogue in their pieces. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this post, I’m going to talk about how to handle dialogue, but first, let’s talk about why you should use dialogue in your writing.
Why Use Dialogue
Dialogue can strengthen your piece in several ways:
- Help break up big blocks of text
- Give your characters more flavor
- Create a scene
- Speed up the pace
- Convey information to the reader
How to Use Dialogue
First off, let’s cover the basics. Dialogue should be formatted like:
“Hello, how are you today?” Dana said.
“I could be better. How about you?” Derek replied.
Each time the speaker changes, you begin a new line. This helps the reader keep the speakers straight. If you’re doing a big block of text and there are only two speakers, you have the option of dropping the names to avoid confusion. Like so:
“Well, that’s a shame. I’m actually really, really, really great,” said Dana.
“Really? Why’s that?” Asked Derek.
“I got a promotion at work, Ty finally proposed and my student loan payments magically disappeared.”
“Oh, wow! That would put me in a really, really, really great mood too, Sis.”
Stick with Said
Note in these examples, I used “asked” and “replied” in addition to “said.” Most writing advice will direct you to stick to “said” and not get cute by subbing in different words like “She gasped” or “She chattered.” It gets distracting, which takes away from the conversation and the story you’re trying to tell. I personally think it’s ok to use “asked” and “replied” here and there, but that’s up to you.
No Talking Heads
Sometimes beginner writers have the opposite problem with dialogue, they get carried away with too much of it. Line after line of speech, but little else. This is often referred to as “Talking Heads” because you have no idea what the character is doing with their body and they’re completely removed from the scene. Let’s reuse the sample from above, but fill it out a bit more:
“Well, that’s a shame. I’m actually really, really, really great,” said Dana as she walked across the kitchen to refill her coffee mug. She plunked two cubes of sugar into her coffee, paused, then decided on one more.
“Really? Why’s that?” Asked Derek.
“I got a promotion at work, Ty finally proposed and my student loan payments magically disappeared.” Dana waved her hand in the air, the light glinting off a respectably sized diamond on her finger.
“Oh, wow! That would put me in a really, really, really great mood too, Sis.” Derek wrapped his hands tight around his mug feeling the warmth pass from the coffee into his palms and wished his sister’s luck would make a similar transition into his life.
See how much richer this dialogue has become when after I added in some body language and scenery around the dialogue? This also gives you a chance to let the reader inside the characters’ heads during the conversation. Sometimes there’s more that’s being left unsaid than being spoken between your characters.
Be Distinct
When your characters engage in dialogue, it should be clear which character is speaking even if someone were to cover up the names. To pull this off:
- Think about the type of vocabulary each of your characters have. Is your character a brainiac who speaks fluent SAT words? That character is likely going to draw on different language than say the hippie gardener who bumps into the brainiac at the farmer’s market.
- Differentiating your characters’ language goes beyond word choice, it also means taking note of whether your character speaks in long-wordy sentences or short, clipped sentences.
- Careful with accents. Unless you can nail it, avoid it. You can simply say the speaker has a Nigerian accent and the reader will imagine it in their minds. Otherwise, if you try to do an accent and don’t nail it, your writing will come off as cheesy and unrealistic.
Read Scripts
Scripts are almost all dialogue. To get better at writing dialogue, you can read scripts to get a sense of rhythm for writing it yourself. I’ve found it helpful to read scripts from TV shows I enjoy and then watch the corresponding episode to see how closely the character I was envisioning matches the one on the show.
*BONUS* A Tip From Penmob Founder Alex Peterson
Another great way to avoid “said fatigue” is by incorporating the action of the scene into the dialogue itself.
This scene from chapter two of Mao II is one of the most masterful examples of blending dialogue and action that I’ve read. A photographer is speaking with a reclusive writer while taking pictures of him. Part of this scene is publicly available, but I recommend picking up the actual book to read the whole thing:
“Shall I tell you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m afraid to talk to writers about their work. It’s so easy to say something stupid. Don’t drop your chin. Good, that’s better, I like that. There’s a secret language I haven’t learned to speak. I spend a great deal of time with writers. I love writers. But this gift you have, which for me is total delight, makes me feel that I’m an outsider, not able to converse in the private language, the language that will mean something to you.”
“The only private language I know is self-exaggeration. I think I’ve grown a second self in this room. It’s the self-important fool that keeps the writer going. I exaggerate the pain of writing, the pain of solitude, the failure, the rage, the confusion, the helplessness, the fear, the humiliation. The narrower the boundaries of my life, the more I exaggerate myself. If the pain is real, why do I inflate it? Maybe this is the only pleasure I’m allowed.”
“Raise your chin.”
“Raise my chin.”
“Frankly I didn’t expect such speeches.”
Both characters are allowed a lot of background exposition through their monologues, but those are interspersed with the mechanics of the presently-happening photoshoot.
Get Help with Dialogue
No need to bumble your way through mastering dialogue; our Penmob editors can help you find your way. Simply submit the piece you want to workshop and note that you’re looking to focus on dialogue. This helps our Penmob editors focus on the areas of your writing that matter most to you. Try us out today!
