《How to Write Stories People Will Love》17. Create Interesting Dialogue
Advertisement
If you struggle with dialogue, you're not alone. Writing good dialogue takes practice. Here are a few pointers to get you on your way...
Dialogue in a story needs to do one of the following:
1. Reveal plot details (can also reveal backstory, but be careful not to info-dump when doing so. It needs to sound like normal speech, not a history lesson.)
2. Reveal character personality
3. Entertain the reader (such as humor)
4. Advance the story in some way
Chit chat is boring in real life. Reading chit-chat in a story is even worse. If the dialogue doesn't fit any of the criteria above, then summarize it instead. For example, "He asked me about my dog before moseying off to his desk." Or, "She proceeded to fill me in on the details."
(See what I did there?) :-D
The problem with adverbs in dialogue is they are often used as a crutch for telling the reader what the character is feeling instead of showing us. Here's an example:
WITH ADVERB: "I can't help it," she said sadly.
WITHOUT: "I can't help it." She sniffled and swiped a tear away.
"Said" is one of those dialogue tags that many writers are afraid of overusing. The thing is, it's one of those "invisible" words that readers find easy to read through and not notice how often it's there. It'sgreat when you need to clarify who's talking without disrupting the flow of theconversation. Strong verbs stand out, which isn't necessarily a good thing whenyou want quick-moving banter. That said, don't go overboard and create robotic dialogue filled with he said / she said. It needs to be changed up. You can do this when you...
You don't always need dialogue tags. You can indicate who said what by incorporating character actions into the mix. Here's an example...
Advertisement
"So what did you want to talk about?" Diane ripped open a sugar packet and sprinkled it into her coffee.
Lee cleared his throat. "I want a divorce."
Her hand stilled and her eyes snapped up to his. "Well that was abrupt."
"Yeah, well..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "You know subtlety is not my strong suit."
"No, it's not." Diane sighed.
If you're going to remember just one tip, remember this one. Read the dialogue aloud and listen to yourself. This is a powerful method to determine if it sounds natural or not. If your dialogue is forced, boring, or unrealistic, you're more likely to catch it this way.
Advertisement
Realm of Myths and Legends
Jin, a hardcore gamer who still lives with his mom at the age of 24. He could never hold down a steady job since graduating, his girlfriend since high school dumped him for his best friend and he's constantly getting beat up by a group of local gang members. His dad left him and his mom when he became rich from the lottery and got a new family, one free of debt and burdens as he called it. His mom works 3 jobs to keep everything from falling apart, except for herself slowly. One day on his way home with the very first and new fully immersive VRMMORPG called Realm of Myths and Legends or RML for short, he died from a hit and run car accident. RML was advertised as the worlds first fully immersive VRMMORPG, allowing for players with skill sets in the real world, like sword training, martial arts, archery or reaction time, to benefit in the game itself! Though Jin died and at that moment a soul from another world crossed over into his body and inherited his memories. The man known as Izroth once hailed as the greatest cultivator in the seven realms, soul reincarnates into the modern world year 20xx in the body of Jin.
8 2906The Infected Progressive
Weekly thoughts by an inspiring expressionist prepping to take the world by storm through progressive poetry and lyrical precociousness. I hope you will follow me on this imagination rollercoaster that will loop the loop the insecurities of man and beyond.
8 375Mystic Nan
Note: Currently undergoing rewrite, we'll be back soon!(If you enjoy this story, it would help immensely if you considered voting for it at topwebfiction, thank you.) Nan Beauchamp, like many youths of the year 2000-something; will live, work, and die as less than a footnote of a footnote within the abridged history of unremarkable years. This suits her fine. Too bad about the truck that turned her into paste, then. Luckily, or unluckily, fate deigned to give the poor girl another chance to make something of herself in a bizarre universe brimming with magic, spaceships, and... giant talking spiders? This "second chance" seems less than ideal. (A web serial import from Wordpress)
8 101Elementals
Welcome dear reader to my fantasy. My world. Welcome to the land of Terra where if you're born you can master one of 10 elements. Fire, water, earth, air, light, darkness, Spirit, Mystic, Galaxy and Nature. In this world, you can go on epic quests, fight giant monsters and become greater than even your greatest heroes. What would a world like that be? Let's find out as I bring you a legend beyond imagining. Enter the Elementals: the leaders of this world would send Terra's greatest evils to a place called the Forbidden Realm. However one day a portal opened up in the sky and all the villains were released. The Elementals decided to recruit thousands of young elementists to fight in the war. Enter our main heroes: The New Elementals, 5 teenagers without a clue. But soon they'll realize that they'll be on the adventure of a lifetime.
8 191The Dungeon Novel
Participant in Royal Roads 55000 Write A Thon A man and a dog come to a meeting of the minds and then a god takes an interest.
8 810Trollex
I love the movie "Moana" and I often wonder how it would go for King Trollex. Hope y'all enjoy it!
8 191