10 Tips on Writing Effective Dialogue

1. Become an Eavesdropper

Listen carefully to the way people REALLY talk. They tend to talk in sentence fragments. They interrupt others. They repeat themselves. Try to get your dialogue to reflect authentic speech, but be careful not to become dull (real speech is OFTEN dull!)

2. Train Yourself to Notice

Observe the ways that people give away their social, economic and ethnic backgrounds by the way they talk. Use this knowledge when you create dialogue.

3. Don't Overdo the Dialect

Readers very quickly become tired of trying to 'interpret' speech that is represented phonetically, or with apostrophes everywhere to reflect dropped letters. The trick is to choose one or two words/phrases that will give a taste of what the person is like to others. A little bit goes a long way.

4. Try Recording People's Conversations

(Be careful with this!You may not be popular if you do it without permission and others find out - or if you use it unwisely. Be smart and get permission.) Listen carefully when you play it back. Often you'll hear inflections and habits that you miss when you're absorbed in a conversation first-hand.

5. Write First, Edit Later

Don't be tempted to edit too much as you write - it's better to let it flow, then give yourself some distance from the work and go back and edit later.

6. Read the Dialogue Out Loud

This is an excellent test for dialogue. Better still, get someone else to read your words. It's even easier that way to hear sentences that don't ring true, or that sound too stilted. Edit the work right away, while the problems are fresh in your mind.

7. Learn to Punctuate Dialogue Effectively

Good punctuation can make a huge difference to the effect of what you write. When you read the work out loud, decide whether the pauses are long or short (does the speaker just 'run on'; does the dialogue require a comma, or should it be a semi-colon or a colon?) Don't forget that when people trail off uncertainly, you represent this with an ellipsis (row of dots); when they are interrupted, you show it with a dash.

8. Make Sure Every Character Doesn't Sound the Same

Some people speak in clear, well-formed sentences with perfect grammar; others make constant grammatical errors and stumble over words. Some people are bright and lively and their words and tone reflect this; others are slow and thoughtful. Dialogue should reflect all of these things. Most of all, make sure that each character is not just a reflection of YOU!

9. Use Quotation Marks for Speech, not for Thoughts

Your reader can become confused if you use quotation marks for both speech and thoughts. Thoughts are expressed in other ways - usually with a tag like 'he thought' or by using italics if they are expressed in the third person. (But that's a whole other tipsheet...)

10. Don't "Sandwich" Direct Speech Between Actions

When you write dialogue, make sure that the viewpoint character's thoughts, actions and reactions are woven into the dialogue. Don't have half a page of direct speech with the occasional 'she said' and 'he said' to indicate who is speaking, then have a paragraph to describe the viewpoint character's thoughts or actions, then another half page of direct speech. Dialogue should be a smooth blend of speech, actions, thoughts and emotions.

(c) copyright Marg McAlister

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

taxi from O'Hare Bismarck .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

The EO Canopy is a self-sustaining, solar-powered camping platform designed to provide all the comforts of home while completely off the grid.
Experts say hackers who used to focus on Windows operating systems are increasingly targeting Apple IDs as part of a new phishing campaign.
Unitree, a Chinese robotics company that developed a backflipping robot, has now introduced a humanoid robot capable of doing a side flip.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
According to the FBI, cybercriminals are sending extortion letters, threatening to release victims' sensitive information unless a ransom is paid.
FireSat is a satellite project designed to detect and track wildfires early, aiming to detect a fire that's the size of a classroom within 20 minutes.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports that researchers have uncovered a Chrome vulnerability used in a cyber espionage campaign.
Preserving voicemails securely on Android: Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals easy methods to keep memories alive forever.
This phishing kit bypasses 2FA via session hijacking and real-time credential theft. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from Astaroth phishing attacks.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic planning to launch 200-mph U.K. air taxis linking airports and cities.
Fake Apple virus warnings, security alerts and messages are tactics used to prompt you to call a number or click on a malicious link. The CyberGuy explains how to protect your devices.
The combination of artificial intelligence and neuroscience allows a paralyzed man to manipulate a robotic arm by using his brain to imagine movements.
With the help of artificial intelligence, sophisticated fraud techniques emerging today are virtually undetectable to the untrained eye.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
If you need to free up space on your Mac, consider deleting duplicate photos in your image library. Apple makes it easy to do, and the CyberGuy explains the process.
Microsoft is discontinuing Skype in May after 22 years of service. Kurt the CyberGuy addresses other options for internet-based phone and video service.
Tron 1, a Chinese company's two-legged robot, is versatile and can walk, roll and pivot, even on rough terrain. Tron 1 stands 33 inches tall and weighs 44 pounds.
Hackers are tricking people into installing password-stealing malware by making them press keyboard shortcuts under the pretense of proving they're not bots.
Saving the voices of loved ones can be a comforting way to keep alive memories. Kurt "the CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to preserve voicemail messages.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The FBI warns that some free online document converters load malware onto people's computers, making their private information vulnerable to attack.
Toyota's compact electric FT-Me is designed to tackle challenges of city living while offering an accessible and eco-friendly transportation solution.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 23andMe's bankruptcy raises data privacy fears: Opt out, download and delete data now.
UBTech and Zeekr unite with AI robot swarms to make car manufacturing faster and smarter. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how the process works.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Apple's Passwords app had a three-month phishing flaw from iOS 18 to 18.2 patch.

The Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers

How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More

Does The Title Reflect The Story?

Short Story Writing Tips ?We all have different tastes in... Read More

Memoir Writing Help, Memoir Writing Ideas

You might not need any memoir writing help, per se,... Read More

Making Money from Freelance Writing

Making Money from Freelance WritingIt's the question that every aspiring... Read More

Platform Development Tip #1: Switch Writing Hats!

Around eighty percent of nonfiction books today are written by... Read More

Gut Check: Quitting Your Full-time Job for Your Freelance Career

It's 6:00 p.m. You're dead tired, but instead of an... Read More

Writing the 8 WebCopy Headline Categories

My article this issue is an excerpt from a book... Read More

Becoming A Successful Author: The Price!

So you want to be a successful author? You want... Read More

How To Avoid Viewpoint Slips

Sit back, and imagine what it feels like to be... Read More

Top Ten Writing Mistakes Made By New Childrens Writers

Okay. So I'm not David Letterman. But I doubt if... Read More

A Book Note Vs a Book Report

IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More

The Prologue - When to Use One, How to Write One

What is a prologue? When should you use one? Should... Read More

Mixing and Mingling: The Door to Publication?

Mixing and mingling with industry professionals is an opportunity that... Read More

Write SMART: How to Create Terrific Writing Goals - And Achieve Them!

Open up your favorite calendar and circle today's date.Why? Because... Read More

Aesop, Abraham Lincoln, and You

May I tell you about a writing technique shared by... Read More

Becoming a Writer

The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More

The Self-indulgent Writier

A writer can never be self indulgent whether writing fiction,... Read More

Get Noticed! Eight Tips to Catching an Editors Eye

The first five pages of a novel are critical.Editors make... Read More

How To Write to a Word Count

You've finished your story, and you're pretty happy with it.... Read More

How to Publish a Book: Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing

For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More

Top Ten Tips (Part 2)

Golden Rules For New Writers - Things you need to... Read More

Writing Styles for Fiction: Which Voice to Use

I recently set up a website to promote a new... Read More

The Top Five Writing Mistakes Professionals Make

Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think... Read More

Gaining Writing Experience

GAINING WRITING EXPERIENCE Some Catch-22, huh? In... Read More

The One-Plot Wonder

Back in the mid to late 1980s I was a... Read More

Granger Lincoln Stretch limo rentals ..