Let Your Characters Do the Talking: Crafting Dialogue That Sparkles
Do you know that feeling when you're reading a book and the characters start talking, and it just feels so real, like you're eavesdropping on a conversation? That's the magic of great dialogue.
Great dialogue feels natural and conveys or reveals information that keeps the story moving forward. This makes dialogue multifaceted and layered.
Writing dialogue can be challenging to get right because we are used to talking in our everyday lives which implies that it can easily translate to the page. That isn’t usually the case. When we’re in conversation with someone either in person or virtually, studies have shown that 80% of our communication is non-verbal. That means that our facial expressions, body language, and tone combine with the words we’re saying and our brain is tracking and making sense of all these pieces.
Writing character conversations that pop off the page, requires practice and using the following techniques.
1. Get to Know Your Characters Like They're Your BFFs
Think about how you talk with your best friend. Write down how you would describe your friend. Do they have quirky catchphrases or distinctive mannerisms? What makes their communication style unique? It is their cadence, gestures, tone, etc. Describe in as much detail as you can the way in which your best friends talk to you depending on if they had a great day or if it was a tough day.
Now, imagine your characters have that same level of uniqueness in their speech. What sets them apart from other characters? Which characters use more gestures or have a unique cadence to their speech? Play around with elements to be unique for each character and you’ll start to write more dynamic conversations.
2. Less is More
Ever notice how sometimes what's NOT said is just as important as what is? That's where subtext comes in. It's like the secret sauce of dialogue. Instead of spelling everything out, let your characters hint at things, dance around topics, and demonstrate how they are feeling through their actions instead of relying on what they are saying.
It is natural as humans to guard our true feelings on a topic in order to protect ourselves or the person we are talking to. The same is true for the character in our books. Let them hold back their true feelings until it is absolutely necessary for them to face them.
3. Mix It Up with Tempo
Dialogue shouldn't be one long monologue. Mix up the pace! Sometimes, characters need to blurt things out in a rush, and other times, they might take a beat to let the tension simmer. Play around with the rhythm of your dialogue to keep readers on their toes.
The pacing of dialogue can be a useful tool to show the intensity of a fast-moving scene with short and hurried exchanges. The inverse is also true, dialogue can be used to slow down a scene as characters engage in thoughtful conversations.
4. Tags and Beats: Use 'Em Wisely
"He said" and "she said" are like the salt and pepper of dialogue tags. Sprinkle them in to keep things clear, but don't overdo it. As mentioned previously, actions speak louder than words, so let your characters flare up red, boil like a kettle, or tap their fingers with impatience to add depth to their conversations.
The most important thing is to make it clear who is talking. If a reader is getting lost unsure of which character is speaking, then the impact of your scene can get lost. This is where knowing your character’s cadence and mannerisms from tip #1 can come in handy. By using these descriptions throughout your book, the reader will learn which museums belong to which character and will better understand who is talking without directly telling them.
5. Reveal Important Information
We've all read those awkward info dumps disguised as dialogue. Too much information can overwhelm the reader unsure of which information is the most important to retain as the story unfolds. Map out what information your reader needs to know first, second, and third and drip bits of backstory or important info into natural conversations.Your readers will thank you for it.
6. Trim the Excess Dialogue
Finally, don't forget to give your dialogue a little TLC during editing. Trim the fat, tighten up those exchanges, and make sure every word serves a purpose. A great tip for deciding what stays and what goes is to read your dialogue aloud. This helps you feel which conversations are a natural exchange and which have you stumbling over words.
With a little practice and intention, you can craft dialogue that leaps off the page and keeps your readers engaged. Continue to experiment while getting to know your characters well will help you keep evolving as a writer who crafts impactful dialogue that keeps the story moving forward and reveals the right information at the right time.
