How to Write Great Dialogue
You know the grammar of writing dialogue. You know your character opens his mouth to speak and you know that there is a particular personality that should be coming out with his words. So why does it feel like your dialogue is flat and predictable? You first noticed it in your rough draft, then again in your third and finally have resigned yourself to it. If this sounds familiar then try these 5 simple dialogue hints. They're efficient weapons against flat, predictable dialogue.
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Instructions
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Have a recording device on jand. This can be 3 x 5-inch cards, a pocket-sized notepad or even a PDA--whatever you find that works the best for you, have it on hand. Don't trust your memory to retain every emphasis, nonverbal stance or even the correct wording of a conversation that made an impact on you. Record these conversations verbatim, then alter them to fit your work and personal style.
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Become an actor. Actors spend hours practicing their lines, the different inflections of their voice and the non-verbal stance of the moment. Do this with your dialogue scenes. Cut out all of the details of the scene and just rehearse the lines out loud. Listen to yourself for changes in your tone and then try to capture that on the page. You’ll notice when something sounds forced and will need to be re-written.
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Follow the nonverbal communication. People talk with their bodies, even if they don’t mean to. Everything from the moment they cross their arms to the quirk of their eyebrow, your characters are expressing themselves to you. Don't sacrifice these little nuances for pace. There might be something important going on with the character that you can only see during the conversation. For example, Character A keeps rolling her wrist. Why? Is that an injury or a nervous habit? Maybe she's getting ready to hit Character B. If she is, does Character B notice and is he prepared?
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Embrace expressions. There’s a reason why people use them in daily life. They’re easy to remember and say a lot about where we live. Even characters in historical or fantastical novels would have them. Take a day and listen to the people around you. When you hear an expression used, record it and see if there is a way to use it in your work.
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Remember the setting. If the conversation is taking place in a cafe then let your characters get distracted by the patrons. If they're speaking in hushed tones behind a curtain, have a pause when they hear someone on the other side. Interruptions happen in life, they should also happen in your fiction.
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