[image error]Ahh, I bet you’re correcting the grammar in that title in your head right now. Aren’t you? You’re probably saying, “It should be, ‘How do you speak?’ Shouldn’t it?”

And you’d be right. But in everyday conversation  people speak differently than how they were taught in grammar class. They use colloquialism, short sentences, including sentence fragments, one or two word answers and sometimes, their response is nothing more than a grunt.  And that, Dear Writer, in my opinion is how dialogue should be written, too.

Good dialogue is essential to your story. It’s entertaining, it ups the tempo, and moves your story right along. Yes, it’s true, dialogue should be used to advance the story, the plot, and even to introduce and develop a character.  Let’s face it, without dialogue stories can get wordy and dull.  A writer needs dialogue to break up the monotony of long, descriptive paragraphs. Descriptions of the landscape and people are a good thing, but it can happen in dialogue just as easy as in long-winded prose, and much more quickly and easily.

So, how do you talk?

When I write, I actually have the conversations I plan for my characters with others or with myself. I say it out loud so I can hear how it sounds, and to see if what I’m writing is actually how I’d say it in normal conversation. Or, if someone is around, I ask them what they would say – try to have my characters’ conversations with them. It works.

Every writer spends lots of time deciding who their characters are – what they’re about and what are their motivations. They want their characters to seem real. And dialogue is a good way to do it. It’s easy to do. Picture your character. Think what you need them to say, how they would say it, what ideas you want to convey, and what information you need to give to your reader. Then start writing your dialogue. But beware of some common pitfalls when writing that dialogue.

Letting your dialogue drag on, and on, and on. And on. Get your point across and move on. Don’t make your reader drag through boring, inconsequential dribble. Readers will skip dialogue that isn’t interesting, and/or doesn’t have a point. Consider what you are trying to convey in the conversation – Are you developing the character? Are you trying to draw out emotion? Are you establishing a time, place, or incident? Well, do that, and then get to the next point. Don’t include extraneous information in your dialogue that doesn’t have a purpose and doesn’t move  your story forward. Use dialogue a lot throughout your story, but limit the amount of it used in each instance to what is purposeful.

Speech that is long and stilted. Who talks in long paragraphs? No one. And neither should your characters. Stilted describes dialogue that is unnaturally formal. Characters get out everything they have to say in one long breath. Please, Writer, breathe. And let your characters do the same. Listen in on others’ conversations while you’re out and about, or take notice of your own speaking patterns when talking to your best bud on the phone. You’ll notice that it’s a volley of words – back and forth. That’s how your characters should speak as well. It’s very boring for a reader to have to get through an entire paragraph of one person talking. Let other characters get in on the conversation. Additionally, most people generally use facial expressions, and hand gestures when they speak. Learn to use those same directional cues (dialogue beats) to break up long soliloquies. You ain’t writing Shakespearian plays! (Which brings me to my next point. )

Not speaking the language. No one speaking during a general conversation will rate an “A” for grammar. Just ain’t gonna happen. Uh-huh. No way. And what’s normal conversation for some, isn’t for others. [image error]Colloquialisms are a big part of everyday speaking. So keep in mind who is speaking when you’re writing dialogue, where they come from, their station in life, and to whom they’re speaking. I have had so many people read my bio (showing I have three degrees), and then complain because with all my education, I didn’t use (know to use) proper English in the dialogue of my books. (I once wrote “Me and my sister, Claire. I know proper English would dictate, “Claire and I.”) But, even with all my degrees, I still speak informally (colloquialisms abound) around family and friends and usually save my English Grammar 101 speak-ese for more formal situations. Doesn’t everyone??  Dialogue will flow and read more naturally if you learn to  write the way you hear the people around you speak. Don’t be formal. Remember to use contractions. And speak the language of the land (region).

Don’t be heavy handed in writing dialect. Having your character speak with a Southern drawl, in Cajun English, or a Southie Boston dialect is not only great fun, but it can bring your characters to life and make them more enjoyable. But don’t overdue it. Not only can it confuse and tire out the reader – making getting through the dialogue a chore, it can be difficult and time consuming to write, distracting you from keeping up with the flow, continuity, or plot of your story.  Heavy handed dialogue can actually have the opposite effect – not making your characters seem real.

These are just a few suggestions to help create real-like characters through dialogue.

Happy Reading!