Andy asked Alexander C. Kane:

Are you me? OP had such a bunch of great local Orlando lore, rumors, and history that only locals would know! Also, I really liked that the setting was 2004, before the city really had a bunch of impactful events occur. Can't wait to read the 2nd book! My question is, what are your tips for writing dialogue? It's always so engaging and hilarious. Thank you!

Alexander C. Kane Hey, thanks! I'm probably not you, but maybe? Could be Time Travel You or Alternate Universe You. Only time will tell. A couple of tips on dialogue: 1) Dialogue can do a lot of things. Move the plot forward, make the reader laugh, build character, provide description, etc. A tip I got a long time ago was that every line of dialogue should accomplish at least two things. I don't know that I achieve that every time. 2) Specifics are key. There's so much you can get out about someone by how they say things slightly differently and the choices they make. I discover a lot about my characters when I start writing their dialogue. Sometimes I look at a line of dialogue and I think, "There's none of the character in that line." Avoid cliche and find something unique about the character when they speak, even if it's a basic thing. 3) Every character is complex and every character is weird. I think of characters that might have one or two lines as unique and complex individuals. 4) I always think about the characters' motivations. Gretch wants to solve the crime, but she also wants Prater to be her friend. Hope this was useful!

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