How to write better dialogue?
Literature-loving friends, I'm writing another short novel for Fiction Month, but I'm having a hard time creating good dialogue. It's easier for me to describe situations and create atmosphere than to create dialogue.
If you see my novel I entered in the competition, it doesn't have dialogue, hahaha, just descriptions.
Could it be that because I'm not very communicative, that also affects my writing? hahahahaha
Can you give me some ideas on how to create better dialogue?
Pay attention to the way people converse in real life, and try to capture the nuances of their speech patterns, tone, and language
Yes, really, it's a bit difficult for me. I'm not a very communicative person. In fact, my wife sometimes complains about it... and to top it all off, I work 100% remotely as an IT person, hahahahaha
It's a conspiracy against me.
I am not also a very communicative person. Because when you communicate with people there are a lot of people that may exploit badly relationship. It is not the place to detail this. However listening to podcasts let you discover many facts of life without need to have real friends in real life.
This sounds like a job for @TotallyHumanWriter and @Kontext
Appreciate the shout-out but I've never written much fiction and can, at best, jot down some inner dialogue! :)
Good dialogue often comes from listening. Pay attention to how people actually speak—the pauses, the unfinished thoughts, the small words that reveal much. Try writing conversations as if you’re overhearing them, not inventing them. That way, the dialogue breathes.
Very good advice, I will keep it in mind...!!
Use dialogue sparingly.
You should have a mental image of not just your characters, but also their idiosyncrasies and mannerisms. The dialogue should feel tailored to what a specific character might say.
Don’t use dialogue to move your plot along. That’s a lazy way of writing. Use it when you want to reveal something significant about your character(s).
Thank you very much, it is excellent advice
Never use dialogue to expose story.
Use short sentences to show how the characters speak, but only when it's necessary.
Short stories can have up to 20% dialogue, but it's best used to break up narrative and description.
Keep raising the stakes and adding conflict. Show how what the characters are saying is different from their real thoughts or feelings.
e.g. Don't offer answers to questions.
NOT - "How was your day, Jimmy?"
"Fine, I guess."
BUT THIS - "How was your day, Jimmy?"
"What do you care?"
How are your attempts going so far? Share them so you can get more assertive feedback.
I have some drafts...maybe I can share them later.
Once you have a bit of dialogue down, read it out loud or have someone play the parts with you. That will tell you about how natural it is or isn't.
That seems like a good idea to me, I'm going to try and see what happens.
When writer's block set in, its better to get away from your typewriter go out and experience the world before you begin again
Yes, a pause always helps in all areas, not just when writing.
Try writing scenes with dialogue, experimenting with different styles and voices.
I'm going to try that and see what happens.
If you can’t write dialogue, you just can’t. It’s simple. Don’t bother trying, because you’ll never manage to write dialogue. If you don’t have that gift, you just don’t have it. That’s it. Sorry for being so direct. 😂
jajjajajajjajjaja......maybe......!!
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