Give Your Readers Something to Talk About by Creating Compelling Dialogue

Let’s talk.

Dialogue is the backbone of any compelling story. It’s what brings characters to life, makes them relatable, and propels your plot forward. But let’s face it, writing a conversation between characters can be tough. It’s way too easy to fall into the trap of making them sound flat and lifeless. But fear not! I’ve a few simple tricks and techniques to share to help you craft dialogue that sizzles with energy and keeps your readers hooked.

Consistency is key in engaging storytelling. In both of my earlier blogs, “Playing God; the Art of Crafting Memorable Characters”, and “Craft a Well-Constructed Fictional World”, I mention ‘Storyscraps’, where storyboarding meets scrapbooking. This is how I manage each manuscript’s details, dialogue snippets, sketches, profiles, maps, and ideas into a cohesive plan. It’s my playbook; my manuscript bible. All it takes is a notebook and your own creative mind.

With your playbook in hand, it’s time to delve deeper into the world of dialogue. When considering what your characters might say and how they might express themselves, pose the following questions to yourself, and to them:

1.     Character voice:

·       Consider the setting, time period, and cultural background of your characters.

·       Are there any cultural or regional dialects, idioms, or slang that your character would use? Ensure dialogue aligns with these factors. A thug from a city’s seedy underbelly would speak quite differently than a posh London businesswoman.

2.     Natural conversation flow:

·       Have you captured the natural fluctuations of conversation?

3.     Distinct voices:

·       Are your characters’ voices distinct enough so that readers can tell who’s speaking without dialogue tags?

4.     Subtext, naturalism, and contractions:

·       Breathe life into your dialogue by hinting at unspoken thoughts (subtext), keeping it natural (avoiding stiffness), and maintaining consistent use of contractions.

5.     Plot and character development:

·       Does the dialogue advance the plot or reveal character traits? Does it convey emotion and authenticity, and is your tone consistent with the scene and character relationships?

6.     Balance and showing vs. telling:

·       Is your story maintaining a balance between dialogue and narration, avoiding excessive dominance of either? Does it convey information through dialogue and showing, instead of info-dumping?

7.     Most importantly, can readers easily follow your conversations without confusion?

The next time you find yourself in a public place where people are engaging in conversation, take a moment to tune in and listen closely to the way they interact with each other. Notice the patterns and rhythms of their speech, and how they respond to one another. Also, pay attention to the nonverbal cues they exhibit through their body language, as these can often reveal subtle aspects of their personality.

Incorporating body language and action is an effective way to break up dialogue and show characters’ emotions. This technique adds depth and enhances the realism of both characters and what they say. When a character is angry, they might cross their arms or frown and knit their brows; if they’re nervous, they might fidget or avoid eye contact. Non-verbal communication can be employed to add variety when engaged in extended conversations. A character might interrupt their discussion to sip a drink or start pacing, indicating their emotional state.

To create captivating and impactful dialogue, you might use dialogue tags like “said,” “asked,” “whispered,” or “muttered” to identify speakers and add variety. However, this isn’t always necessary. Describing characters’ actions or body language can often be more effective and engaging for the reader.

For example:

Samantha stood and approached the cell bars, snatching the photograph from the detective’s grasp. She stepped back into the pool of brighter light in the cell’s center.

“Who's this?” The image revealed a man with a resemblance to the man she’d recently shared a bed with—same dark hair, comparable physique. Yet, it wasn’t him. “I’ve never laid eyes on this person before.” She slid the photo back to Wickowski and resumed her seat on the cold concrete, hugging her knees to her chest. “So, what are you going to do about that?”

Note how the dialogue is broken up, provided visual context, and conveying Samantha’s emotions and reactions without relying on dialogue tags.

Body language is a mirror of a character’s personality. An outgoing character might exhibit larger, exaggerated movements, while a shy character may make smaller, restrained ones. Body language can also increase tension, such as when one character invades another’s personal space during an argument. Since up to 90% of communication is non-verbal, characters can express a lot through gestures, expressions, and posture, making dialogue more authentic and engaging.

Effective dialogue should sound natural and authentic. Conversations typically have an organic flow and rhythm that keeps the participants interested and involved. This natural ebb and flow of dialogue helps to maintain engagement and foster a sense of connection between the people involved.

What you really want to avoid is flat, lifeless dialogue like this:

 “Hi, I saw you standing here. Do you like art?”

“Yes, I like art. Do you?”

“Yes, I do. It is nice. I am Sally.”

“Hello, Sally. I am Tom. It is nice to meet you.”

Here, it’s unclear if Sally and Tom are even living beings or just carboard cutouts. Their stilted, wooden interaction lacks emotion and detail, making them uninteresting and flat.

Now, compare it to this:

With a light in her eyes, she turned to the gentleman beside her, “This piece really draws you in, doesn’t it? There’s something about the bold colors, and those broad strokes... like they’re telling a story all on their own.”

His smile reflected her enthusiasm, “Oh, absolutely! It’s as if the artist is whispering secrets through the canvas. I’ve always been fascinated by how art does that. By the way,” the man stated, hand held out in greeting, “I’m Tom.”

“I’m Sally.”

“It’s rare to meet someone who feels the same way about art as I do. Most people just glance and move on. What do you say we explore together? Two sets of eyes are better than one.”

Tom smiled, intrigued, “I’d love that. Discovering new pieces and sharing what we see in them sounds like a perfect day. And after, maybe coffee? There’s something about discussing art over a warm cup that just feels right.”

Notice how their conversation flows naturally, how the connection between these two deepens with every shared observation and laugh, possibly the beginning of something new and exciting. Get a room you two!

Setting will also play a significant role in dialogue in several ways. Not only does it influence both the content and the tone of conversations between your characters, it provides context for the conversation. The atmosphere of the setting can dictate the mood of the dialogue. A tense conversation in a dark alleyway would have a different feel than a lighthearted chat in a sunny park. 

Characters might also reference objects in their environment, use them to make a point, or have their speech interrupted by environmental factors such as noise or weather. The setting can also create or escalate a conflict, leading to tension in the dialogue. A character might be uncomfortable in a particular environment, or the setting itself could pose a physical or emotional challenge that influences the conversation.

Additionally, varying sentence structure by using a mix of short and long sentences and different sentence structures can add rhythm and flow to the conversation. Rather than telling the reader directly, showing character traits and emotions through words, tone, and body language can make the dialogue feel more authentic and nuanced. Incorporating subtext allows for the conveyance of unspoken thoughts and feelings through dialogue, making the conversation more dynamic and engaging for the reader.

Incorporating moments of silence into dialogue is a powerful technique to build tension, allow characters to reflect or emote, and create a dramatic effect. Pauses can convey a range of emotions, such as hesitation, uncertainty, shock, or contemplation, and can indicate internal conflict or a significant realization. By leaving space for the reader to absorb the information that has been revealed, these pauses can also enhance the impact of the dialogue, making it more engaging and effective.

And lastly, be sure to edit and revise your dialogue to ensure it flows smoothly and feels natural. One of the best ways to do this is to read your dialogue out loud. This way it’s easier to pick out issues with pacing, punctuation, and consistency in character voices.

In conclusion, crafting compelling dialogue is something to talk about. By delving into your characters’ personalities, traits, motivations, and backgrounds, you can create unique and authentic voices that will resonate with your readers. Remember to let conversations flow naturally, utilizing setting to enhance the mood and context. Vary dialogue tags, sentence structure, and incorporate non-verbal cues to add depth and nuance. Don’t forget the power of subtext and strategic silences to convey unspoken thoughts and emotions. Through careful editing and revision, you will ensure your dialogue feels realistic and engaging. So master these techniques and give your give readers something to talk about by creating compelling dialogue!

~Dani

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