Writing Dialogue

Say What? Yvonne Cassidy on Dialogue

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:43:45 +0100

3. Listen to conversations around you. You’ll notice how often people interrupt each other and how rarely we answer the questions we are asked, but instead ask another:

How was your day at work?

Do I smell shepherd’s pie for dinner?

Letting your characters interrupt and cut each other off will give your dialogue an authentic feel.

4. Avoid giving your characters lengthy monologues, unless it is in a pivotal scene and even then, be careful. In real life, we don’t let people tal...

Dialogue, Please!

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:26:48 +0100

Obviously, I’ve learnt a lot since then and in my subsequent book ‘If The Shoes Fit’ I made sure to include plenty of dialogue and low and behold, when I got the ms back from Gaye there were much less red and blue marks. I’d learnt my lesson well!

Along the way I came to realise that dialogue was what defined my characters more than anything else. The way they talk speaks volumes. One word from their mouths is worth a hundred from me. When I started mulling over my latest book ‘A Year ...

Dialogue and Action Tags

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:33:51 +0100

Here’s an example.

Rosa’s eyes were red and puffy, and her nose watered. It wasn’t the best look for a blushing bride.

“Come on, Rosa. It’ll be all right.” Melo pitched her voice low and reassuring, draped an arm around her petite sister, carefully avoiding the pins, and hugged her close.

Rosa’s frantic sobs stuttered and stopped.

Melo unwrapped another tissue, and then stowed the packet back next to the screwdriver and emergency chocolate bar. Thank goodness. She had en...

The Essential Ingredient

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:32:05 +0100

First draft: [Serena in her office, and we read her interior thoughts as she ponders what’s going to happen]

Thankfully, Jack was finally coming home after a two month absence, his flight due to touch down in Dublin later that evening. Serena fervently hoped he’d been recovered by now, both for his own sake and so that he could take up the reins again on the financial side of things. The side she’d let slide a little in his absence.

Final draft: [Serena in her office, but now in conversat...

All You Need to Know About Dialogue with Tracy Culleton

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:39:53 +0100

Real dialogue can often just be for the sake of it, for social intercourse, the human equivalent of picking fleas off each other! But fictional dialogue always has a purpose.

The purposes of dialogue include the following. If your story’s dialogue does none of these things, delete it. Aim for the dialogue to do at least two or three at the same time. This gives richness and depth to the story.

Establishing setting, time, occupation etc

Telling back story (But be careful with this. See ex...

Talking Tips from Laura Jane Cassidy

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 22:45:22 +0100

♦ Read plays - Script reading is great for brushing up on dialogue skills. People’s everyday conversations are not always the most interesting or coherent, so plays are great for finding a balance between what is realistic and what is readable. Some playwrights I would recommend are David Mamet, Brian Friel and Conor McPhearson.

♦ Use contractions - Less 'I am not going in there until I am ready.' More 'I'm not goin’ in there 'til I'm ready.' This will make your dialogue less f...