Dialogue Is Deceptively Simple

Author: Stephen D. Rogers

"Actions speak louder than words."

"Do as I say, not as I do."

Action reveals character, but dialogue reveals the character of both the speaker and the listener, as well as anyone who happens to be the topic of conversation.

Dialogue is a powerful tool, yet seems as though it should be easy to write. After all, we may not describe our settings or narrate our actions, but most of us talk on a daily basis.

Dialogue, however, is not simply recorded conversation. It is both more and less than that.

Dialogue is a precise approximation of conversation. Our characters cannot hem and haw as much as most people, cannot speak in shorthand that would make no sense to the reader, cannot drone or ramble without direction.

You might meet a friend and talk for half an hour without really saying anything, instead affirming an emotional attachment, but characters cannot do the same.

When characters speak, they must reveal character, advance the plot, or do both.

Because dialogue is deceptively simple, I'll focus on some things to watch.

Beware the information dump.
"As you know, my brother died recently." That isn't dialogue. It's the writer using the characters to relay information to the reader.

Instead of dumping, turn the information into an opportunity for conflict. "Listen, just because your brother died last week doesn't mean you can ignore your responsibilities."
Beware the pitfalls of replicating dialect or techno babble.
Some of the reasons we enjoy dialogue is that it's quick to read and easy to understand. Take away those qualities, and you might as well fill your pages with long paragraphs of dense prose.

Instead of mimicking, turn distinctive speech patterns and conventions into an opportunity to describe your characters: although Sue had been in Los Angeles for almost a year now, she still found herself reverting to long Maine vowels whenever she felt stressed.
Beware the monologue.
Characters are as unlikely as people to stand still for uninterrupted patches of lecture. And speakers, unless they are oblivious, modify their delivery based on listener responses.

Instead of allowing one character to monopolize the conversation, turn that example of verbal diarrhea into an opportunity to develop the listener. Break up the monologue with what the listener does while listening (or pretending to do so), with physical reactions, or with attempts to stem the tide (or why the listener makes no such attempts).
Beware the tendency to overuse dialogue tags to explain the dialogue.
"She hissed angrily." "He responded with glee." "Robin lied effortlessly."

Instead of explaining the dialogue, use the instinct that tells you something needs to be fixed to sharpen the dialogue so that tags aren't even necessary.

With the best dialogue, tags are unnecessary, the reader able to determine who is speaking and how. Compare the following four sentences.

The same general information is presented, but each line of dialogue reveals different things about Jenna and the narrator.

Imagine the effect created if the sentence was the first words out of the speaker's mouth. Slipped into the middle of the conversation. Buried in the chaos of parting.

Read your dialogue aloud. Does it sound natural?

Study your dialogue. Does one character talk over another? Ignore questions? Miss nonverbal clues? How does the listener respond to these charges?

Move your tags. The three possible patterns are: tag - dialogue, dialogue - tag, and dialogue - tag - dialogue. The last pattern is the most unobtrusive.

You can quote me on that.

Dialogue Is Deceptively Simple

Author: Stephen D. Rogers

Beware the information dump.

Beware the pitfalls of replicating dialect or techno babble.

Beware the monologue.

Beware the tendency to overuse dialogue tags to explain the dialogue.

This column first appeared on DM in 2008, but we think you'll agree that it still has some good information!