Dialogue is a pivotal element to any story.
Mainly, it helps readers to understand characters’ personalities as well as their outlook on the world.
Because of this central and delicate role, dialogue must be done well in order not only to work, but also to sound realistic and entertaining.
To that end, here are some tips which will improve dialogue in your novel:
1- Be purposeful
Nobody wants to read a character who talks pointlessly. If they are to talk, let it be with the intention to reveal a part of their outlook on life or to show a quirky side of their attitudes. And not just for the sake of talking. So, if you make the decision to let a character speak, make sure they say something which has purpose and meaning.
2- Be a sprinkler
As much as readers want to know the ins and out of your book, they surely don’t want to get it all in one conversation. As, giving all of the information from the outset, will not only make your story predictable and boring, but you risk running out of things to make the characters say. Whether intrigue, mystery, anger or depressive thoughts, make sure to sprinkle the information across various encounters.
3- Be concise
Want to know why most people hate politics? The monologues!
Nobody likes a character who talks and talks and talks. Unless a character is opening up about a particular event, let them be concise in what they say, expressing precisely what it is that is bothering them or is hidden in their minds.
Typically, this should be no longer than three lines. Unless, once again, the character has the need to open up on a critical event and need, for instance, the full page.
4- Be authentic
The more interesting your character’s personality the better. ‘Interesting’, however, is a vague word. So let me clarify what I mean by it by enlisting a few adjectives: chatty, quirky, weird, ebullient, morose, childish, hot-tempered, even-toned, serene, taciturn.
Your character can be any of the above adjectives, in one form or another. Though, by their speech, make them stand out; make it so that, even if you (the writer) do not tell us that a particular character is the one speaking we (the readers) can easily tell by the authenticity of the character trait.
5- Be uniform
Let a character voice be unique to one character. And once that voice is established, let it be the same in each dialogue – unless that character undergoes a character arc.
A uniform character voice helps immensely with character recognition. Also, too, a uniform voice avoids readers from feeling jarred by a character.
For example, a character who has brimmed with self-confidence until page eighty, unless a meaningful event has occurred to him or her, cannot suddenly be expressing insecure thoughts and start being shy for no apparent reason.
Achike Morgan
© Copyrights 2023 Achike Morgan