The Write Edit

Premier Editing Services

  • Home
  • What I Do
  • Why Choose Me?
  • About Us
  • Rates and Services
    • Payments
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Published Works

Is Your Dialogue Too Realistic?

October 11, 2019 By The Write Edit 3 Comments

Have you ever thought about what dialogue sounds like in real life? Most of it is boring. “What time will you be home today?” “I ate the last slice of pizza.” When an author tries to incorporate real-life dialogue into their novel, it can put the reader to sleep. Dialogue that is too realistic will kill the drama and bore the reader.

Am I saying you should create otherworldly dialogue? No, not unless your particular novel calls for it. Keep it realistic, but don’t mimic real life. Fiction dialogue should be rich and compelling. The ordinariness found in day-to-day exchanges is the death knell for fiction dialogue. So … realistic? Yes, don’t let it sound forced, but keep it engaging.

Make sure your dialogue is reflective of the character’s desires, personality, and quirks. For example, whether your character says, “Don’t need no stinkin’ cops on my ass” or “I apologize, ma’am, for my error in judgment” or “I reckon you need to shut your pie hole and mosey on along,” the reader should be able to create an image of this person.

Dialogue should be used in instances where narration is not enough. Both should move the story along, but dialogue should offer deeper insight into the relationship between the characters who are speaking to each other. If the dialogue sounds mundane, that’s a clue that you need narration instead or not even that if it doesn’t impact the story.

As an editor, I could spend 50 blogs on discussing dialogue, but for now I have created a bulleted list of what good dialogue is and isn’t:

* Good dialogue elevates ordinary language. 

* Good dialogue will always hint at the character’s temperament, desires, motivation, or state of mind.

* Good dialogue will move the story along.

* Good dialogue will sound realistic to the extent that characters might interrupt each other, not finish their sentences, or incorporate other quirks of conversational speaking.

* Good dialogue consists of an exchange that is necessary. Ask yourself if the story will suffer if you cut the conversation. If the answer is no, cut it.

* Bad dialogue mimics real-life speech.

* Bad dialogue includes mundane speech that is not impactful or relevant to the story.

* Bad dialogue is ordinary, unless specifically called for in the world of the story. For example, Hi. How are you? I’m fine. What’s new?

* Bad dialogue includes lines the author wants to use because he or she believes “they sound good” but don’t really fit in the world of the story.

I hope this helps next time you’re writing dialogue. Thoughts, opinions, and questions are always welcome!

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bad dialogue, dialogue, fiction, good dialogue, novel, realistic dialogue

I am an established writing and editing professional, with a master’s degree in publishing, and over 20 years of editorial experience. After spending many years as a professional writer, and working for a literary agent, I turned my attention to book editing and have been helping authors and writers ever since. My keen eye allows for insightful feedback on your manuscript, website, or document. With the expertise of knowing what agents and publishers are looking for, I now dedicate myself to editing manuscripts and getting you ready for publication. I was a book reviewer for Kirkus, and I hold memberships in the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and the American Copy Editors Society (ACES). My personal passions include animals, Ayurveda, American Sign Language (ASL), yoga, and all things spa. I am a Chopra-certified Primordial Sound Meditation teacher, a certified Master Law of Attraction practitioner, and am Level-1 certified in EFT (tapping).

Let’s Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Writers in the Age of COVID
  • Meeting Your Literary Idol
  • Is Your Dialogue Too Realistic?
  • Should You Phone or Email Your Editor?
  • Strange Things Found in Library Books

Recent Comments

  • Ruth E. Thaler-Carter on Meeting Your Literary Idol
  • Derrick Washington on Is Your Dialogue Too Realistic?
  • The Write Edit on Is Your Dialogue Too Realistic?
  • Lydia B on Is Your Dialogue Too Realistic?
  • The Write Edit on Writers’ Conferences

Copyright© 2023 // Valerie Brooks // Built by Valcorpmedia // Log in