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Tips on Writing "Realistic" Dialogue
- Jennifer Peaslee
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Why is realistic in quotes?
Because 100% realistic dialogue isn't your goal. That would be boring. Listen, really listen, to how people speak. We say "ummm." We babble. We use the wrong words. We talk about things that have no narrative connection to one another.
So, no, you don't want to write realistic dialogue (there are always exceptions, such as using a babbling character to convey either idiocy, dishonesty, or humor).
What you want is to write dialogue that feels authentic while delivering the larger-than-life impact your writing needs. Click on that link if you haven't read Donald Maass and don't know what I mean by larger than life.
How do you write dialogue that feels authentic?
Eavesdrop
Eavesdropping on how people talk is a great way to craft realistic dialogue. Listen to various age groups and genders speak, and note the differences, like:
Older people tend to talk slower.
Teens and young adults use more recent slang.
Kids and tweens will often meander while telling you a story.
Read What You Write Out Loud
You should be doing this anyway. Reading your writing out loud is an important way to catch awkward sentences and errors that you might not catch from simply looking at the page.
In particular, reading your dialogue out loud is a good way to tell if it flows.
Mix It Up
Did you know that not everybody talks the same? I know, that's the kind of unique insight you're here for.
But for real, do not make all of your characters speak like you. That kind of thing is fine in a first draft when you're just trying to get the words down, but when you go back and revise, you should be looking for ways to vary the dialogue with words and syntax that you wouldn't normally use.
There you have it—my three biggest tips on crafting dialogue that is realistic but not too realistic.
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