Dialogue: Creating and Using in Writing

How to Use Dialogue in Writing

Creating it could be a challenging task, but with practice and the following tips, it could become easier. Here are some tips to create superb dialogue.

1. Read and Analyze Dialogue from Different Genres and Authors

• Explore a variety of genres to understand diverse dialogue styles.
• Study how different authors handle it to grasp nuances.

2. Know Your Characters and Their Personalities, Backgrounds, and Motivations

• Develop a deep understanding of each character’s traits and history.
• Consider how their motivations influence their way of speaking.

3. Use Dialogue to Reveal Character, Advance the Plot, and Provide Exposition

• Use it to showcase characters’ beliefs, values, and emotions.
• Drive the story forward by having characters discuss key plot points.
• Seamlessly integrate necessary exposition through natural conversations.

4. Use Subtext to Create Tension and Reveal Hidden Meanings

• Allow characters to convey underlying emotions and intentions indirectly.
• Create intrigue by implying more than what’s explicitly said.

5. Use Realistic Dialogue Tags Such as “Said” or “Asked”

• Opt for simple and clear dialogue tags to avoid distractions.
• Maintain a focus on the dialogue itself rather than the tags.

6. Use Contractions and Sentence Fragments to Mimic Natural Speech Patterns

• Mirror real-life conversations by employing contractions and incomplete sentences.
• Capture the rhythm and authenticity of spoken language.

7. Use Body Language and Actions to Accompany Dialogue

• Enrich scenes by incorporating characters’ gestures and movements.
• Enhance reader immersion by painting a vivid visual and emotional picture.

8. Practice Writing Dialogue and Seek Feedback from Others

• Regularly practice crafting dialogue to refine your skills.
• Share your work with peers or mentors to gain valuable insights and suggestions.

With dedication and continual improvement, you can master the art of creating engaging and authentic dialogue in your writing.

Benefits of Dialogue

It has several benefits in writing, including:

1. Revealing Characters

• Dialogue offers insights into personalities, beliefs, and emotions.
• How characters speak reflects their background and motivations.

2. Advancing the Plot

• Conversations can introduce key plot points and developments.
• Characters discussing events push the narrative forward.

3. Adding Depth

• It could give a peep into characters’ internal conflicts and dilemmas.
• Inner thoughts shared through speech enrich the story’s complexity.

4. Enhancing the Reading Experience

• Beautiful conversation engages readers and keeps the story dynamic.
• Natural conversations create relatable and immersive experiences.

5. Providing Exposition

• Important information could be seamlessly conveyed.
• Characters naturally discussing details prevents info dumps.

6. Adding Authenticity

• Realistic conversation captures the natural flow of spoken language.
• Contractions, pauses, and slang contribute to genuine conversations.

Dialogue and Literary Theory

Literary Theory	Application to Dialogue	Example
Structuralism	Analyzing it as part of language systems and structures	Examining the repetition and binary oppositions in the dialogue of Samuel Beckett’s play “Waiting for Godot”
Feminist theory	Analyzing how it reflects and shapes gender dynamics	Exploring the power dynamics and language used in the dialogue between male and female characters in Jane Eyre.
Reader-response theory	Analyzing how it engages readers and invites interpretation	Examining the emotional responses and interpretation of readers to the dialogue in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye.
Psychoanalytic theory	Analyzing it for unconscious desires, conflicts, and motivations	Analyzing it in Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar Named Desire” to uncover characters’ hidden desires and conflicts
Marxist theory	Analyzing it for its representation of social and economic power structures	Analyzing the dialogue in George Orwell’s novel, 1984, to explore how it reflects the oppressive nature of a totalitarian society

Suggested Readings

1. Bakhtin, Mikhail. The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays. Edited by Michael Holquist, translated by Caryl Emerson and Michael Holquist, University of Texas Press, 1981.
2. Barthes, Roland. Image-Music-Text. Translated by Stephen Heath, Hill and Wang, 1977.
3. Genette, Gérard. Narrative Discourse: An Essay in Method. Translated by Jane E. Lewin, Cornell University Press, 1980.
4. Kristeva, Julia. The Kristeva Reader. Edited by Toril Moi, Columbia University Press, 1986.
5. Sternberg, Meir. The Poetics of Biblical Narrative: Ideological Literature and the Drama of Reading. Indiana University Press, 1985.
6. Todorov, Tzvetan. Mikhail Bakhtin: The Dialogical Principle. Translated by Wlad Godzich, University of Minnesota Press, 1984.
7. Wimsatt, W. K., and Monroe C. Beardsley. The Verbal Icon: Studies in the Meaning of Poetry. University of Kentucky Press, 1954.