Dialogue is one of those things I kinda just… do, so I don’t put much active thought into it, for better or worse. I’ve gotten many compliments that make me glow about my dialogue. I’ve also gotten asked about how to write better, more convincing, less stilted, etc—there is no one way to write any character, but there are some good tips below!
Firstly, and most importantly, every character has a voice. This does NOT mean make every character a cowboy, Spock, or Yoda. You’d be really surprised at how well readers can pick up on really subtle things in dialogue/character voices, provided it’s semi-consistent.
A quiet or shy character might use “um” or “uh” a bit more than average—so might a character who’s caught off guard, or hesitating, or trying to think up a wild lie.
You shouldn’t overuse things that break up dialogue flow—dashes, ellipses, “um”, “uh”, “like”, etc. I know a lot of ppl frown entirely on them but I’ll fight those people. They have their use. Just try to figure out where that use is, and use it to the best of your ability.
Always keep in mind the scene’s tone. No matter how nice, formal, casual, or whatever your character is, the heat of the moment will change them. (And what is a story but pushing your characters to that breaking point?)
Don’t be afraid of little character quirks. You’ll find them all the time in eastern media—alright, mostly manga comes to mind—and while that’s a case of different cultures and approaches to writing, it can work. (But again—don’t you dare overuse that shit.)
Examples: Deidara from Naruto saying “un/yeah” after everything, all of the One Piece cast’s unique laughs, any kind of character that says something animal-ish after they speak. There are tons!
Formality, even in English, is a pretty good way to vary character voices and tones. I don’t mean abandon contractions (though you can cut down on them and achieve A Certain Effect). And I don’t mean have your character start calling everyone “sir” or “madam”, though that does work (and I know a person who genuinely does that in real life). Think of the little things—a character saying “would you please”, or “hello” instead of “sup”, or “if you could”. It adds more words to a sentence, but it also conveys a lot about your character, who they’re speaking with, and the situation.
I personally don’t do this very often, but I do know that reading your dialogue/story aloud can help TREMENDOUSLY. Think about what your character’s saying and how they’re going to say it. Yes, you can modify what they’re saying with adverbs, but you can do a LOT more in a lot stronger of a way by thinking about what, exactly, they’re saying.
Here’s a super easy example: “I think we should break up” vs “I’m breaking up with you” vs “I’m dumping you”. They all convey the same thing and accomplish the same plot point, but you can tell different things with each of those.
Picture your scene like a movie or TV show! Imagine your characters stepping up to each other, the rain pouring down around them, the orchestral background music swelling, the raw expressions on their faces… Honestly, just imagining a full scene can do wonders. Think of how you’d want the actors to portray it.
Do you want Jude Law’s crisp, matter-of-fact delivery, maybe with an eye roll for spice? Do you want Helena Bonham Carter adding her personal touch and a smirk? Do you want Tom Holland delivering your line with wide eyes and a smile tugging at the corners of his frog-holding mouth? Do you want John Mulaney delivering the line with his usual cheeky blase delivery, or do you want cr1tikal saying your dialogue in his complete deadpan and strange way with words?
Pay attention to things you like reading. Pay attention to what you like and what you think works. Don’t copy things directly, but if something works, something works.
Also, watch things! Watch shows/movies that are character-driven, and pay attention to not only WHAT the characters are saying, but HOW they are saying it. Visual mediums have some strength on that end, since they have expressions, body language, and spoken voices to work with, but still, pay attention to exactly what they’re saying, too. Ever watch something and the acting is good, but it just sounded weird? Yeah, don’t do that. (But examine that, too. Why didn’t it work for you? What could have worked better?)
Crafting great dialogue is as much effort as you want to put into it. Some people do it easier than others, but it is a learned skill, like many writing facets. Examine, dissect, and put some thought into your characters.
