Have you ever wondered what goes into writing effective dialogue that gives your story color, makes it exciting, and moves it forward?
Dialogue is an essential element of storytelling that can help bring your characters to life, develop relationships, and create tension.
However, crafting effective dialogue requires more than just social skills. In this blog post, we will explore three anti-social skills that can help you improve your writing and create compelling fictional dialogue.
Anti-Social Skill #1: Eavesdropping
The first anti-social skill to improve your writing is eavesdropping.
If you’re riding a bus and hear an interesting conversation, write it all down.
Of course, when you write fiction, you’re not describing real people, you’re making up characters. But sometimes the words you overhear can give you ideas.
For instance, “I did not,” says one person. “I saw you,” the other replies. Who might be saying those words?
Maybe it’s two kids in a class, and the boy thinks the girl pushed him. Maybe it’s a couple, but one of them is a vampire, and the woman vampire saw the man flirting with a zombie. Or maybe not.
Maybe the characters are a teenager and his mother, and they’re supposed to be vegetarians, but the mother saw him eating a burger.
Anti-Social Skill #2: Pretending Imaginary People are Real
The second anti-social skill to improve your writing is pretending imaginary people are real.
Once you’ve decided on some characters, spend some time with them.
Think about what they might be doing if they were there with you. Would they talk on the phone, listen to music, draw pictures, or sleep?
What we say depends on who we are. An older person might speak differently than a younger person. Someone from the south might speak differently than someone from the north.
Once you know your characters, you can figure out how they talk.
Anti-Social Skill #3: Muttering to Yourself
The third anti-social skill to improve your writing is muttering to yourself.
When you speak your character’s words, you can hear whether they sound natural and fix them if necessary.
Remember, most people are usually pretty informal when they speak. They use simple language and contractions. So, “Do not attempt to lie to me” sounds more natural as “Don’t try to lie to me.”
Also keep it short. People tend to speak in short bursts, not lengthy speeches. And let the dialogue do the work.
Ask yourself: do I really need that adverb? For instance, “‘Your money or your life,’ she said threateningly.” Here, “threateningly” is redundant, so you can get rid of it.
But if the words and the actions don’t match, an adverb can be helpful. “‘Your money or your life,’ she said lovingly.”
Conclusion
Effective dialogue is an essential component of good writing that can help you create compelling characters, develop relationships, and create tension.
By using these three anti-social skills of eavesdropping, pretending imaginary people are real, and muttering to yourself, you can improve your writing and craft effective fictional dialogue that moves your story forward.
Remember, dialogue is a powerful tool that can help you engage your readers and create a memorable experience.
FAQs
Q: What are the three anti-social skills that can help improve my writing?
A: The three anti-social skills are eavesdropping, pretending imaginary characters are real, and muttering to yourself.
Q: How can eavesdropping help me write better dialogue?
A: Eavesdropping can provide you with interesting conversations that can give you ideas for your characters’ dialogue.
Q: Why is it important to pretend imaginary characters are real?
A: Pretending that imaginary characters are real can help you understand their personality, habits, and quirks, which will help you write more authentic dialogue.
Q: How can muttering to myself help me write better dialogue?
A: Muttering to yourself can help you hear whether your characters’ dialogue sounds natural and fix it if necessary.
Q: How can I determine how my characters speak?
A: Once you know your characters’ personalities, you can determine how they speak.
For example, an older person might speak differently than a younger person, and someone from the south might speak differently than someone from the north.
Q: What are some tips for writing natural-sounding dialogue?
A: Some tips for writing natural-sounding dialogue include using simple language and contractions, keeping it short, and letting the dialogue do the work. Also, ask yourself whether you really need that adverb.
Q: Is eavesdropping ethical?
A: Eavesdropping can be considered unethical in some circumstances.
It’s important to be respectful of people’s privacy and not to record private conversations without their consent.
However, in public spaces where conversations can be overheard, it’s generally considered acceptable to listen in without intervening.
As a writer, it’s important to use your best judgment and not to use other people’s conversations without their permission.
Q: Can I use real people in my fiction writing?
A: While you can draw inspiration from real people, it’s generally not a good idea to use real people in your fiction writing without their consent.
Doing so can be considered unethical and can even result in legal action against you. It’s best to create fictional characters inspired by real people, rather than using real people as characters in your stories.
Q: How can I make sure my characters’ dialogue is not boring?
A: To make sure your characters’ dialogue is not boring, focus on making it interesting and engaging.
This can include using humor, sarcasm, and wit, and having characters with conflicting personalities engage in interesting conversations.
Also, make sure the dialogue is relevant to the plot and moves the story forward.
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