Dialogue is one of those pesky details of crafting fiction that can make or a break a good story. Good dialogue can make characters really come to life. However, when written poorly, dialogue can make the story flat, unprofessional, and even annoying. It's a tricky thing to get right. I don't think the answer is as simple as "You're either good at dialogue, or you aren't," either. So how does one approach writing dialogue that will make it both real and interesting to the reader?
Keep It Simple
Dialogue holds a number of emotions for the characters that say them. It is a tool for interaction between characters and one for conveying characters' thoughts and emotions to readers. What they say and how they say it can tell the reader more about a character than the author may realize. Depending on the dialect, one might be able to tell a location from which the character originates and sometimes their educational background. So it's easy to get wrapped up in what a character should say, especially when you're trying to explain a complex situation. While you want to be clear with what the character is saying and feeling, you also want to leave out some information, allowing the reader to pick up on cues from the other context. Not doing so can be frustrating to the reader, making them feel as though you don't think they're smart enough to figure out the subtler meanings on their own. Keeping the dialogue as simple as possible can minimize these issues. Say what is necessary for the scene, moment, or what have you, and leave it at that. Make the dialogue unique to the individual, but avoid being overly wordy.
Why this method works: Simple dialogue is real dialogue. There aren't many individuals (that I know at least) that go around spouting off their every thought and desire. We have a way of involuntarily communicating with our bodies that let other people know how we feel about a situation without having to say anything at all. We're also good at saying as little as necessary to get our words across, assuming that the other person will know enough about us and the context of what we said to pick up on the full meaning of our words. We're emotional creatures, and we're often eager to express ourselves without much planning. Good dialogue will have this feel to it, but it will also include a subtle agenda.
If your dialogue is forced, it will be obvious. Bad dialogue is one of the easiest things to pick out, even for non-writers. So it's important to get it right. The best way to pull off this balancing act is to let your characters be who they are. Start out by having them say what you think they would say rather than what you want them to say. You can always go back and edit out unnecessary text later.
Avoid Talking Heads
While good dialogue adds a dimension of realism to a scene and can really be a good means of portraying the personality of a character, it's rendered ineffective when used alone. A large block of dialogue that isn't coupled with anything else, such as appropriate tags or body language, is a phenomenon referred to as talking heads. This type of dialogue will sometimes includes a small amount of body language in ending tags, such as "he said and smiled" or "she asked, raising her hand," but these small gestures don't really tell us much about the situation or the characters involved. They don't give a dimension of realism and layers to a character and/or situation that well-written dialogue would do.
Not every line of dialogue needs a tag, not every body movement needs to be captured. However, in an effort to avoid having to much dialogue and too little body language, it's a good idea to first consider how the character being spoken too might react physically, and attempt to portray his/her body language first, before adding in any dialogue. This will ensure that only necessary dialogue is used, and it will also enrich the dialogue, making it more believable. Again, keeping it simple is usually the best way to go.
Practice
I know that it gets tiresome to hear that old practice makes perfect advice, but that's the heart and soul of good writing. Every good writer starts out as an amateur, and every fantastic novel starts out as scribbles of uninteresting crap. It takes time--and yes, practice--to transform those scribbles into a work of art. And no matter how good your writing is, there is always room for improvement.
One way to practice dialogue is by observing before writing. Listen to conversations on the train or in a store as you pass by people. Watch how the intended recipient of those words responds. Note any body language used, even if it's pointing or a simple nod. Keep in mind why you think the responder uses those actions, and what they might indicate to the speaker.
Another good observation exercise is to go to the park and people watch. You don't need to get close to anyone or even hear any words being exchanged. Observing the body language of those around you can give you a good idea of people's emotions, and it makes for excellent notes for accompanying dialogue. If you've ever been around a group of toddlers or young kids, you'll notice that they are especially adept at using body language to communicate. That is because body language is their primary form of expressing their feelings. They are keen to interact with others and have no problem showing how they feel. If you ever get the chance to observe these wonderful creatures, do so. You can learn a lot from them.
Another way to practice dialogue is by doing writing exercises. They can help you with just about any type of writing, but I've found them to be exceptionally useful with practicing dialogue. The more you write dialogue, the easier it will become, and the more natural it will start to sound.
Below are some writing exercises I've come up that encourage use of body language to convey characters emotions. Each has an explanation beneath it as to the specific skills gained from the exercise.
Writing Exercises/Prompts
1. Image a bank robbery scene. There are between fifteen and twenty customers on the floor, all being held at gunpoint by one of the robbers. The other, also carrying a gun, is dealing with a cashier, getting her to hand over all the money upfront that she has access to. The other employees are in a storage closet, guarded by the same robber who is keeping an eye on the customers. Now, try writing this scene without using ANY dialogue. You can focus on either robber, the customers on the floor, or the employees in the storage closet.
Skills: By focusing on not having your characters saying anything, you'll be able to accomplish two things. First, you'll have a better understanding of how to incorporate natural body language into your dialogue. Second, you'll find the key moments where there is a clear need to have something said in order to avoid confusion. This will help eliminate unnecessary dialogue in scenes where you do use it. You will also get a feel in this exercise for how dialogue works when there is a big group of people involved, and it's a great way to explore and practice use of the five main senses.
2. Two colleagues who don't get along well are being forced to work together on a project. It's day 3 of day 5 on the project, and things are getting heated between them. They've managed to get most of the way through the project, but they've now reached a critical point and are getting hung up on the details. Write a scene dictating the outcome of their collaboration on that part. Does one character get his way over the other? Do they put their differences aside and speak as co-workers would, or do they let their anger get the best of them and use dialogue that typically would not be suitable for the workplace? Pay particular attention as to what the other co-workers around them do. Do they become involved, or do they remove themselves from the situation? How does that affect the two main characters in this scene?
Skills: Writing a critical scene where two characters are under a time crunch and dislike each other help to cut down on superfluous conversation. It will keep the dialogue to a minimum and again rely heavily on body language. This will also help you practice using real-life dialogue as a means of solving a problem between two characters.
3. Two teenagers are out on their second date together. It's Valentine's Day, and they've chosen a quiet restaurant to share their evening together. One character is reserved and shy but is genuinely enjoying her date. The other is more outgoing and somewhat talkative, but he is turned off by the lack of participation that his date is showing in the conversation. Write a scene that shows what happens between the two as the guy starts asking more about the girl. Does she open up, or does she get embarrassed by being put on the spot and clam up? Does the guy learn more patience in waiting for his date to speak, or does he get irritated by her seemingly rude behavior? Does the date end well, or do they decided not to see one another again?
Skills: Sharing an intimate meal with someone is a common, real-world situation that often comes up in storytelling. Sharing a meal with someone whom you have affections for raises the stakes a bit and forces characters to divulge information that they may have been keeping secret. It's a situation in which romance can blossom of course, but it can also be intimidating for some and cause them to clam up. Practicing an exercise like this is a good way to get to know your characters and explore how they are most likely to express their feelings for one another through dialogue.
If you use these methods when writing dialogue, you should see improvement over time. But don't get discouraged if it doesn't come naturally right away. Many writers struggle with this area of writing--I'm one of them--and writing dialogue is not as easy as it sounds. Using language and reading others' body language in real life are second nature to most of us. But if you break it down, communication is a rather complex subject. So it's no wonder good dialogue is so difficult to capture on paper. In fact, concise and realistic dialogue is probably one of the hardest things to get right in a story.
Why Good Writing Matters: Grammar and Spelling
One of the biggest issues I see with new or unpublished writers is poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It's one of those controversial items I mentioned in the introductory blog for this series. Some people think it matters, and some don't. What I'm about to say might ruffle a few feathers, but it's the truth, and I feel it's worth discussing. Good grammar absolutely matters, and here's why. If you're writing a book, more than likely, you're looking to eventually get published. Getting something published takes a lot of hard work, determination, and talent. It's part of the long process of turning your scribbles into a work of art, something professional. And it should be treated as such! If you don't make it as professional as possible, and that includes good grammar and spelling, it will reflect poorly not only on the company that publishes it (also making it much less likely that they will even accept it) but yourself. So why would you want to take all that time and effort to create something that is subpar? Those who care very little about the professionalism of their work will not get very far. They may get lucky and have a one-time hit, but I guarantee they will not wind up with a successful writing career that lands them multiple publications. Publishers know what will make them money, and it's not drivel that a get rich quick or get famous kind of attitude can provide.
However, not everyone is able to soak up all the grammar rules we learned in elementary, and that's perfectly okay. My husband, for example, is an extremely smart man, an engineer. But he's a terrible speller. He couldn't spell several everyday words if his life depended on it. But he doesn't let that deter or override his professionalism when communicating in his line of work. If he doesn't know how to spell a word, he looks it up or asks for help. If he isn't sure where a comma should go, he finds out. That's one thing I've always admired about him and his writing, even though it's not his forte. So what can people like him do to improve? What can those who are very good with grammar and spelling do to improve?
1. Build your vocabulary. Get in the habit of learning new words on a regular basis. Look up words you don't know or can't spell. Make notes. Take these new words, and use them. Do writing exercises with them and make them part of everyday conversations. Make yourself some flash cards if you're having trouble with any. The more you use new or unfamiliar words, the better you will get at incorporating them into your writing. That doesn't mean you have to choose big words either; simple, yet strong verbs can have a more profound effect than long, uninteresting ones.
2. Attend creative writing classes or workshops in your local area. Both will teach you writing and grammar skills. They will help you build connections with other writers (and sometimes those in the publishing industry), teach you ways to improve your writing skills and existing pieces, give you ideas for new stories, and they will give you the opportunity to help others overcome roadblocks. This is another stepping stone to becoming a successful writer. Your writing skills will be tried and tested, and you will be pushed to improve. You will be challenged to go outside of your comfort zone. But stick with it. Overcoming those challenges will leave you with a feeling that you know you've achieved something great. You will strengthen your abilities as a writer, as well as gain some new knowledge and skills. Most importantly, these classes will keep you writing. Practice is the key to success in this field.
3. Read well-written literature. Reading is always a recommended tip for improving writing. Reading well-written literature in specific can help with grammar and spelling. The more you see good writing styles, sentence structures, and proper punctuation, the more you will pick up on it. It's a lot like learning a new language. By observing skilled writing techniques and practicing them, you can gain new skills and retain them quite quickly.
Good writing isn't just about how much raw talent you have; it's about learning to take your pre-existing skills, fine-tuning them, gaining some new knowledge, then combining those abilities to create something unique and enjoyable. Good writers practice good writing and continually strive to improve. That's what separates successful writers from unsuccessful ones.
"Why Good Writing Matters" Series: Introduction
During the next week or so, I will be making posts on my first blog series, "Why Good Writing Matters." Each blog will address one aspect of writing and why it is important for making a book a fine piece of literature. What sparked the idea for this series? After skimming down the pages of various websites, I noticed that there was some controversy by posters as to whether or not so-called "good writing" was essential for a story to be deemed enjoyable. I then scanned some writing websites, seeing if the controversy carried over to a more specific audience. My findings confirmed the theory that there are several people who believe such skills aren't that big of a deal and have little influence on whether a book was good or not. This got me thinking. Why do some readers and authors care very little about the mechanics of the writing, so long as the story (plot) is good?
After some quick conversations with a few of my non-grammar-loving friends who enjoy reading, I discovered that this was actually a rather in depth issue. It seemed that the degree of interest the individual had for the level of writing skill was dependent on several factors. It mattered how much the individual read on a regular basis, what types of books and genres they enjoyed, their familiarity with a wide range of literature, and how much they cared about the English language (grammar and the like) in general. The differences from one individual to another were astonishing. Two people that seemed to like the same genre could actually have a very different viewpoint when it came to a specific work of fiction based on their experience and interests in other areas.
My conclusion? I'm not sure there is a definitive answer as to why some people care more about the mechanics of writing than others, or even if there is a right or wrong answer as to whether it's totally necessary. For me personally, I'd be hopping on the train for those who believe good writing absolutely matters, but I do still respect those who have a difference of opinion and are solely reading for enjoyment, having no interest in discussing the details of the writing craft itself. However, for the sake of this blog (and my editing career), I'm going to take a stance on this one and make a case for the side that proclaims not only does it matter, but that good writing is what makes a good book, a good book!
A New Approach to Writing Young Adult Fiction
One of the most read and written types of fiction today is young adult fiction. Many of its authors find themselves at the top of the best-seller list and gain an ever-growing fandom. But many readers and new authors of young adult fiction find themselves shying away from it more and more. Perhaps it's because of all the best-selling "love" stories creeping out of the woodwork. Or maybe it's because the subject of vampires, zombies, and the like have been beaten to death recently (no pun intended). Whichever the case, I'm going to step out and be bold for a minute and proclaim that this genre should NOT be thrown out the window. Not only do I think it should be written more often, I think it should be celebrated and admired by new authors. No, I haven't gone bonkers. I think what is required to transform this niche is simply a new approach. If any type of fiction needs a new makeover, this one is certainly it. So how does one go about writing a YA fiction that is both unique and well-liked? Don't make it a love story. Love stories often are cliché, and they tend to lack a worthwhile plot. That's not to say that you can't include any romance in your story. Romance and love are very natural parts of human nature (and other creatures as well), so it's unlikely that it can be avoided altogether. In fact, it probably wouldn't be realistic if the subject didn't come up at all. However, there are ways of incorporating love connections in stories without writing them as though they were shoved in there "just because."
Develop a story arc that isn't a love triangle. Figure out what you want out of the story you're writing, the points you're trying to make (if any), and what the reason is for telling the story. Then let things play out how they will in the romance department; let your characters guide you. If you get to know them well enough, you will see that they can sometimes act unexpectedly and will respond differently to one another (and others) depending on the situation. For example, an otherwise argumentative, yet passionate, pair who normally dislike one another and don't typically see eye to eye may suddenly find themselves bonding (sexually or otherwise) when faced with certain doom. In just the same way, new lovers who are completely attached to one another may end up realizing that their differences are far more reaching when they are placed under extreme conditions in close proximity to one another. This can either strengthen their relationship in the long run, or it can break it. In real life, love can be unpredictable. If written correctly, romantic scenes and connections can portray this authenticity well.
Don't avoid topics just because they're supposedly overdone. I know that the mere mention of vampires, werewolves, or zombies can lead to automated eye rolls and groans. But the truth is, if an author makes a story with these subjects unique but authentic, readers will enjoy and appreciate the story anyway. The trick is research and a vivid imagination. One certainly shouldn't write a fantasy story full of supernatural creatures just because they're selling well right now. But with the same token, don't avoid the genre just because so many have been written recently. If you truly make it your own and create a story and worthwhile plot that captivates readers and keeps them yearning for more, the subject matter will matter very little. Keep in mind that there will always be those who like a certain niche more than others regardless, so you can't expect to please everyone. Write what you intend to write, and write it well. This is how you will reap your rewards as an author.
Make your characters well-rounded. Nobody likes someone who is perfect. Why? Nobody is perfect. Everyone of us has flaws, no matter how minor or major. So don't make your characters this way if you want them to be taken seriously. If you want to write a character that is muscular, handsome, and attractive, give him some flaws---and not just personality ones. Make one ear higher than the other. Make him so vain that he's addicted to plastic surgery. Make him a terrible kisser. Give the reader something unexpected. This will make your character truly unique and will likely make them more real and relatable to the reader. Complete stereotypes are also just as annoying as flawless characters. If you're going to make a story revolve around a quiet, smart girl that's a loner, don't make her a Plain Jane. Make her attractive. Make her have self-confidence, even to a fault! That will keep every guy from wanting her. After all, not everyone will fall for a cocky b****, no matter how pretty she is!
I hope that after reading this, a few of you authors out there will take a new approach when it comes to both writing and reading YA fiction. Maybe you've even developed a new liking for it and would like to take a stab at it yourself if you haven't already. The key is to keep a positive attitude about it and an open mind. It truly can be one of the most rewarding types of fiction; after all, in what other time of life does one change, learn, and grow so much?