Look Who's Talking

Let's talk about talking. Tony the pizzeria guy in New Jersey doesn't talk the same way as former debutante Mary Beth who owns a cupcake shop in Atlanta.

Dialogue not only allows the reader to get to know the characters, it also drives the story line. Dialogue is every bit as integral to a story or novel as narrative and exposition. That is to say, good dialogue, pertinent dialogue. Cut the small talk. No one wants to hear about the weather unless the weather is a factor in the story. No one wants to hear about what your character had for lunch. (Unless he/she has a Facebook page where any personal tidbit seems to be welcome and of great interest to everyone. Quiche, anyone?)

What your reader wants to hear characters talk about is what's going on in front of their eyes or in their hearts. Your readers want your characters to be immersed in exciting action or deeply-felt emotions like love, hate, fear. happiness, or sorrow. Dialogue is a catalyst to your characters' circumstances. Although you should never set dialogue as a dumping ground for information, characters' conversations can lead into the plot more smoothly than paragraph after paragraph of exposition and narrative. Long blocks of writing without people talking slows the pace of a story, and can be  boring. I know I can't be the only one who has closed a book in the middle of the first chapter and set it aside because I didn't want to work that hard at getting to know the characters. 

Just as you should make every word count in narrative, your dialogue between characters should be just long enough to say only what needs to be said. Unless it's back story or some other necessary information, keep it brief. Create dialogue that either indicates conflict or foretells conflict to come.

Humans talk over each other, a lot. We say um or er, a lot. We fail to finish sentences, and jump from topic to topic without warning, a lot. English teachers would like you to speak in full sentences. But full sentences rarely happen except in scholarly papers. Fiction writers don't write stories about quantum physics or commentary on the theory of evolution for the scientific community. We're writing about everyday people, so train yourself to hear how everyday people talk. 

Once you've given your character a voice, maintain that voice throughout. When you've established how Mary Beth speaks, don't allow her to suddenly start talking like Tony the pizzeria guy or like an aging biker-chick bartender who's been on her feet for seven straight hours.

Read dialogue out loud. Ask yourself if people would actually say these things in real life. Make sure your dialogue moves things along in a logical manner. Don't let your characters confuse your readers with nonsensical babble. Unless you want them to babble nonsense.   

Have you ever read dialogue like this?
"Hello, Mary," Jane said.
"Hello, Jane," Mary said. "How are you?"
"I'm good," Jane responded. "How have you been, Mary?"
"Oh, I've been great, Jane."
"I heard you were getting divorced, Mary."
"Well, it can happen to anyone, Jane."
Enough! In the name of Hemingway, why would any writer do this? Your readers can figure out who is who by the second sentence. Avoid calling your people by name once the conversation is established. It's a waste of words and it's annoying.

Although said is the still the clearest way to indicate who's speaking, vary the format for longer conversations. Repetitive dialogue styles are boring. Sometimes responded works, sometimes muttered is best. It all depends on the characters and the situation that has brought about the conversation. Words like murmured, reiterated, teased, joked, etc. are okay to use in place of said, just don't overdo it. And remember that people don't hurl words, they don't chortle words. People rarely snort words, nor do they laugh or sigh words.

Varying dialogue tags helps keep conversations fresh.
"I'm going to the concert," Brad said.
Lori said, "Not without me."
"Do you think we should get an Uber?" Brad asked. "I'll pay for the ride."
Very rarely will you come across asked Brad or said Lori. It doesn't roll off the tongue as smoothly as it should, although it is sometimes used in more formal writing or poetry.

Where dialogue trails away, use an ellipsis.
"I'm not sure . . ." James said.
When dialogue is interrupted, use the em-dash.
"Well, I don't think -- "
To break up dialogue, use commas or em-dashes.
"I realized," she said with a sigh, "that he didn't like me."
"Without the bricks -- " Dave shook his head -- "I don't think we can finish the job."

Dialogue should be believable, interesting, and compelling. If your dialogue doesn't do its job, readers will probably not read your novel. Or as Tony might say, "Fugged aboud it."