Dialogue

Dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters.

Good dialogue can…

• Give characters voice and emotion.• Establish relational dynamics between

characters.• Add or relieve tension.• Suggest context.• Hint at events without saying too much. • Serve to naturally tell parts of a story.

Terms:

Direct DialogueIndirect DialogueNarrativeInternal ThoughtTags

Direct Dialogue

Dialogue spoken aloud from a character to character.

“Um, hey there, Mark,” said Jimmy, looking down at his shoes as Mark entered the court.“Yo,” stated Mark. “Wanna shoot some hoops? You know, play basketball?”Mark grabbed the basketball from Jimmy’s light grasp, took three fluid strides, and dunked. “Does that answer your question?”

Indirect Dialogue

Dialogue summarized in the narrative, and without use of actual quotations.

Jimmy was waiting with the basketball when Mark entered the court. Jimmy asked him if he wanted to play. Mark grabbed the basketball from him, dunked it, and then asked Jimmy if that answered his question.

Narrative

The writing that isn’t the dialogue. Jimmy was small for a sophomore. He wore round black-framed glasses, one of two polo shirts or a green turtleneck, the most ordinary jeans, and black Chuck Taylors. He always felt his Chuck Taylors gave him an edge, but nobody else seemed to recognize it. At the start of one particular basketball class, he decided he would show Mark, who stood a full foot taller than Jimmy, who the real baller was. Jimmy arrived early. He popped his polo shirt collar for good measure. He waited in the key, continually adjusting his posture so that when Mark did enter, he would find him waiting in the most intimidating of stances.

Internal Thought

The thoughts or memories that a character has but does not speak aloud. These may or may not accompany dialogue. Inner thoughts are formatted in italics. • Can enrich characterization by offering the reader

insight into the character’s thoughts in a natural way.

“Um, hey there, Mark,” I said, looking down at my own feet as he entered the court. Just ask him if he wants to play. Just ask him if he wants to play. I got this.

Formatting

Tags: The narrative that attaches a speaker or description to the quotation.

“Yo,” stated Mark. Tag

• Do not overuse tags. In extended dialogue, develop a recognizable pattern that eventually does not require constant tags.

Formatting

Punctuation: Goes inside the quotation marks.

“You mean you wanna ball, little man?” asked Mark. “Um, well, yes.” Jimmy straighted his round, black glasses. “What I mean to say is, hell yeah!”Mark raised one eyebrow. “Well, alright then.”

Quotes can even go in quotes

Use single quotes to denote internal quote.

“Yeah, then the little man says to me, ‘Wanna shoot some hoops?’ Can you believe that?” Jim and Jennifer threw their heads back in hysterical laughter.

Formatting

Begin new line each time the speaker changes. These lines are typically indented, but most importantly the formatting is consistent.

Jennifer leaned in, “So then what happened?”“I’ll tell you what happened: I grabbed the ball

from his clammy little hands and dunked it right over his head.”

Show, don’t tell.

• Create imagery through appeal to the five senses (i.e. sight, sound, taste, touch, smell)

• Utilize character emotion• Don’t use too many adverbs (e.g. harshly,

powerfully, quickly, smoothly)• Let the reader infer many of the details (i.e.

figure it out indirectly and through imagery, rather than being told exactly how it is)

Show, don’t tell‘Tell’ version:

Jimmy was nervous. He had never stood up to Mark before. He wanted to be brave, though. Mark came, grabbed the ball, and suddenly and confidently dunked it.

‘Show’ version: Jimmy looked down at his shoes as Mark approached. You can do

this, he repeated to himself. He popped his collar and squeezed the ball tight in his sweating palms. “Wanna shoot some hoops? I mean, play basketball?”

Mark snatched the ball with one hand and, with three fluid strides, dunked it. “Does that answer your question?”

Dialogue gives characters’ voice!

• It does not have to be grammatically correct. • It should often be nuanced, just as we speak.

Jennifer pulled out her phone, “Oh em gee, Mark. I gotta text Sean that you just wrecked Jimmy in basketball this morning. Priceless!”

“Well, um, see,” Mark’s voice began to trail off, “That’s kinda the thing.” His eyes looked down at his shoes.