Writing Dialogue

Bird: Caw, caw, caw. Etc.

That scintillating reproduction of a crow was in a script I recently read. The character was a bird. Not a central bird, just, you know, some bird in the vicinity. That knew how to say “etcetera”. That is one talented crow. Of course his cousin Vinny can say “ex post facto”.

Well written dialogue is a stealth weapon for a writer. It doesn’t draw attention to itself, it just is. The reader moves down the page, following the story with ease. Subliminally, we find ourselves becoming more and more invested in the character. We laugh when they say something particularly clever. Our throats get tight when they say something painful or poignant. We turn the page. What happens next? We find ourselves liking this writer on a subconscious level because the characters sound honest and real.

On the flip side, nothing says amateur as fast as bad dialogue. And nothing annoys a studio reader faster than an amateur. Because we have to read the script. The whole thing. Because the script has to be synopsized. Bad dialogue is a stand-out element which is hard to suffer through. So when the time comes to write the comments, instead of a simple “pass” with some academic-sounding comments about the plot resolution or lack of conflict, our comments will sound a bit, well – cranky. And you don’t want an executive to read biting comments about why your script sucked.

Bad dialogue can fall under several categories but generally it’s bad for one of two reasons. 1) It’s on the nose or 2) it’s unnatural sounding. Or both. What’s important when writing good dialogue is to remember that dialogue is not real conversation. It is the essence of conversation. In other words, it’s über-real conversation. In reality, most people communicate in a variety of ways when speaking. They can be obsequious, sarcastic, ironic, blunt or entirely elliptical. People don’t usually say what they really mean. The thing is never the thing. A couple can be fighting about a sock left on the floor but really the fight is about something much deeper. Next time you go to a café, listen to the conversations around you. Pay attention to the way people interact at a restaurant. The amount of eye contact, touch, laughter and silence.

Sometimes a writer is anxious to get the point across and will wind up with dialogue that is on-the-nose:

HE: Where were you? Out with my best friend Steve?
SHE: Are you accusing me of cheating?

Rather than something more interesting like:

HE: You’re late.
SHE: I bumped into Steve.
HE: Oh yeah? I thought he was home sick.
SHE: You want some coffee?

Notice in the second example that HE is trying to act pretty casual about his suspicions and SHE is changing the subject. Perhaps even turning her body away. Great way to try to shift the tension in the room. Sometimes it is helpful to read your dialogue out-loud. Does it come out of your mouth naturally? Or does it feel wordy or stiff? Is the dialogue organic to the character? Is your boy sounding like a girl? Is your Southerner sounding an awful lot like they are from your hometown, Milwaukee?

The ability to write great dialogue is a quality that will set you apart as a writer. Good dialogue writers are sought after and respected. The key to becoming better at it is to really perfect your listening skills and as importantly, to get so far inside the head of your character, that it seems as if their words are just coming through your fingers. I know that can sound strange, but most writers will tell you that they know and understand that strange experience. The more time you spend developing your character, the more naturally they will speak in their own, unique voice.

From a reader perspective, if your script is a “pass” because the structure or premise is too soft, that’s a ding against you. But if your dialogue stinks, that is a black mark you won’t soon shake. Every element is important in a script, make no mistake, but poor dialogue is probably the element that most quickly marks you as an inept writer. Even the best writers sometimes have a premise that’s a bit too soft. Or action lines that are a bit too dense. But dialogue is the gold standard. Good dialogue inspires faith in the writer because it is the invisible wind beneath a great character. Readers often skim over action lines, something I mentioned in my last post. We go straight to dialogue lines because this is where the story moves forward most visibly. So write great dialogue. Make it natural, make it specific to the character and don’t forget the silences in-between which reveal so much.

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