Bits and Pieces On Dialogue

Whaddya say?

Dialogue in stories is simply communication. You and I have been communicating ever since we uttered our first word--probably 'mama.' We do it so naturally when going through our everyday world, but when writing a story, there are a few things to keep in mind about dialogue. 

Let me preface my remarks by saying that Chicken Soup for the Soul editors like submissions that use dialogue. And they are not alone. Why? What does dialogue do for a story, either fiction or a true tale?

• It helps move the story
• It helps define the characters and their relationships
• It illustrates the emotions of the characters
• It makes a nice break in the narrative
• It helps show rather than tell
• It helps to create tension
• It adds the human element

The Bits and Pieces of Dialogue:

Make it natural  There is nothing worse than stiff, stilted dialogue. If you're writing a story about kids who live in a blighted area of a large city, you better not use the language of a college professor. The way your character speaks helps to paint a picture of who they are. Using slang is fine if your character would most likely use it. Using vocabulary that only a word freak would use for these kids would be totally inappropriate. 

It's fine to use contractions because that is the way we speak to one another. I don't care if you can't go. It doesn't matter to me. That sounds more natural than I do not care if you cannot go. It does not matter to me. 

Tags  Beginning writers use various tags to show who spoke and how they said the words or how they felt. Some of the tags most used are uttered, yelled, whispered. Using said is the method of choice. That said becomes a word readers slide by. It's there but not noticed. Some will ask how do you show the way in which the words were spoken if all you use is said. Put an action or defining sentence before the dialogue. Pete slammed his hand on the table. "What do you think you're doing?" That preceding sentence lets the reader know that Pete is mad so he is probably going to yell, isn't he? It also does a good job of showing rather than telling as in this example. What do you think you're doing? screamed Pete. 

You don't need to use a tag after every piece of dialogue. If two people are in a lengthy conversation, use the tag after some but not all. The reader can usually keep track of who is speaking. Use a tag every now and then to keep things straight. 

How much dialogue A few writers have attempted to write an entire story using nothing but dialogue. A noble experiment, but it might be overkill for readers. I prefer to see a healthy balance between narrative and dialogue. 

What about using it in memoir  Memoir writers are depicting happenings of years prior to the time they are writing. They are writing true stories, so how are they going to remember the exact words someone spoke 25 years ago? It's almost impossible for them to remember word for word, but they do remember the gist of what was said. It's alright to create dialogue as long as it stays true to what the writer is remembering. 

Beware of adverbs  If you use adverbs with your tags, you're taking the lazy writer's way out. As stated in the section on tags, it's far better to use an action to show how the person is saying the words or is feeling than tossing up an adverb and letting it flutter down behind the said. You could say You've made me a laughing stock in this town, Susan said angrily. Instead, try something like Susan clenched her teeth and both fists. "You've made me a laughing stock in this town. The second sentence shows that Susan is angry while the first one tells the reader she's angry. 

There are many things to consider when writing dialogue. When you're reading for pleasure, be aware of the way dialogue is used. Note what you like or don't like. Then put it to good use when you write your own stories or memoirs.