Writing great dialogue is an art form. A few writers seem to have the magic key that unlocks their characters and makes what they say memorable. Whether they have an inborn talent or consider it torture, all writers eventually have to tackle the job and get it done as well as they can.
New writers in particular face obstacles when writing dialogue, merely because they're inexperienced and are working without an editor or experienced reader. Novice writers tend to make the same mistakes without realizing they are doing so.
Using Unusual Mechanics in Dialogue
New writers want to push the boundaries of the art of novel writing. They want to be noticed by an agent, a publisher, or just their writing group. One way to do this is to use unusual dialogue mechanics. A new writer may forego the use of quotation marks to designate dialogue. They may imitate James Joyce and opt for a stream of consciousness type of novel.
There are dangers in this kind of writing. In the hands of a novice, dialogue becomes lost in character development and plot, and a great story line can become obscure. Those who want to venture onto a new path would be well advised to learn the accepted form of dialogue mechanics before experimenting. After all, if a writer doesn't know how to write dialogue well to begin with, chances are he won't write it very well while experimenting.
Learn the basics of these tried and true rules. Indent paragrahs, always double space, use quotation marks, and be sure to put the commas and periods inside the quotation marks where they belong. The one sure sign of the novice writer is the incorrect use of mechanics. There are many, many books out there that teach proper punctuation. A novel could very well be rejected if the writer doesn't know enough to write proper dialogue.
Dialogue Attribution-He said, She said
Another problem the new writer must overcome is the use of speaker attribution, or defining who said what in the story. It's tempting to use adverbs to get across how the line of dialogue was meant to be heard, such as, "I hate you!" she said angrily, or hatefully, or any one of a hundred adverbs that define how she meant it. Bad idea.
Every writer has heard the old adage of show, don't tell. Anytime an adverb is used, it should be carefully considered, then most likely deleted. The character should be showing us that she's saying something lovingly or hatefully, calmly or frantically, and it's done through her actions. Maybe it's not weak dialogue, but the writer isn't sure if the reader will get it, so he adds an adverb to strengthen the sentence.
Read through a rough draft of the work and circle every adverb that follows dialogue attribution. If the character isn't showing anger or love, fear or hatred, rewrite the scene so she does and get rid of the adverb. It's a sign of weak dialogue.
Another problem for a new writer is the use of verbs instead of using the word "said." It's very easy to write, "he screamed, he yelled, he whimpered, he whined," instead of writing, "he said," which is appropriate in almost every case.
Again, the scene should be set up so the reader knows the speaker is whining or screaming. Using words like that is the easy way out, but the good news is that it's easily fixed once the writer is aware of the problem.
Exclamation Points and Dialogue
It's tempting, and every writer does it to some extent, but rein in the impulse to use exclamation points when the character is yelling. There are a few rare occasions where the use of exclamation points are acceptable, such as when the character says, "Don't touch the bomb!"
In most cases, however, this type of punctuation isn't necessary if the dialogue is strong enough and the scene has set up the tension. New writers tend to use them when they're not sure the point has been made. In a lot of cases, the point is probably clear, it's just the writer's insecurities coming into play. And if the exclamation point is necessary, the scene may need to be revised to reflect urgency.
Revise the Draft for Errors
Every first draft will have some of these problems, and that's why revision is always necessary. Writing is a process, and learning the many skills necessary to write a good novel is a matter of trial and error. What works so well for one writer may not fit another writer's style. Before experimenting with a new form, be sure to learn the established mechanics of dialogue.
Delphine Cull - Delphine Cull has an M.A. in Creative Writing and taught as a Writing Professor for several years. Her articles about the craft of writing ...
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