Writing Realistic Dialogue
If you’re like me, you think: writing realistic dialogue shouldn’t be that hard. Especially if I’m writing average, everyday, informal characters. Maybe they’re fantasy characters or historical figures, and then they’re a little special. But otherwise, I’m a person! I know how to talk! This should be easy, right? Well, easier said than done.
And if you’re like me, you want a step-by-step breakdown of what it is that makes characters sound less like robots and more like actual people. So that’s what we’re going to do: analyze dialogue like weirdos—I mean, writers.
When done right, writing realistic dialogue isn’t simple because people aren’t.
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Writing Realistic Dialogue
When done right, writing realistic dialogue isn’t simple because people aren’t. And like real people, characters have entire inner worlds swirling around inside their little heads. Ultimately, those things that affect their language and give you a headache are what will make them more believable.
Words, Words, Words
Let’s get all the way down to the sticks and bricks of what makes a sentence. On the word level, you can start to look at a character’s vocabulary.
Vocabulary will actually tell readers a lot, like whether the character is educated. Depending on whether they say “soda” or “pop,” we can even start to narrow down what region they’re from.
A character can use fancy words to impress people. They can use small words to condescend to someone they don’t like. They’ll probably use different words when talking to their abuela than to a classmate (this is a thing called code switching, which usually happens unconsciously).
Maybe they’ve picked up words from hobbies or sports. Some of these words may baffle others, like “dramaturg” or “boffers” or “panty pass.” Slang, abbreviations, and obscenities can also change word usage.
Stringing Sentences Together
On the sentence level, different characters will speak for varying lengths of time. Speech patterns come into play here. Is this a character who uses simple sentences and says “um” and “uh” a lot, or a character who tends towards complex, performative sentences?
“I get straight to the point.”
“Whereas I … trail off while I think … occasionally remembering oh yeah did I tell you? I made a sentence today!”
What do they like to talk about? If they’re uncertain and anxious, maybe they’re the type to meander around their sentences and end in questions..? Or maybe..! They’re always excited! And things get italics for emphasis!
(But please, please only use one exclamation point at a time. We get it. They’re excited.)
If the character is aging, they may spend their sentences talking about the good old days. Or if they’re a high school senior, they might be pretty focused on the future. Age isn’t the only factor here. Personality also plays into what tense a character talks in.
… And Wisdom to Know the Difference
Just like us, characters can have ups and downs. Excitement or anger can affect how someone talks. A usually quiet character might verbally process a situation when stressed out. Someone may panic over having lost a wallet and suddenly start asking 100% more questions than normal.
All of the above will change according to the category in which you’re writing.
A picture book character will use simpler sentences than an adult fiction character. A science fiction character will use different vocabulary than a weird western character, and so forth.
Plays Well With Others?
Here we zoom out to writing realistic dialogue. Insert flashing lights here! Finally, you have built a baseline.
So, here’s the thing.
Most of the time, dialogue in real life isn’t nearly as tidy as it is in a book.
In books, people get to say things as if they’ve spent some time thinking about it. They get to finish their thoughts. People often listen to them. It actually isn’t very realistic at all.
A villainous, self-absorbed character may be so wrapped up in their mustache-twirling that they fail to acknowledge the other speaker. That hero may be trying to speak, but after getting interrupted multiple times, maybe they begin shouting simultaneously.
Even in an unrealistic example, the dialogue can be realistic.
Why? Because messy and complicated = more realistic.
If you have unanswered questions, click here for more dialogue tips and helpful links or leave a comment below!
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