Writing Dialogue

[Rath/Brendan]

The first in a series, where we discuss various elements of the craft and how we attack them.

How do you write dialogue? Do you find it easy or hard? How do you make your characters not sound all the same?

I know it's easier for fiction writers because you can write dialogue phonetically or in a dialect (SEE: Stephen King), but screenwriting dialogue, is, at least for me, difficult because you don't want to cross the line. If you write in dialects, no one will be able to read it, but if you explain how every word should be said, you're intruding on the job of the actor/director. This is one of the hardest things I have found in writing screenplays (I've only written a couple).

So, how do you do it?

[Charlie Brigden]

I don't know. I just do. The way it comes out of my head is how it flows onto the page. I don't really think about it much, to be honest. If I'm writing, and feeling good, it pretty much comes naturally. Then I go back and edit anything I don't like.

[Unbreathless]

I used to write stories without any diologue.... Suffice it to say it was kinda hard to tell where the story was going.

Now, most of my characters are based on ordinary people, so I keep the speech simple and to the point. Swearing is inserted at the correct time. Come to think of it, most of my characters talk like I do.

I taks gud rite?

[Coyote]

Conversely, I tend towards more dialogue-heavy stories.
Being able to write in different voices helps dramaticly in cutting down the "x said" bits.

[Dan Whitehead]

I've always found that if you have strong enough characters, and have pictured them perfectly in your mind - right down to details that will have no bearing on the story, then their dialogue should flow naturally. You know what they need to say, and their character dictates how they say it. Basing their mannerisms on people you know always helps, as it gives the speech a natural rythm. And always act it out in your head, in character, and see how it "sounds".

[Charlie Brigden]

I sometimes read the lines aloud as if I was in a play, too.

I'm not mad. Really...

[Capt. Eucalyptus]

I'm used to having multiple voices running in my head simultaneously.....

No really......

See I just imagine the conversation or wahtever and write it as it sounds. But I ALWAYS freak out about dialogue.

[voltes5]

Dan Whitehead is Jet Jaguar:
I've always found that if you have strong enough characters, and have pictured them perfectly in your mind - right down to details that will have no bearing on the story, then their dialogue should flow naturally. You know what they need to say, and their character dictates how they say it. Basing their mannerisms on people you know always helps, as it gives the speech a natural rythm. And always act it out in your head, in character, and see how it "sounds".This is excellent advice. Whether in fiction or screenplays/plays, getting to know your characters is the most important process. Once you get a feel of who they are, you shouldn't (at least in my theory) have a hard time fleshing out their dialogue. Of course it also helps to be around people with varied speaking styles. Pay close attention to movies that are character-driven and watch their accompanying non-verbal gestures.

As a form of exercise, compose a mini-biography about your characters; it's a good way to familiarize yourself with them. Next, create hypothetical scenarios, then really think and feel what each character would do in such given situations. Also, create a one-page mini-dialogue and see if you have that character's tone and preferred style of speaking.

In the end though, always be aware with other people's dialogue. Pay close attention on how they say and express things.

[Richard Dickson]

I usually hate writing descriptive passages -- it's more interesting to me what the characters are saying than where they are or how they look or what they're deepest thoughts are. Which is why I usually stick with scripts rather than fiction.

That said, I have to agree with what's been said so far. You have to find a unique voice for each character. The easiest way for me is to base them on people I know who closely fit how I want the character to be or speak. It could be a matter of whether they speak formally or casually, use big words or small words, talk a lot or a little.

And I usually have someone who is pretty close to myself, which makes it that much easier.

[Dan Whitehead]

If it's a script, be aware that less is often more. Don't try and force the character into the dialogue. Use simple turns of phrase to suggest the character and trust the actors to fill in the rest. Otherwise you can end up with Dawson's Creek Syndrome, where characters use long-winded and unlikely monologues to explain how they're feeling and what they're thinking, when a few well-chosen lines and some good acting would have done the job in half the time.

[WickerMan]

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Dan Whitehead is Jet Jaguar:
If it's a script, be aware that less is often more. Don't try and force the character into the dialogue. when a few well-chosen lines and some good acting would have done the job in half the time.-------------------------------------------------

This is excellant advice, if u watch any film be it action or character driven like Gosford Park they rarely use long drawn out speeches.

Also and mentioned previously about knowing ur character, spend some time writing a back history for all ur main characters, when they were born, their parents, their relationships, how they behaved to certain situations like graduating or their parents divorcing.
U dont have to use any of it in ur script but u will get a 'feel' as to what type of person they are and how they would act in a given situation, this would then dictate the dialogue they would use.
As for dialect and accents, if its not important then dont worry because for the most the setting will dictate the accent, eg if its set in the deep south the accents will be taken care of.
If its important then u can put this in the script heres a quick example

'Although Jack had lived in New York for the last ten years his thick Irish brogue had never left him'

That way u wont have to try and write the words in the way an Irishman would say them and the actor knows how he should sound.

[Dan Whitehead]

TheWickerMan:
That way u wont have to try and write the words in the way an Irishman would say them and the actor knows how he should sound.Ah, Jaysus. Dats foin advice, dare. So it is. To be sure.

[WickerMan]

Dan Whitehead is Jet Jaguar:
[QUOTE]Ah, Jaysus. Dats foin advice, dare. So it is. To be sure.*LMAO* Top 'o' the mornin to ya Daniel :D

[Jason Penopolis (renfield)]

Dan Whitehead is Jet Jaguar:
If it's a script, be aware that less is often more. Don't try and force the character into the dialogue. Use simple turns of phrase to suggest the character and trust the actors to fill in the rest. Otherwise you can end up with Dawson's Creek Syndrome, where characters use long-winded and unlikely monologues to explain how they're feeling and what they're thinking, when a few well-chosen lines and some good acting would have done the job in half the time.Gilmore Girls is guilty of the same sin, but the dialogue is so well-written, it doesn't sound as forced. (IMHO)

[walter-konkrete]

one maxim I always follow, especially in writing in the exposition heavy genres of horror/sci-fi is, if the dialogue is hard to write, if it isn't flowing out of you, chances are, whatever you are trying to get across probably isn't well suited to dialogue. If you know your characters then when they stop to talk to each other, its like you already know what they are going to say...how they willl react...etc. But if whatever they are saying, it probably means you are forcing a converstion upon them that is either not suited to this form of exposition or just pl;ain out of character.when the dialogue is not just flowing I sometimes step back and say: "maybe this is not working for a GOOD reason. Maybe the ideas need to be conveyed some other way."

Of course, another way to pep up dialogue scenes is to "james cameron" them i.e. couch your dialogue in a scene where a whole lot of physical action is going on...yelling back and forth while running form a horrible monster...witty banter in the middle of a swordfight...of course I just write horror, etc.

[DJEvil]

Dan, ya sound pretty on track there, so ya do.

I like writing dialogue in stories, as it is fun to completely have a character's "beat" down. Scripts, not so fun, as I have to arrange the words in such a way as to get it across to the actors how to do it. You have it down in your head, but will the acting party get it? That's something I'm not sure I can do...

Very worrisome.

[DJEvil]

And I often pick a professional actor in my head and pattern it after how I think they'd deliver it. That's for dialogue in general.

[WickerMan]

Army of the DJE:
Scripts, not so fun, as I have to arrange the words in such a way as to get it across to the actors how to do it. You have it down in your head, but will the acting party get it? That's something I'm not sure I can do...

Very worrisome.Unfortunately, theres not much u can do about this because u start to encrouch on the actors territory here and they SERIOUSLY dont like it.

You just have to write what u want then talk to the director (if they've hired u for re-writes) and let him/her know what is meant, but more times than not the director will listen to u then just do what he wants anyway.

unfortunately the old saying of 'The most important person in the film industry is the scriptwriter, just dont tell him', still stands firm.

Its incredibly frustrating but theres not a lot u can do about it unless u can direct the film urself, in which case u can then dictate to the actor(s) how u want it played.

[Dan Whitehead]

Army of the DJE:
And I often pick a professional actor in my head and pattern it after how I think they'd deliver it. That's for dialogue in general.What...about... William Shatner? He's...always...good for...a few...laughs!

[DJEvil]

Well, see, I don't often write about elderly men with serious mental issues...

[WickerMan]

Army of the DJE:
Well, see, I don't often write about elderly men with serious mental issues...That may well be but its the easisiest thing for Dan to relate to aint it pal?.
OOh that was low. :D

[Dan Whitehead]

I'd thrash you with my walking stick if I could just stand up without pissing my pants...

[WickerMan]

Dan Whitehead's Six Demon Bag:
I'd thrash you with my walking stick if I could just stand up without pissing my pants...ROTFLMMFAO :D :D :D