Creating round characters involves several aspects of good story writing techniques, including accurate descriptions and intriguing dialogue. The more real and natural the dialogue sounds, the more real the characters will be. Consider these tips for making dialogue sound real.
Language and Dialogue
Characters sound more real and more natural when they use language that suits them. Regardless of dialogue tags, the actual words said should match the character’s personality, situation, cultural background and time period. Write dialogue the way people talk.
If the character, for example, is English, including particularly English expressions in his speech is an excellent way to indicate the fact and to help round out the character. A Victorian character would speak decidedly differently from a more contemporary character. If your characters are teenagers, consider becoming familiar with teenage expressions and lingo.
Remember also, that contemporary people especially tend to speak in incomplete sentences, contractions, and imperfect grammar. Dialogue that is grammatically perfect likely sounds less natural, unless, of course, the character is an uppity grammarian.
Character Interaction
Interaction between characters is more than just spoken words, yet dialogue is at the centre of conversation. Consider the kinds of characters mixed together in a story. Some characters are related, some are good friends, some are good enemies, some are acquaintances – just like real people. Different kinds of characters in a story would naturally interact in different ways.
For dialogue to sound real, character interaction should suit the characters involved. Two sisters, for example will naturally interact with each other differently from two indifferent acquaintances. The language used in a conversation between the two sisters will likely be more familiar and informal than the language of the acquaintances.
Dialogue Tags and Body Language
Dialogue tags are sometimes the downfall of decent conversation and character interaction. An excess of “he said,” “she said,” or worse, descriptors after those phrases can be a detriment to dialogue rather than a help. Try instead to find the most accurate word to describe the dialogue. Rather than, “he said sarcastically,” “he snickered” may be more indicative of the character’s tone and meaning.
Consider alternatives for dialogue tags that help describe the character’s mood and tone of voice. Body language, for example, is about as important as words in a conversation. A character’s body language, if properly described, indicates the character’s mood, sets the tone for the conversation, and gives the reader a better idea of what the dialogue itself sounds like. Smiling, arm waving, eye rolling, shrugging, and sighing are all great examples of indicative body language.
Consider two practices that can help with writing natural sounding dialogue:
- People watching: observing others as they interact, as they speak with each other and drawing on life’s real conversations.
- Reading dialogue out loud: acting out the dialogue, including body language and facial expressions helps to know whether the dialogue sounds natural, and helps you write accurate dialogue tags.
Make your dialogue sound real with appropriate language, accurate dialogue tags, and these dialogue writing tips.
Michelle Wright - Michelle is an avid reader and writer, with a focus on book, film and music reviews, gluten free recipes, and fiction writing "how-tos."
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