This week’s video shows you the two important (but often overlooked) ingredients in figuring out how to write funny dialogue your readers will love. Video Transcript: Today, I’m excited to welcome you to the first installment in a month-long series featuring important writing lessons that I learned in the past few years while writing my […]
November 6, 2015 by 36 Comments DialogueHow to Write Funny Dialogue (What I Learned Writing Storming)
April 22, 2015 by 34 Comments DialogueAn Easy Way to Immediately Improve Your Character’s Action Beats
This week’s video shows you how to take your dialogue’s action beats upon a notch by focusing on symbolism and subtext. Video Transcript: A novel cannot live on dialogue alone. Dialogue may be the most fun part to write; it may be the most fun part to read. But you can’t build a whole story […]
January 18, 2015 by 95 Comments DialogueGet Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue Once and For All
Know what sets apart the okay writers from the great writers? Subtlety and subtext. This is true in absolutely every area of storytelling, from narrative to plotting to character development. But the lack of subtlety and subtext is perhaps nowhere more obvious than in dialogue. I’m talking, of course, about on-the-nose dialogue. When I pick up a potential […]
November 14, 2014 by 30 Comments DialogueAre Your Characters Talking Too Much?
Dialogue drives both narrative and character development. The key for creative writers is including just enough dialogue to meet those needs and no more. The last thing you want is to have your characters talking too much. Many novelists approach a scene by writing until they feel they have included sufficient dialogue to meet their […]
July 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment DialogueThe Four Different Types of Conflict in Dialogue
Today, I’m guest posting over on Jane Friedman’s blog, with the post “The Four Different Types of Conflict in Dialogue.” Here’s an excerpt: Conflict in dialogue provides authors with one of their best opportunities for jazzing up their stories and powering their plots. Slow scene? No problemo. Just throw in a nice, heated little argument. What […]
February 12, 2014 by 61 Comments DialogueHow to Avoid the “As You Know, Bob” Trope in Dialogue
Among writers, the “as you know, Bob” trope has become almost something of a joke. But let me tell you, this isn’t any joking matter! “As you know, Bob” refers to the clumsy technique of filling readers in on basic story details through dialogue exposition by having two characters who already know the facts explain […]
November 6, 2013 by 13 Comments DialogueWant to Write Witty Dialogue? Banter vs. Bickering in Writing
I love witty banter. I mean, who doesn’t? Playful, quick-witted dialogue can spice up any scene, making characters more likable and their interactions more engaging. But there’s a fine line between banter vs. bickering in writing. Done well, banter crackles with energy and charm. Done poorly, it turns into petty sniping that makes characters seem […]
June 26, 2013 by 18 Comments DialogueAn Insanely Simple Trick for Tightening Dialogue
Dialogue is essential in storytelling. It’s what brings characters to life and drives the plot forward. However, it’s important to be mindful of tightening dialogue by cutting out any unnecessary filler that can bog down the conversation. I adore good dialogue. Funny, snappy, insightful, punchy—love it. It’s also a ton of fun to write (whenever […]
June 23, 2013 by 22 Comments DialogueExclusive Dialogue: When Readers Don’t Know What Your Characters Are Talking About
A good story will provide a balance between giving readers necessary information and keeping them curious by not giving them all the info. Nowhere is this more important than in your characters’ conversations. The key is to keep the scene fresh without dragging readers into confusing exclusive dialogue. Make no mistake, this is a tough […]
May 5, 2013 by 74 Comments DialogueMost Common Writing Mistakes: Poor Use of Dialect in Dialogue
Who doesn’t love a good accent? British, Indian, French, Spanish, Irish, Australian, South African, and Japanese actors, among many others, all bring added spice to their roles on the American big screen. And I suspect the same holds true in reverse (when I visited Australia several years ago, someone told me she loved my accent, which was a […]
