Chapter 12: Dialogue

When it comes to writing dialogue, the adage “It’s better to show than to tell” is key when crafting your screenplay. As a visual artform, we’d rather see a character survive a hurricane or reunite with their long-lost lover, than to hear them talk about it. But when a character does speak in a movie, it’s an opportunity to craft meaningful and memorable dialogue, to make that character unforgettable.

So how do you begin? Writing good, snappy dialogue that’s unique to each character can be daunting at first, and oftentimes all the characters in the script end up sounding like you, the writer. But don’t be deterred. Below are some tips to get you hearing your characters’ voices in your head, so you can craft it onto the page and make an impact.

Dialogue Tips

Listen

When characters speak in movies, they don’t sound like the rest of us in our everyday conversations – they’re much “smarter” if you will, able to convey meaning and importance in just the right amount of words with the greatest impact.

One way to train yourself to write good dialogue is to listen to it – without watching the action on the screen. Start by playing a movie or television show in the background and really listen to how the characters speak, what they say, and what they don’t say. Listen for the silent moments too. This will train your ear to discern between “good dialogue” or just “so-so dialogue” that expresses the character, pushes the plot, and sometimes makes us cry or laugh.

Don’t start writing it too soon

Although you may already be hearing dialogue as soon as you start piecing together the plot, restrain yourself from getting lost in the conversations. If you write dialogue too soon, there’s a tendency for the characters to over-explain, and describe to other characters what’s happening, instead of showing what’s happening through action. Also, you might get too attached to your dialogue, and be unwilling to let it go, even when the script requires it.

It’s recommended to start writing dialogue after you’ve nailed down the plot, gotten to know your characters, developed the conflict within each scene, and written out your action in your treatment. Now that you have a clear map to follow, the dialogue becomes like the great attractions along the way – unique, impactful, and memorable.

Is it needed?

Dialogue should push the story and be true to the characters and situation to make it work. If in doubt, cut the dialogue out and see if the scene can stand on its own. Sometimes what is not said is even more powerful than words. A look or an action can speak volumes.

For example, a character calmly packing up her things and leaving a heated argument without saying a word, can have just as much, if not more of a determined impact, than if she explains to her lover that she’s leaving.

Keep it short

One good rule of thumb is to keep each piece of dialogue to about three sentences or “beats.” This creates a good rhythm in your scene, as characters banter back and forth, or as you interrupt the dialogue with action to remind the reader of what’s happening in the scene.

Make each voice unique

Each character in your story is unique, and their dialogue should sound unique to them as well. Play around with the vocabulary, pronunciation, dialect, slang or short-hand between characters.

Does what they say, or how they say it, reflect their personality? Do they sound like they’ve started their day with too much caffeine? Or do they choose their words carefully – more of a thinker, than a speaker? Do they speak first and think later?

Don’t tell us what we already know

Avoid having characters explain to other characters what the audience already knows. Instead, jump right into the scene mid-conversation, after the “news” has already been delivered. This will keep the energy high and your audience engaged.

Avoid hitting it “on the nose”

This is where the art of subtext comes in. Instead of having characters state what’s on their mind, let them talk around it, imply what they mean or simply avoid the topic altogether – even though it’s clear that the “topic” is clearly all they can think about. This makes for interesting moments with underlying tension around what’s not being said. It’s a great way to have your characters “dance” around each other and makes for great entertainment.

For example, instead of a character saying, “I want to break up,” they might talk around it by saying, “Have you ever tried to fix a broken mirror, and all you got out of it was a trip to the emergency room and a finger full of stitches? Sometimes it’s better to leave well enough alone and move on – don’t you agree?”

Speak it out loud

After writing out your dialogue in a scene, read it out loud – or better yet, get someone else to read it out loud to you. Hearing your characters speak the words you’ve written will help you refine your skills at writing good dialogue.