By Leilani Squires

When I edit novels, the two comments I most commonly make are, “All the characters sound the same” and “The dialogue is too stiff.” To solve these issues, try using some screenwriting techniques: 

Listen

You experience a movie through what is seen and heard. Our ears have spent years learning and analyzing how dialogue works, starting before we could even speak. This is why it’s important to rely more on your ears than your eyes when writing natural-sounding dialogue. 

Don’t be creepy, but listen carefully to how people talk. Listen to what is said and what is not said. Listen to how a conversation progresses and where there is tension (tension is a must for every fictional conversation). Observe and note different styles of dialogue and unique wording. Listen to family, friends, and people in the coffee shop, at the store, in the airport, at the grocery store. 

Talk it out

Say your dialogue out loud as you write your first and final draft. Bonus points if you act it out as you write. Again, your ears are far more experienced than your eyes at catching problems. 

When you read it out loud, you’ll catch if you’re using a word, someone’s name, or a phrase too often, or other repetitions. For example, don’t include someone’s name every line of dialogue. “So, Bob, I heard you got a promotion. Why don’t you want to take it, Bob? Bob, I gotta tell ya, I’d jump at a chance to move to a window office.” 

As you read your dialogue out loud, notice where you stumble over the wording. Do you have too many s-sounds in a row? Too many m-words too close together? Too many three-syllable words? Revise accordingly.  

Ask for help 

Have someone read your dialogue to you. This is one of the best tests as you’ll better catch where you had a tone or pause in mind, but that isn’t how someone else will read it. This also allows you to catch where your dialogue is awkward, too wordy, or just right. 

Start late, leave early

Notice in movies how the conversation starts right away. There’s no “Hi, how are you?” small talk. Movies don’t have time for that. Start the dialogue later than you think you need to, usually where the conflict begins, and end the conversation before it fizzles into awkward silence. The movie Sahara does this really well.

Make each character sound unique

Every character must have a different style of dialogue which comes from their personality. You should be able to cover up the character names and still tell who says what solely based on what they say and how. 

In the cast of the TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Melinda May has a different style of speaking than that of Daisy, and then that of Jemma. Gru doesn’t speak like Margo in Despicable Me—not even close. In The Avengers, Thor doesn’t sound anything like Tony Stark. In Toy Story, Woody speaks very differently than Buzz Lightyear. 

To give each character their own voice, develop your characters to the point you know them as well as you know your best friend. Expertly know how your characters behave and talk—internally and externally. Otherwise, all your characters will sound the same, and they will sound like you. 

Once you discover and decide how a character will sound, stay consistent. Your readers will immediately sense when a character talks out of character and you will get all the blame. 

Watch

Watch movies and TV shows and read novels and short stories. Study how the dialogue works and doesn’t work for different characters and different genres. I often watch movies and TV shows with subtitles so I can listen and read to better study dialogue. 

Dialogue must sound just right for the story and just right for each character while revealing more about them and propelling the plot forward. It needs to be memorable, natural, believable, and quotable. If it does not accomplish all this, delete it and try again. Your readers will thank you for it!

Leilani Squires is a writer and editor who began working with authors, organizations, and entrepreneurs in 2002. She helps each client develop their message or story clearly, concisely, and compellingly. She has a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing from Taylor University and a master’s degree in Communications from Regent University. Leilani speaks at writers conferences, universities, and is an adjunct professor. View Leilani’s services for writers at leilanisquires.com.