Dialogue Tips & Tricks: Making Your Characters Sound Real
Dialogue is one of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal. It brings characters to life, reveals their personalities, and propels the story forward. But writing dialogue that feels natural and engaging can be challenging—especially for new writers. I've compiled a list from several books and online resources of essential tips and common mistakes to avoid when crafting compelling conversations in your fiction.
How to Make Your Dialogue Sound Natural
Read It Out Loud One of the best ways to test dialogue is by reading it aloud. If it feels awkward or forced, it likely needs tweaking. Natural speech has rhythm and flow—your dialogue should too.
Use Contractions In real life, people rarely say, "I cannot believe you did not tell me." Instead, they’d say, "I can't believe you didn't tell me." Contractions make dialogue sound more natural and less robotic.
Keep It Concise People don’t speak in long, perfect paragraphs. Keep dialogue snappy and to the point, cutting out unnecessary words. Avoid overly formal or overly explanatory dialogue unless it suits the character’s voice.
Vary Sentence Structure & Length Just like in real conversations, mix up short and long sentences. This prevents dialogue from sounding monotonous or overly scripted.
Give Each Character a Unique Voice Every character should have their own way of speaking. Consider their background, personality, and emotional state. A college professor won’t talk the same way as a teenager or a cowboy.
Use Subtext Real conversations are often layered with meaning. People don’t always say exactly what they mean. Adding subtext—what’s left unsaid—makes dialogue more intriguing and realistic.
Break Up Dialogue with Action Pure dialogue exchanges can feel like floating voices. Ground conversations in the scene by interspersing action and body language. This adds depth and keeps the reader engaged.
Interruptions & Unfinished Thoughts People interrupt each other, trail off, or switch topics mid-sentence. Allowing for these natural disruptions makes dialogue feel more authentic.
Common Mistakes New Writers Make (And How to Fix Them)
1. Overusing Dialogue Tags
Mistake: "I don’t know," she whispered hesitantly.
Fix: Use simple tags like "said" or "asked" and let the dialogue convey the emotion: "I don’t know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
2. Info Dumping in Dialogue
Mistake: "As you know, John, we have been best friends since childhood, and you work as a detective while I run my bakery."
Fix: Let information unfold naturally through context: "Come on, John. You’ve been sniffing around crime scenes since we were kids."
3. Too Many Adverbs
Mistake: "I can’t believe you did that!" she said angrily.
Fix: Show emotion through action: She slammed her fist on the table. "I can’t believe you did that!"
4. Stilted, Overly Formal Speech
Mistake: "I am very sorry to inform you that I will not be attending your event."
Fix: "Sorry, but I can’t make it."
5. Every Character Sounds the Same
Mistake: All characters use the same vocabulary and speech patterns.
Fix: Consider age, background, and personality. A sarcastic teenager won’t talk like a seasoned lawyer.
6. Too Much Small Talk
Mistake: "Hi, how are you?" "I’m good, thanks. And you?" "Not bad."
Fix: Jump into the conversation with something relevant: "Did you hear what happened to Sarah?"
7. Excessive Exposition Through Dialogue
Mistake: "I am angry because you took my promotion and I worked for ten years to get that position!"
Fix: "You stole my promotion. Ten years, and you waltz in and take it?"
Final Thoughts
Great dialogue is more than just words—it’s about voice, rhythm, and subtext. By keeping it natural, giving each character a unique way of speaking, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can craft conversations that feel authentic and engaging.
What are your biggest challenges when writing dialogue? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts!
