Dialogue writing examples from popular reads and AI teach us interesting things about what makes human-written dialogue better, juicier with voice, viewpoint, and balance between elements. Learn more.
Category: Dialogue Writing
Dialogue writing is key for novels and other stories.
Find every article on dialogue writing in Now Novel’s archives here.
Read about using action tags versus dialogue tags. See examples, along with dialogue formatting tips and tricks.
Find out how to write conversations between multiple characters. How to make dialogue tense. Find other words for said and learn how to make your characters’ personalities shine through their speech.
What are context and subtext in dialogue? Why do they matter? How can you use both to create multiple levels of meaning and significance in speech? Find out.
Writing dialogue is an important skill to develop so that characters’ speech is imbued with voice and advances the story. Learn more in this complete guide to dialogue writing and formatting, with examples.
How do you show who’s speaking in dialogue? When do you use ‘she said’? When do you not? How else can you show a person’s emotions or state of mind in conversation? Read definitions clarifying the uses of dialogue tags vs action tags, and examples that illustrate effective dialogue attribution:
Dialogue in writing is tricky to master, but good dialogue carries the story. Dialogue may build pace and conflict, add tone and atmosphere, introduce and develop characters and more. Here are 5 tips to make your dialogue serve multiple useful purposes:
Dialogue rules aren’t set in stone but help us create believable characters who have distinct, memorable voices. The best dialogue gives insights into characters and their motivations. Getting dialogue punctuation right is important, as is keeping dialogue entertaining. Here are 7 dialogue rules for writing conversations worthy of eavesdropping:
Writing conversations that don’t involve setting is like writing action scenes that don’t involve movement. Great dialogue has more than disembodied voices. It anchors us in a place, in the context that occasions characters’ interaction. Read tips for creating realistic dialogue by involving your setting:
Realistic dialogue moves stories along. When you give each character an interesting voice and persona, it’s a joy to read their conversations. Varied, entertaining speech takes readers into the heart of your characters. Here are six ways to make characters’ speech colorful and interesting:
Writing tense dialogue is effective in making characters’ conversations interesting. When every exchange is a pleasantry or obvious observation, dialogue doesn’t do the work it can to move a story along. Tense dialogue, whether an argument between colleagues, lovers, or hero and villain, adds a note of exciting unpredictability. Here are 5 ways to add tension to your dialogue: