How To Write Dialogue? Experts Tips & Writing Examples

Dialogues are what one says to another when communicating. It's like a normal conversation. Expect the storyline and background; even the participants are fictional.

However, writing engaging interchanges can be fun. It's the most interesting part of story writing. You can make the key players come to life with proper words with emotions. 

Your story figures get their (own) voice and personality traits. The best part, you get the scope to be grammatically imperfect when writing interactions between 2 or more people.

How to Write Dialogue in a Narrative – A Classic Example

"Surprise, Surprise, MAMA?" Suzie said to her mother.

"What in the world is going on?" her mother replied.

"I am learning how to write dialogue in a story,"she replied.

"Be sure to read books and ask for professional help, my sweet Suzie-bun!"

"I will, MAMA!"

Above is a classic example of how to write dialogue in a narrative. 

The conversation involves 2 people – Suzie (an aspiring writer) and her supporting Mother.

Focus on the line-by-line play between the two. That's how an engaging speech must move the story forward. 

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How to Write a Dialogue between Two Characters – MORE EXAMPLES

 (Example 1) – Conversation is between Sam & Bethany. The couple is fighting.

 "Get Out of my house, YOU LIAR!" – Beth yelled at her boyfriend, SAM.

 "Beth, LOVE, come on! You know, you're the only one for me. Don't be so difficult!" – SAM replied, feeling hopeful.

 "Don't try to fool me, SAM. You say you love me, so what were you doing at Bonnie's place last night?" Beth said angrily.

 "Beth, I am not lying to you. Nothing happened. Bon, Bon was feeling bad after she was fired from her gig at Mr. Riley's. I was just there for moral support!" – He explained.

 "So, Bonnie has become Bon-Bon, huh! How exactly did you provide moral support to her – in the middle of the night?" – She continued angrily!

 "Bethany. Darling! Open the door so I can explain what happened. I swear, you're the only woman for me!" He continued!

 "I don't want to hear it, Sam. It's OVER between us. Don't ever come lurking at my doorstep again." – Beth moves away from the door.

 "Beth, open the door! Bethany, Beth!" – Sam continues outside the door.

 Example 2 – The conversation is between Rory & Judy (brother and sister). The communication resembles both fighting as Rory breaks a showpiece.

 "Rory, when will you stop being a klutz and grow up? Enough is enough." – said Rory's sister Judy.

 "I didn't mean to break the showpiece. It was an accident," – replied Rory.

 "I am telling Mother when she gets back!" – Judy speaks angrily.

 "You better not unless you want me to spill the beans about you and Tim. How about I keep your secret, and you keep mine!" – He said.

 "Are you trying to blackmail me, you little troublemaker? How dare you speak to me like this? I am your elder sister. Show me respect!" – She huffed annoyingly.

 "You never show me love or even look at me as your baby brother. Yet you expect everyone to speak to you properly and treat you like some royal princess."!

 "That's it. I will speak to Mother and Father about everything and convince them to send you away to boarding school."

 "Fine, sister. Go ahead. But I won't be holding back, either. Today is the day MOM and DAD know everything about us." Rory ends the conversation and slams his room's door.

 "Just wait and see what I do to you once Mom and Dad arrive," – She replies and continues huffing.

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How to Write Dialogue Format – Crucial Tips

Dialogue formatting is tricky. You must maintain consistency and use relatable words for conversations. 

Here are some crucial tips to follow.

• Always use double quotation marks in the text. 

For instance – "Let's spend the evening together."

• Include speech tags. Keep them outside the quotations.

For Example – "The room was messy." Ryan said. 

• Add a comma before quotations if the tag comes before.

For Example - Kelly explained, "Ben has been cheating on his wife for over a year!"

• Craft separate sentences for actions happening before or after the speech.

Take, for instance – "You're sick!" Dan gasped!

• Include single quotations when quoting texts inside. 

For Example – Bruce began crying. "When you told me 'I don't want to be with you!' it hurt my emotions."

• Always use a new stanza to indicate a new character/speaker.

For Example – 

"Murphy, I want you to proofread this file," Dexter replied.

He then gestured to the file on his table.

"Holy Grace," mumbled Dexter. His hands moved to the table drawer to look for his pills. He knew it was going to be a tiresome night.

• Begin/resume in lowercase if an action interrupts the chatter.

 

For Example – "By tonight," she yawned, "we will finish it!"

How to Write Dialogue in an Essay – Rules for Long Speeches

Long speeches have more rules. Include the starting line of the first stanza in double-quotes. Also, do it for the following paragraph. Place the closing quotation only at the end of the final passage.

For Example:

Millie said – "Anacondas are among the largest snakes in the world. They grow up to 20-25 feet and are vicious. A 20-25 feet Anaconda can potentially swallow a human child. 

"I read that Anacondas are found in the Amazon region. They like swampy regions and can hunt their prey on land and water. They belong to the Boa family of snakes and are different from pythons."

How to Write Dialogue in A Story – with em dashes

Another aspect of framing narrative discussion is using em dashes. Don't confuse them with hyphens. 

Em dashes denote abrupt endings or interruptions in speeches. Place them within quotes.

For Instance:

Harry started speaking. "I thought this time I could —"

 

"I do not need to hear it," stopped Ellie.

How to Write Dialogue in an Essay – Adding punctuations when including Ellipses

Do not include commas or punctuation for conversations ending with an ellipsis. Authors use ellipsis to trail off speeches. 

For instance:

Megan blew a low whistle. "I guess that does it for me…" she remarked as per voice fades away. 

Inner & Outer Dialogue – Difference with Examples 

First, let's discuss how to frame internal dialogue.

It is your inner thoughts commenting on your life situations. It is also known as intrapersonal communication.

Here's an example –

"I was lying," Andy thought, "but Mother will pardon me anyway."

Now, Let's Shift to Outer Dialogue.

It is any normal conversation taking place between 2 or more folks.

For Instance –

"How soon will we get to the subway?" Kenny asked. 

 

"Almost there," replied his Mom, "another 5-7 minutes or so!"

How to Write Dialogue in A Book/Essay/Narrative – WHAT TO AVOID?

• Including tags for every line

You don't have to do it after every speech. Common tag words are asked, replied, said, responded, questioned, etc.

Do it initially to introduce the key figures, their relationships and the context. It helps readers know between whom the interaction is happening.

However, avoid doing it after helping readers recognize the context and title players. Or else the text becomes boring and disturbs the seamless textual exchanges. 

Once you establish the beginning of the scene, let the exchange stand alone and engage readers.

• Writing Unrealistic or dense exchanges 

Narrative interchanges don't have to be grammatically correct. It must be clear, relatable, and free-flowing. 

Often, novelists focus on making speeches grammatically correct. However, they only end up making their players unrealistic and stiff. 

Don't make this mistake. Focus more on clarity and flow and less on grammatical soundness.

• Using Anachronisms without Thinking!

Adventurers of Barbados would greet their captain, "What's up?"

Contrariwise, an Englishman would welcome another as "Good Morning, Sir, hope you're doing well!"

To make your conversations real, maintain contextual accuracy per timelines.

Example of Anachronism:

Imagine two cavemen microwaving dinner and watching the film adaptation of Macbeth.

The speech here will be absurd. Many things are out of place and inaccurate. Don't compile so callously. Create something that readers will believe. 

• Neglecting Non-Verbal Clues 

Besides telling what the characters intend, you must also indicate how they feel during the scene. Non-verbal clues are a crucial facet of social interactions. 

They can be anything –

• From twirling hairs in anticipation
• Chewing their nails due to stress
• Sighing heavily in relief 

And so on.

So, include non-verbal clues. Specify a character's unique mannerisms. It makes the conversations sound real and allows readers to connect with them deeply.

• Saying Too Much Through Limited Speeches 

Words help move the story forward. It also reveals background info for readers to track what's happening. 

We did say this before, and we still stick to it. 

However, most make the mistake of saying too much in one or a handful of conversations. Doing so spoils the story's natural flow and overwhelms readers with sudden information. Often these issues cause them to lose track and eventually lose interest. 

You must decide how and when you use information. You can break it up over a lengthy interaction. Or introduce a different character to reveal the news. 

Regardless of which way you go, plan the story first and use engaging talks to move steadily in that direction. You are the author. So, controlling the narrative is also crucial.

• Name-Calling Characters Over & Over

Avoid name-calling characters excessively. It distracts the readers and dulls the ongoing conversation.  

Instead, you can use tags with action words to hint at who is speaking to whom. 

• Using Formal Speech Tone

Not everything has to be spoken formally. Most conversations in books are informal. It makes the communication and characters lively and relatable. 

Unfortunately, it is a common issue among novices. They don't think about developing verbal quirks that appear natural. 

You must avoid using a formal tone. Such a genre of writing doesn't require formalities unless it features in the speech as part of a narrative.

• Closely Adhering to Our Version of Reality 

Interestingly, books don't adhere to our version of reality. It easily time-skips whenever necessary! Unless something significant unfolds, they don't record minor details, such as visiting the ATM or stopping by a gas station.

Make the story engaging by focusing on the main facts. 

Avoid casual chit-chat before real conversations. Remove all the "umms," hymns," "ohs," "ah," etc.!

If you include everything in realistic detail, the book will tire out readers mentally before the conclusion.

Avoid these mistakes when writing speeches. 

Also, practicing regularly with dialogue crafting exercises to become better at it.

Know More on How to Write a Dialogue Essay

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