Say What? The Importance of Dialogue

Definition Dialogue is the part of the narrative that indicates conversation between two or more characters

Why Use Dialogue? 1. By having your character speak, you can give the readers some insight into the character’s personality. 2. Having characters speak makes the story less boring--helps bring the characters to life. 3. Having your characters speak can help you build suspense. 4. It is a compositional risk

Rules for Written Dialogue Keep commas and periods inside the quotation marks “ I do not know,” yelled Albert. Albert yelled, “I do not know.”

Rules for Written Dialogue 2. An uninterrupted speech needs quotation marks only at the beginning and the end. “After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

Rules for Written Dialogue 3. Start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes. Hermione shouted, “You let him in? Harry, you can't do that!” “Hermione, I can't always help it! Well, maybe I can, I don't know,” Harry replied. “Never mind; what happened?” Ron wondered.

Rules for Written Dialogue 4. When only two people are talking you do not have to keep using their names. “Right then, so what's the plan, Harry?” “Okay, Neville, there's something we need to find, something hidden here in the castle, and it may help us defeat You-Know-Who.” “Right, what is it?” “We don't know.”

Quotes Inside of a Quote Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. This also includes publications that are set off by quotes. Example: He said, "Danea said, 'Do not treat me that way.'"

Use italics to highlight a character’s internal thoughts. Internal Monologue Use italics to highlight a character’s internal thoughts. This is all my fault, Harry thought to himself after he heard the news of Ginny’s disappearance.