Dialogue: a conversation between characters

Why is dialogue important? . It breaks up the narrative. Makes our writing lively. It’s useful for characterization. Excellent for showing reactions to events and relationship between characters. It helps to tell the story from different views.

Things to remember when writing dialogue Write it as realistically as possible. Make it clear who is speaking when. Do not give too much information or unrealistic information in dialogue. Keep the conversation moving. Make it as easy to read as possible.

Rules of punctuating dialogue Start a new paragraph when a new person speaks or a large passage of action interrupts the speaking. I asked her, “Why not?” “Because I already ate!” she screamed. “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave.” “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV. I left the room.

Rules of punctuating dialogue Use quotation marks to surround all spoken words on both sides. I asked her, “Why not?” “Because I already ate!” she screamed. “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave.” “I can’t believe,” she said, “that you are finally here.”

Rules of punctuating dialogue Use speaker tags to show who is talking. “Because I already ate!” she screamed. “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave.” “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV.

Rules of punctuating dialogue Use the proper end marks. End marks always go inside the quotes. “Because I already ate!” she screamed. “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave.” “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV. “I can’t believe,” she said, “that you are finally here.”

Add the narrative Sometimes we can loose detail in our writing if we only use dialogue. Always add description to passages of dialogue so that your reader is not only hearing what is said but can see what is happening, where it is happening, or how our characters are behaving.

Add the narrative Sometimes we can loose detail in our writing if we only use dialogue. Always add description to passages of dialogue so that your reader is not only hearing what is said but can see what is happening, where it is happening, or how our characters are behaving.