3 Dialogue Mistakes Writers Make

When I work on a manuscript for a client, the dialogue is almost always something that needs attention. Why is it so hard to write what a character is saying? Why does it rarely sound natural? Here are some dialogue mistakes I see often. 

1. Using dialogue as description

Save the flowery language and floaty wording for the stuff in between the dialogue. When your characters are speaking, let them speak like regular people. Regular people do not describe the stuff around them out loud. They might use their voices to provide clues about the setting or to foreshadow some fantastical upcoming event, but don't give your characters the burden on having to set the whole stage. 

"Look at that adorable dog," said Amy. "He is sitting quietly by the tree with his whispy fur blowing softly around his face. The tree is old if the large circumference of the trunk is any clue. Its leaves are the color of jade. What a nice tree, and what a nice dog."

Poor Amy. You can almost feel her frustration as she babbles on. Don't make her responsible for all that. It just isn't fair. 

2. Not knowing your characters' voices 

Characters should be very much like real people in that they are all unique. One big mistake in dialogue writing is to make all of the characters sound the same. Your characters need to sound like themselves rather than sound like the way you write dialogue. 

It's not about an accent, either, so don't think you have to go all Mark Twain on your people. It's about the words that they use, the length of their sentences, even the rhythm of their speech. Each character is going to do that differently, and it's up to you to make sure they do. 

Any time you write fiction, it's helpful to do some character studies. You need to get to know that character on paper. Write out his or her background, childhood influences, favorite foods, and anything else that makes that person tick. This can be intimidating for some people, but your characters will show you who they are if you give them a chance. Make sure that the way they speak is part of that study. 

Ideally, someone should be able to identify which character is speaking simply by reading the words. 

3. Not talking out loud. 

Didn't you know that a huge part of writing is talking to yourself? Many writers read every word of their work out loud. You don't have to do that if it isn't a helpful part of your process, but you should speak your dialogue. You've got to know how it sounds. It will also give you inspiration for adverbs and descriptions of the character's speech and actions. 

"Look at that adorable dog!" shouted Amy furiously as she nearly tripped in her hurry to get away from the sea monster. 

"Look at that adorable dog," Amy slurred, blinking her eyes several times before puking in the trash can. 

"Look at that adorable dog," Amy gushed, paying no attention to the anxious yapping as she shoved the animal into her bag. 

When you ask someone else to read your work, whether it's a friend or a professional, encourage that person to give you feedback about your dialogue. You can even have someone else read it out loud to you to make sure it sounds the way you intended. In fact, make a whole production out of it and force your family members to each play a character. That way you will know if your dialogue works and you will get to spend some time bonding. Teens in particular will love it.