Dialogue Is not Just Conversation - #5 of the Ten Most Common Mistakes

Today on the block, Barbara Wallace joins us to discuss the importance of honing your dialogue skills... in writing.  Dialogue is not just conversation between characters.  It is a vital story tool that, if done properly, should:

• Advance the plot
• Can often point out subtext
• Reveal story information
• Provide insight into character
• Heighten tension
• Character’s with heavy accents…don’t overdo it. Transition from very brief dialect and then make it easy for the reader going forward
• Repetitive words that you hear in real life have no place in the story…”Um, Like, Well” readers don’t want to read them over and over again
• Sex noises during love scenes are a no no
• Don’t over vary or over use your tags…”She Said, they replied, and he asked” are examples of good easy tags that can lubricate the dialogue
• Dialogue is not a tool for info dumping

May you be inspired, feel empowered, and B. Well.

All this and more on this week’s episode of The Writer’s Block Podcast recorded at the Studio 21 Podcast Café and hosted on the United Podcast Network.