On Writing Dialogue by J. Arlene Culiner

 

     Dialogue? Yes, that’s something writers must get right. Dialogue tells us quite a bit about the different characters in a story, can show their social standing, underline their educational level, and reveal their emotional state. It can be used to avoid information dumping, and it’s a handy tool for breaking up long prose passages. It also pulls readers right into the story.

    And just to illustrate the power of dialogue, I went into my local café and noted down the conversation. Here it is:

Man with shaggy moustache: (looking out the window) Pfffhewww. Cold out there.

Café owner: Sure is.

Shaggy moustache: Much colder than yesterday.

Bar owner: Much.

The door opens. In comes a youngish, clean-shaven man with dark hair. He sits at the bar, and orders a beer.

Youngish man: Phew. Cold out there.

Café owner: Sure is.

Youngish man: Colder than last night.

Café owner and Shaggy moustache together: Certainly is.

The door opens. In comes another youngish man who also sits at the bar and also orders a beer.

Second youngish man: Cold out there.

First youngish man: Certainly is!

Café owner: Colder than last night.

First youngish man: You can say that again!

Second youngish man: Much colder!

Short silence

Shaggy moustache: They say it’ll be even colder tomorrow;

First youngish man: Heard that too.

Me: I don’t know if anyone’s noticed, but this is the month of March.

Very long silence