Writing dialogue is one of the most challenging skills to master in fiction. It’s a paradox: dialogue needs to sound exactly like real people talking, but if you actually transcribed a real conversation, it would be boring, repetitive, and full of “ums,” “ahs,” and “likes.”
If you struggle with writing dialogue in your stories, or your characters sound like they’re reading from a technical manual, we need to look at how to bridge that gap. What we want is dialogue that feels natural and rhythmic, conversation between characters that flows with the energy of a tennis match rather than the thud of a falling brick.
The difference between “real” speech and “fictional” dialogue
In real life, we ramble. We interrupt ourselves. We talk about the weather for ten minutes before getting to the point. In fiction, dialogue is a tool. It has to serve a purpose: it either moves the plot forward, reveals character, or provides necessary information (ideally, all three at once!).
The “clunk” usually happens when a writer tries too hard to be realistic or, conversely, uses dialogue to dump information on the reader. You’ve probably seen the “As you know, Bob” trope, where one character tells another something they both already know just so the reader can hear it.
“As you know, Bob, our father left us when we were five and we’ve been living in this cardboard box ever since.”
Unless Bob has amnesia, he knows this. It sounds clunky because it isn’t a conversation; it’s an info-dump wearing a hat.
How to kill the monologue
One of the quickest ways to make your writing feel stagnant is to let a character talk for half a page without interruption. Unless your character is giving a literal speech on a stage, long blocks of text are dialogue killers.
In a natural flow, dialogue is a stimulus and response. Think of it like a game of catch. One person throws a ball; the other person catches it and throws it back. Sometimes they drop it, sometimes they throw it too hard, and sometimes they refuse to throw it back at all.
To keep things moving:
- Keep it brief: Try to limit each “turn” to one or two sentences.
- Break it up: Use “action beats” (what the character is doing) to break up long stretches of talking.
- Interrupt: People in conflict rarely let each other finish their sentences.
Making characters sound distinct
If you took away the names (the dialogue tags), would your readers still know who is talking? If the answer is no, your characters might be suffering from “same-voice syndrome.”
Every person has a unique verbal fingerprint. This is shaped by their upbringing, education, profession, and personality. A high-powered lawyer in a boardroom won’t use the same sentence structure or vocabulary as a teenager hanging out at a skate park.
To give your characters distinct voices:
- Vary the sentence length: Some people speak in short, punchy bursts. Others use long, winding sentences.
- Word choice (diction): Does your character use slang? Do they use big “SAT words” to feel superior? Do they avoid contractions (which often makes them sound formal or robotic)?
- The “crutch” word: Many people have words they lean on. Maybe one character says “Listen…” before every point, while another constantly says “To be fair.”
When characters sound different, the dialogue flows better because the reader doesn’t have to work hard to track the conversation.
The power of subtext (the “no” before the “yes”)
Clunky dialogue is often too “on-the-nose.” This means characters say exactly what they are thinking and feeling.
- Character A: “I am very angry at you for forgetting my birthday.”
- Character B: “I feel terrible and I am sorry.”
While clear, it’s boring. In real life, we often talk around what we want. We use subtext.
- Character A: “I see you managed to remember to buy beer on your way home.”
- Character B: “The shop was on the way. Do you want one or not?”
Here, the conflict is bubbling under the surface. They aren’t talking about the birthday, but they are talking about the birthday. This creates tension and keeps the reader leaning in.
Ditch the adverbs and fancy tags
When I first started writing, I thought “said” was boring and repetitive. I wanted my characters to exclaim, hiss, and interject. I also loved adverbs. They said it loudly, whispered it sadly, or replied angrily.
I quickly learned that “said” is a “hidden” word. The reader’s eye skips over it, focusing on the words inside the quotation marks. When you use “she grumbled,” it draws attention to the writing itself, which pulls the reader out of the story.
The same goes for adverbs. If your dialogue is well-written, you shouldn’t need to tell us the character is saying it angrily. The words themselves (and the action beats) should do the work.
Clunky: “I hate you!” he said angrily.
Flowing: He slammed his fist onto the table. “I’m done with this. I’m done with you.”
The second version is much more evocative because we see the anger in the action. This is a classic case of “showing vs. telling,” a trap many new authors fall into.
The ultimate secret: the ear test
If you take only one piece of advice from this post, let it be this: Read your dialogue out loud.
Your eyes are great at skimming over clunky phrasing, but your ears are much harder to fool. When you read aloud, you’ll notice where you stumble. You’ll hear where a sentence is too long or where a word sounds out of place for that character.
If you find yourself running out of breath before the end of a character’s sentence, it’s too long. If you feel silly saying a certain phrase, your character probably feels silly saying it too.
A quick checklist for flowing dialogue
Before you hit “save” on your next chapter, run your dialogue through this quick filter:
- Does this conversation move the plot or reveal something new about the character?
- Have I removed the “ums” and “likes” unless they are absolutely necessary for characterization?
- Are the characters talking to each other, or at each other?
- Is there a balance between speech and action?
- Did I read it out loud?
Writing dialogue that flows is a bit like learning a musical instrument. At first, you’re very aware of where your fingers are going, and it sounds a bit screechy. But with practice, it becomes intuitive. You start to hear the rhythm of the characters’ voices in your head before you even type them out.
Don’t be discouraged if your first draft feels a bit wooden. The magic happens in the revision. And revising is where the real storytelling begins.
If you are a parent and you see this spark of storytelling in your child, encourage them early! We have a dedicated Creative Writing Club for Kids and Teens where they can learn how to write realistic and exciting dialogue, along with so many other writing techniques.
Ready to level up your writing?
Getting your dialogue to flow is just one piece of the puzzle. If you’re feeling stuck with your manuscript, or if you’re struggling to find that distinct voice for your characters, I’d love to help you move forward.
I offer one-to-one writing coaching where we can dive deep into your specific project, polish your technique, and get you ready for publishing. Alternatively, if you prefer a community setting, you can join my Creative Writing Course to learn alongside fellow authors.
Let’s turn those “clunks” into a story that flows beautifully. Click here to learn more about how we can work together and take the next step in your writing journey!