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How can you make dialogue interesting?
I am a junior in high school and have dabbled in writing stories, but a main problem I come across is making good, realistic conversations, or even small talk.
11 answers
Updated
Roger’s Answer
Making Good, Realistic Conversations — Even Small Talk
My #1 Advice: PAY ATTENTION!
This is a skill every writer needs to develop — for dialog, and everything else. Be an observer of everything. See the world like a child, as if seeing it for the first time!
Know Your Characters
Who are your characters, what do they want, what is their goal, and who are they talking to? Their motivations, their wants and needs are going to determine what and how they say things, and will determine the words they use.
Here's a line — "That's a cool pen" — said by a pretty girl in a bathing suit is going to "sound" different than a burly iron worker wearing a hard hat, or your mother, your dad, or your friend. Why? Because each may have a different motivation, or reason.
Maybe the pretty girl really doesn't care about the pen, she just wants to get to know you. The iron worker may follow up with, "Mind if I use it?" The mother doesn't really care but is trying to relate with you. The father may have a genuine interest, or not. A friend may really think it's cool.
Would they say, "Hey, toss me some of that sunscreen, bud." Or would they say, "John, please hand me that sunscreen"? Or just, "Hand that to me."?
The more you know your characters, the more their dialog writes itself.
It's Not Just the Words — Watch Everything
Watch people, listen to people. But it's not just the words. Watch their expressions, their mannerisms. What are they doing with their hands? Do they roll their eyes, wipe their nose, scratch, look away, look past the person? Are they a slow talker or a fast talker?
A character I created in one of my books was a pudgy guy who, when he was nervous, would fuss with one of his jeweled rings, turning it. Sometimes what your character does, looks, or wears is just as important as what they say. It spices up the dialog.
Also take note of the environment. Is it night or day? Is the sun shining in their eyes? Are they in a restaurant, a bedroom, at a party, in a park, in a castle?
One of my characters was a warrior who lost his memory and didn't know where or who he was, among friends or foes. So he spoke very little, guarded — one or two sentences at most. Most of the "dialog" was going on in his head: "Who are these people?"
The Most Interesting Dialog Is Often What's NOT Said
Characters lie, dodge, hint, flirt, avoid. Real people rarely say exactly what they mean — and neither should your characters. The tension between what's said and what's meant is what hooks a reader.
OBSERVE OTHERS — Everywhere You Go
At home, the supermarket, at school, a sporting event, a restaurant — observe every chance you get. Then store it away in your writer's toolbox (your brain).
Read, Watch, Listen — and Study It
Read comic books, fiction, non-fiction. How do other authors write dialog? It doesn't have to be for pleasure. Ha! But for study. Watch movies, videos, everything. Who are they, what do they want, what is their motivation?
The more exposure you have — reading, watching, listening, witnessing dialog — and the more you write, play with it, goof around with it, the better you'll get.
Read Your Dialog Out Loud
Does it sound natural? Does it sound like what your characters would actually say and do in the scene? If it sounds off when you say it, it'll read off too.
Writing is like music. It has a sound to it, a flow. Or it can sound clucky or unnatural. Listen to it. Reading it out loud helps you "feel" how it sounds - music to your ears, or teeth-grinding noise.
Master the Tools of Dialog
These four punctuation marks are your best friends:
Period (.) — stops the line cold, leaving room for a beat or action:
"I don't know." He scratched his head. "Maybe I should forget all about it."
Ellipsis (…) — trailing off, uncertain, the thought runs together:
"I don't know … maybe I should forget all about it."
Comma (,) — a natural pause, but the thought keeps flowing smoothly:
"I don't know, maybe I should forget all about it."
Em dash (—) — abrupt, interrupted, or a sudden change of thought. Two ways to use it:
1, "I don't know —"
"Stop second guessing yourself," she snapped.
2. "I don't know — wait, maybe I do."
And Finally — PAY BLOODY ATTENTION
To everyone. To everything. The stranger on the bus, the argument in the next aisle at the grocery store, the nervous kid at the back of the class. The way your dad sighs before he says something hard. The way your friend laughs too loud when she's uncomfortable.
That's your material. All of it. Real people, real moments, real words.
The best dialog doesn't come from your imagination — it comes from your observations. So keep your eyes open, your ears open, and your writer's toolbox ready.
Now go write something!
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Roger
My #1 Advice: PAY ATTENTION!
This is a skill every writer needs to develop — for dialog, and everything else. Be an observer of everything. See the world like a child, as if seeing it for the first time!
Know Your Characters
Who are your characters, what do they want, what is their goal, and who are they talking to? Their motivations, their wants and needs are going to determine what and how they say things, and will determine the words they use.
Here's a line — "That's a cool pen" — said by a pretty girl in a bathing suit is going to "sound" different than a burly iron worker wearing a hard hat, or your mother, your dad, or your friend. Why? Because each may have a different motivation, or reason.
Maybe the pretty girl really doesn't care about the pen, she just wants to get to know you. The iron worker may follow up with, "Mind if I use it?" The mother doesn't really care but is trying to relate with you. The father may have a genuine interest, or not. A friend may really think it's cool.
Would they say, "Hey, toss me some of that sunscreen, bud." Or would they say, "John, please hand me that sunscreen"? Or just, "Hand that to me."?
The more you know your characters, the more their dialog writes itself.
It's Not Just the Words — Watch Everything
Watch people, listen to people. But it's not just the words. Watch their expressions, their mannerisms. What are they doing with their hands? Do they roll their eyes, wipe their nose, scratch, look away, look past the person? Are they a slow talker or a fast talker?
A character I created in one of my books was a pudgy guy who, when he was nervous, would fuss with one of his jeweled rings, turning it. Sometimes what your character does, looks, or wears is just as important as what they say. It spices up the dialog.
Also take note of the environment. Is it night or day? Is the sun shining in their eyes? Are they in a restaurant, a bedroom, at a party, in a park, in a castle?
One of my characters was a warrior who lost his memory and didn't know where or who he was, among friends or foes. So he spoke very little, guarded — one or two sentences at most. Most of the "dialog" was going on in his head: "Who are these people?"
The Most Interesting Dialog Is Often What's NOT Said
Characters lie, dodge, hint, flirt, avoid. Real people rarely say exactly what they mean — and neither should your characters. The tension between what's said and what's meant is what hooks a reader.
OBSERVE OTHERS — Everywhere You Go
At home, the supermarket, at school, a sporting event, a restaurant — observe every chance you get. Then store it away in your writer's toolbox (your brain).
Read, Watch, Listen — and Study It
Read comic books, fiction, non-fiction. How do other authors write dialog? It doesn't have to be for pleasure. Ha! But for study. Watch movies, videos, everything. Who are they, what do they want, what is their motivation?
The more exposure you have — reading, watching, listening, witnessing dialog — and the more you write, play with it, goof around with it, the better you'll get.
Read Your Dialog Out Loud
Does it sound natural? Does it sound like what your characters would actually say and do in the scene? If it sounds off when you say it, it'll read off too.
Writing is like music. It has a sound to it, a flow. Or it can sound clucky or unnatural. Listen to it. Reading it out loud helps you "feel" how it sounds - music to your ears, or teeth-grinding noise.
Master the Tools of Dialog
These four punctuation marks are your best friends:
Period (.) — stops the line cold, leaving room for a beat or action:
"I don't know." He scratched his head. "Maybe I should forget all about it."
Ellipsis (…) — trailing off, uncertain, the thought runs together:
"I don't know … maybe I should forget all about it."
Comma (,) — a natural pause, but the thought keeps flowing smoothly:
"I don't know, maybe I should forget all about it."
Em dash (—) — abrupt, interrupted, or a sudden change of thought. Two ways to use it:
1, "I don't know —"
"Stop second guessing yourself," she snapped.
2. "I don't know — wait, maybe I do."
And Finally — PAY BLOODY ATTENTION
To everyone. To everything. The stranger on the bus, the argument in the next aisle at the grocery store, the nervous kid at the back of the class. The way your dad sighs before he says something hard. The way your friend laughs too loud when she's uncomfortable.
That's your material. All of it. Real people, real moments, real words.
The best dialog doesn't come from your imagination — it comes from your observations. So keep your eyes open, your ears open, and your writer's toolbox ready.
Now go write something!
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Roger
Updated
Kharmari’s Answer
First — that’s a very normal problem. Honestly, dialogue is one of the hardest parts of writing, especially when you’re starting out.
The good news? You’re already aware of it. That’s huge.
One thing that helps is realizing that “good” dialogue isn’t about making it sound impressive — it’s about making it sound true. Real conversations aren’t perfectly structured. People:
• Interrupt each other
• Change topics suddenly
• Avoid answering directly
• Say less than they mean
• Use humor to deflect
Try this: instead of thinking, What should they say? ask, What does each character want right now?
If one character wants approval and the other wants control, the conversation will naturally have tension. That tension makes it realistic.
For small talk specifically — remember, small talk usually isn’t about the surface topic. It’s about:
• Testing comfort
• Filling awkward silence
• Hiding nerves
• Building connection
Example:
Instead of:
“How was your day?”
“It was good. Yours?”
“Good.”
You might write:
“So… you survived math?”
“Barely.”
“Yeah, I saw your face when she handed back the tests.”
“Don’t.”
He laughs. “That bad?”
“I’m pretending it didn’t happen.”
Now there’s personality. Subtext. Slight teasing. That feels human.
Also — eavesdrop (not creepily 😭). Just listen to how people at school talk. Notice how often conversations are messy and unfinished. That messiness is gold for writers.
And read your dialogue out loud. If it sounds like a school presentation instead of something you’d actually say, tweak it.
You’re a junior — which means you have years to sharpen this skill. Keep writing. The fact that you care about realism already puts you ahead.
The good news? You’re already aware of it. That’s huge.
One thing that helps is realizing that “good” dialogue isn’t about making it sound impressive — it’s about making it sound true. Real conversations aren’t perfectly structured. People:
• Interrupt each other
• Change topics suddenly
• Avoid answering directly
• Say less than they mean
• Use humor to deflect
Try this: instead of thinking, What should they say? ask, What does each character want right now?
If one character wants approval and the other wants control, the conversation will naturally have tension. That tension makes it realistic.
For small talk specifically — remember, small talk usually isn’t about the surface topic. It’s about:
• Testing comfort
• Filling awkward silence
• Hiding nerves
• Building connection
Example:
Instead of:
“How was your day?”
“It was good. Yours?”
“Good.”
You might write:
“So… you survived math?”
“Barely.”
“Yeah, I saw your face when she handed back the tests.”
“Don’t.”
He laughs. “That bad?”
“I’m pretending it didn’t happen.”
Now there’s personality. Subtext. Slight teasing. That feels human.
Also — eavesdrop (not creepily 😭). Just listen to how people at school talk. Notice how often conversations are messy and unfinished. That messiness is gold for writers.
And read your dialogue out loud. If it sounds like a school presentation instead of something you’d actually say, tweak it.
You’re a junior — which means you have years to sharpen this skill. Keep writing. The fact that you care about realism already puts you ahead.
Loved reading this, thanks!
Santino
Updated
Tom’s Answer
listen to how people talk and take cues from this. Don't go by TV or movies, since most of the dialogue in media is kind of ridiculous. if you want good, reasonable dialogue, listen to people around you and get a feel for how people really talk.
Thanks for the help.
Santino
Updated
Rekha’s Answer
The dialogue writing for stories should be written in a very precise easy language remembering your title on which the stories based ,how the characters performing their roles in the story .some may have positive roles and side by side they are playing some negative characters . Just make your mind as if your talking to your friends ,relatives any dear ones .the dialogue should be based same way as you are having a conversation with your friends ,relatives or any teacher or any boss so .first of all your main point which framing a dialogue structure must be mind set .you have to make the language of dialogue based on character role and performance .and place your dialogues using punctuation mark,quotation and easy going so that one role could be understood in the story that wanted to convey to the other person.
Thank you!
Santino
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
Make dialogue interesting by having each character speak with a purpose and voice, instead of just filling space with small talk. Listen to real conversations around you and notice how people interrupt, pause, joke, or avoid saying exactly what they mean... those patterns make dialogue feel more natural. Keep lines concise and break them up with actions or thoughts so it doesn’t feel like a long script. If you read your dialogue out loud and it sounds stiff or unnatural, revise it until it flows the way people actually talk. Good luck!
Thank you so much!
Santino
Updated
Rich’s Answer
Writing dialogue is one of the basic cornerstones of good creative writing. To do that you can listen to how people talk, read plays, which rely heavily on dialogue, and refer to books on writing dialogue for tricks and tips.
Thank you, Rich!
Santino
Steve Jacobson
Creative Leader/Content Creator/Producer/Editor/Storyteller
120
Answers
Updated
Steve’s Answer
Dialogue comes from each character's unique personality. While it may seem simple, writing words for someone else can be challenging. Think about your family - your siblings and parents - and how they express themselves. Consider your friends too. You connect with them because of shared interests, but each friend is unique. When writing for characters, consider their experiences and what shaped them. If you're in middle school, don't hesitate to ask a teacher for guidance.
Another tip is to read books with diverse characters. Notice how the author gives each character a distinct voice and reaction to situations. This skill requires practice and patience. Once you've written something, ask people you trust to read it and provide honest feedback you can use to improve. It's not just about dialogue; it's also about how characters act and respond. Keep at it, and you'll get better with time!
Another tip is to read books with diverse characters. Notice how the author gives each character a distinct voice and reaction to situations. This skill requires practice and patience. Once you've written something, ask people you trust to read it and provide honest feedback you can use to improve. It's not just about dialogue; it's also about how characters act and respond. Keep at it, and you'll get better with time!
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Santino
Updated
jose’s Answer
This is a great question. In love this question.
So, for starters, when writing a conversation, ask yourself what are the characters really talking about?
More over, ask yourself, how can they say it in their own voice?
Also, if this is a dialogue between two characters in the middle of a bigger story, ask yourself how does this conversation tie itself to the bigger story?
This takes a lot of practice and a lot of drafts.
It always helps if the characters talking are not just exchanging information, rather revealing something about themselves, even in small talk. If a character loves nature, have they talk using references to the natural world. If a character is temperamental or impatient, have them say things in short sentences. Or something like that. So whether it's small talk, exposition, a soliloquy, or a heart to heart, give your characters specific traits and have them talk as they would.
Lastly, just listen to how people talk and put some of those conversations in your stories. I assure you, they will make you dig something interesting.
Best of success. Keep writing. ^_^
So, for starters, when writing a conversation, ask yourself what are the characters really talking about?
More over, ask yourself, how can they say it in their own voice?
Also, if this is a dialogue between two characters in the middle of a bigger story, ask yourself how does this conversation tie itself to the bigger story?
This takes a lot of practice and a lot of drafts.
It always helps if the characters talking are not just exchanging information, rather revealing something about themselves, even in small talk. If a character loves nature, have they talk using references to the natural world. If a character is temperamental or impatient, have them say things in short sentences. Or something like that. So whether it's small talk, exposition, a soliloquy, or a heart to heart, give your characters specific traits and have them talk as they would.
Lastly, just listen to how people talk and put some of those conversations in your stories. I assure you, they will make you dig something interesting.
Best of success. Keep writing. ^_^
Thanks for the advice!
Santino
Updated
Larry’s Answer
Place yourself as one of the participants, and imagine what the other person feels from the words you spoke -- then reverse the roles, i.e., place yourself in the shoes of the other character as that character responds to the words heard. That leads to involving dialog, and allows "hidden" emotions to color the story.
The story is not the dialog.
The story sets up the dialog, and allows the dialog to carry the reader into the character and into the story. The reader needs to feel drawn into the story, and sometimes to "hear" the private thoughts of a character.
Even in technical writing, we need to engage the reader. One of my articles on Requirements Management starts out: " A rancher lamented that one of his prize bulls was stranded on an island in a river that had risen rapidly. He said the water had stopped rising, but that it was impossible to bring the bull across the rope bridge that he had managed to build to take food to the bull.
The rancher was somewhat surprised when a shop owner said that it was possible to bring the bull over the bridge. “How?”, asked the rancher. “You can make him into steaks, and bring those back.”, replied the shop owner “I need him alive”, responded the rancher. “Now, you are adding constraints”, laughed the shop owner."
That opens the door for discussion of why and how we must capture, verify, and manage requirements for Process or Product Development and Improvement.
In other words: lead them in, hook them, then let the story speak to them.
The story is not the dialog.
The story sets up the dialog, and allows the dialog to carry the reader into the character and into the story. The reader needs to feel drawn into the story, and sometimes to "hear" the private thoughts of a character.
Even in technical writing, we need to engage the reader. One of my articles on Requirements Management starts out: " A rancher lamented that one of his prize bulls was stranded on an island in a river that had risen rapidly. He said the water had stopped rising, but that it was impossible to bring the bull across the rope bridge that he had managed to build to take food to the bull.
The rancher was somewhat surprised when a shop owner said that it was possible to bring the bull over the bridge. “How?”, asked the rancher. “You can make him into steaks, and bring those back.”, replied the shop owner “I need him alive”, responded the rancher. “Now, you are adding constraints”, laughed the shop owner."
That opens the door for discussion of why and how we must capture, verify, and manage requirements for Process or Product Development and Improvement.
In other words: lead them in, hook them, then let the story speak to them.
Updated
Marc’s Answer
That’s a great question. I haven’t read all the other replies, but I’m sure many of the professionals here will have already covered some of what I’m about to talk about.
I’ll give you an example from one of my own comic book series, which follows three kids who go on time-travel adventures. One is the youngest and a very emotional hothead. Another is the science geek of the group. The third is the muscle, self-confident, charming, and funny. I actually based all three on real kids I used to hang out with when I was younger.
When I write their back-and-forth (which includes a lot of banter), I often close my eyes and imagine they’re in the room talking. Because I’ve clearly established their personalities, I can naturally figure out how each one would respond. They don’t all speak the same way, and that’s what makes the dialogue feel more real.
Another technique I use is writing the dialogue separately from the comic first and then reading it out loud. If it sounds natural when spoken, it usually works well on the page. If it feels stiff or unnatural out loud, I know it needs to be revised.
So to recap: think of your characters as real people, listen to them, let their personalities guide how they speak, and always read your dialogue out loud. Also remember that dialogue is there to help develop the characters and move the story forward, not to explain stuff that's happening in your story.
I’ll give you an example from one of my own comic book series, which follows three kids who go on time-travel adventures. One is the youngest and a very emotional hothead. Another is the science geek of the group. The third is the muscle, self-confident, charming, and funny. I actually based all three on real kids I used to hang out with when I was younger.
When I write their back-and-forth (which includes a lot of banter), I often close my eyes and imagine they’re in the room talking. Because I’ve clearly established their personalities, I can naturally figure out how each one would respond. They don’t all speak the same way, and that’s what makes the dialogue feel more real.
Another technique I use is writing the dialogue separately from the comic first and then reading it out loud. If it sounds natural when spoken, it usually works well on the page. If it feels stiff or unnatural out loud, I know it needs to be revised.
So to recap: think of your characters as real people, listen to them, let their personalities guide how they speak, and always read your dialogue out loud. Also remember that dialogue is there to help develop the characters and move the story forward, not to explain stuff that's happening in your story.
Thank you!
Santino
Updated
Brian’s Answer
What a great question.
As a playwright, dialogue is my primary focus. Keep your characters interesting and engaging. Sometimes it helps to create a backstory for your characters. I always find that this helps with my dialogue; it brings life to my characters. To get an understanding of how to write in small talk, just study conversations. You can watch a video online and get an idea of general speech. If you were to go to YouTube and throw "Small talk" into the search engine. I'm not sure of the result, but it's worth a shot.
Or just watch a movie and study how the characters are speaking with one another. Instead of watching the film for actual entertainment content, focus on the speech. Note the nuances of the conversations. If you have a teenager speaking with a senior citizen, your dialogue will be different. So here, you can research how your senior citizen will speak. Different connotations, words, meanings and even behaviors can have influence here. Break it all down, and begin there.
I'm sure once you do a little research, it will all reveal itself to you. I'm sure you will do fantastic!
Create a backstory for your character
Study how certain demographics speak to one another.
Read the conversation to a friend or family member. Ask if that sounds natural.
Keep in mind, your characters demographic will be very important.
Have fun! You got this!!!
As a playwright, dialogue is my primary focus. Keep your characters interesting and engaging. Sometimes it helps to create a backstory for your characters. I always find that this helps with my dialogue; it brings life to my characters. To get an understanding of how to write in small talk, just study conversations. You can watch a video online and get an idea of general speech. If you were to go to YouTube and throw "Small talk" into the search engine. I'm not sure of the result, but it's worth a shot.
Or just watch a movie and study how the characters are speaking with one another. Instead of watching the film for actual entertainment content, focus on the speech. Note the nuances of the conversations. If you have a teenager speaking with a senior citizen, your dialogue will be different. So here, you can research how your senior citizen will speak. Different connotations, words, meanings and even behaviors can have influence here. Break it all down, and begin there.
I'm sure once you do a little research, it will all reveal itself to you. I'm sure you will do fantastic!
Brian recommends the following next steps:
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