Dialogue is the linchpin in many works of fiction. A story can have plot, character, theme, setting, and conflict for days, but if it has weak, uninteresting, or unrealistic dialogue it may never reach its full potential.
Some dialogue lies in the perfect center of this Venn diagram. But that’s not the only correct dialogue (look how small it is compared to the other circles). A balanced combination of all three types of dialogue is what you should be after. As a writer you’ll spend a lot of time asking yourself seemingly inane questions. But it’ll pay off in the end. Eliminate Unnecessary Repetition There are various apps, technical programs, and sites that will help you find repeated words. Also, there is a “Find” function built in to most writing software. Eliminate Unnecessary Repetition Have at it in your first draft, but be merciless in all future drafts. Elmore Leonard (1925-2013) wrote 45 novels in his lifetime. That’s a lot of cutting. Dialogue is best when it’s natural, but not too natural. Don’t look at your stories as a collection of chapters; view them as a collection of scenes. If you can’t determine a scene’s purpose, it probably doesn’t need to exist.
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