Do you need some tips on how to structure dialogue in a short story? We’ve included 13 top tips for you below!
1. Don’t Always Have Your Characters Talking in Complete Sentences
Although it might be grammatically correct, human dialogue often has a lot of fragmented sentences. Try to check for them the next time you have a conversation: how many did you notice ending up being cut off due to an interruption, or trailing off into something completely different?
Additionally, how many times did someone only have a speak a small fragment in order to get across their meaning? Try creating abrupt statements, or play around with characters cutting in and interrupting each other to increase the humanness and dynamism of your dialogue.
Example
“So, I was thinking we could go to the-”
“Sorry, can’t make it. Car broke down.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. We could always take the bu-”
“Actually, just remembered that I’ve got a doctor’s appointment-”
“Oh. Got it. Say no more.”
In the example above, the shortness, interruptions, and abrupt nature of the second speaker show how much they don’t want to go out. This is then mirrored later on by the first speaker’s interruption at the end as they realize what is going on.
2. Say Your Dialogue Out Loud
It can be hard sometimes to make the dialogue in your story seem realistic. To combat this, try saying the dialogue you have written out loud. This will help you to be able to see whether it feels natural to say, or feels forced or fake.
Does it sound like a real person would say it? Is it easy to say without fumbling your words?
It’s perfectly fine to remember that some dialogue may sound strange simply because of the subject matter.
Often, stories address matters that are more profound than those we might experience in our everyday lives, so they might lean more on the dramatic side. The key is to make sure it doesn’t lean so far that it becomes unrealistic!
Examples
Take a look at these two responses to a question a good few of us might know all too well.
“Would you like fries with that?”
“Yes, I would like the fries, and may I also ask for an extra ketchup packet?”
vs.
“Would you like fries with that?”
“Yeah, and a packet of ketchup. Thanks.”
From looking at these examples, it’s easy to see which one feels forced, and which is more natural.
3. Cut the Small Talk
We all know how boring small talk can sometimes be in real life, so it’s often not something that we want to be a main part of the stories that we read. Talking about the weather or what a character had for dinner last night isn’t exactly the most riveting of details, so can usually be kept out of your story in favor of dialogue that can help to move a plot forward.
The exception to this might be if the small talk is being used as a literary technique, such as a character stalling for time, or perhaps to show how boring and mundane a situation is that your characters are trying to escape.
Bad Example
“Hey Joe, nice weather today.”
“Yeah, but it looks like rain. Did you watch the game last night?”
“Nah, I recorded it though.”
4. Make Each Character’s Dialogue Unique
No two people on the planet are the same, and the same can be said for the way in which they speak. Make sure to make each character in your story have a unique tone to their speech. This could be affected by things such as their gender, their personality, their level of education, and any other factors that make them stand out from others.
Example
“Well, bless your heart, darlin’. You take care now and make sure to give your mama my thanks, y’hear?”
5. Be Consistent
Once you have mapped out how you want your character to sound, remember to then keep that style of speech consistent to avoid breaking character. That’s not to say they will speak the same all the time though, but only have them break their speech patterns when the moment is right, such as when required by a situation, or perhaps when speaking to a certain character over others.
Example
“Oi Cory, take a look at thi-” Hugh caught the eyes of his boss from over his monitor, “this report I’ve been compiling, and let me know if you can see any irregularities.”
6. Be Mindful of Subtext
Sometimes it’s not about what someone has said, but instead, what they have not said that makes all the difference in a story. We often conceal our true thoughts when we speak to others, perhaps out of politeness, or for bigger reasons.
Keeping your reader guessing as to someone’s true feelings can be a great way to build a narrative. Remember not to leave everything hidden though: throw in a few clues here and there with their actions and body language to avoid an unwelcome surprise for your reader.
Example
She crossed her arms and looked away, “I guess some people really don’t care.”
He raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair to study her closely. “Is that what you think of me?”
Her gaze started to soften as she started to unfold her arms. “Well, maybe I am hoping you prove me wrong.”
7. Be Mindful of Long Pieces of Speech
Some people can tend to talk for a long amount of time, but it is unlikely that they will be able to rattle on without some kind of interruption here or there. Long sections of speech, much like when someone has been talking to you for too long, can be yawn-worthy for your reader, so it’s best to either edit down the length or break the piece of dialogue up using things such as the setting or body language.
This rule can be disregarded if a character is retelling an event or a story to another, but be aware not to use this technique too much to stay focused in the “here and now” for your characters.
8. Remove the Supports on Your Dialogue
Many of us were taught in school to use any and all words when writing dialogue other than “said”. While this is great for helping to expand your vocabulary as a child, it doesn’t really translate into the world of story writing.
Instead, using “said” is perfectly fine, although the best way to structure your dialogue is to give it little to no support at all. Writing a piece of standalone speech is absolutely fine, and instead of describing how they have spoken their words, try mentioning their body language. After all, thanks to quotation marks, your reader knows they are talking!
Examples
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Y’know, I heard about the breakup. If there is anything I can-”
She turned away, continuing to sift through the drawer for her things. “You can try not mentioning it.”
9. Think About Who is in the Conversation
Always be aware of not just what the conversation is about, but who is taking part. People speak in different ways when with different people, and so the dynamics and relationships between everyone involved in the conversation need to be taken into account.
If this sounds tricky, try mapping out each character on a sheet of paper, and start to connect them together in different ways, such as their social status, opinions of each other, and any other details that may affect how they interact with each other.
10. Consider Slang and Dialect
Nobody really speaks perfect English, and often our speech is peppered with slang or dialect from where we are from. You can use this to spice up the dialogue in your short story, by researching the dialects of where your characters come from, or even considering their age or their hobbies as to what slang words they will add to their sentences.
For those creating alternate or future worlds, this also gives you the freedom to be able to create your own slang or dialect.
Example
A famous example of this in action is the use of the “Nadsat” slang language used by the main character Alex in Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange.
11. Keep Exclamation Marks and Italics to a Minimum
Although they might seem tempting to use in order to create emphasis and add to the drama in your story, try to keep exclamation marks and italics to a minimum, in case they end up being just a little too much.
Often, your reader can infer the stresses and whether something is being exclaimed from the tone and context of the conversation, so there’s oftentimes no need to place in extra emphasis.
Bad Example
“Wait just a minute! You can’t just waltz in here and expect everyone to be falling at your feet! You were gone for over a year!”
12. Use Non-Verbal Communication
We don’t just speak with our mouths. Often, our bodies and facial expressions can communicate much more than our words can, or can even seem to contradict what we are saying altogether.
Instead of being tempted to always have your characters respond to each other using dialogue, try out using non-verbal communication or their body language to show their response instead. This could be anything from a simple nod, to a huff and a rolling of eyes.
Example
“But what are we meant to do?” she pondered, which was just met with a shrug as Joel carried on about his business.
13. Focus on the Beat
Much like music, dialogue can have rhythm to it, to help to propel a story along. This is done by ensuring that the emotional beats of the dialogue match what is going on in the narrative at that time so that they merge together.
Try reading back through the dialogue you have written. Can you feel an emotional charge and movement running through it? If not, try to think about ways that you could insert this into the sequence.
Example
“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to simply let go? To never feel the need to grasp at everything that passes you by and cling to it for dear life?”
“No… I don’t suppose I have.”
“If this elevator were to start to fall, what would you hold on to?”
She didn’t know how to answer him.
“I have a feeling we will find out together.”