Cover of Writing Dialogue

Writing Dialogue

Characters need to speak to each other. Tom Chiarella shows you how. Whether it's an argument, a love scene, a powwow among sixth graders or scientists in a lab, this book demonstrates how to write dialogue that sounds authentic and original. You'll learn ways to find ideas for literary discussions by tuning in to what you hear every day. You'll learn to use gestures instead of speech, to insert silences that are as effective as outbursts, to add shifts in tone, and other strategies for making conversations more compelling. Nuts and bolts are covered, too - formatting, punctuation, dialogue tags - everything you need to get your characters talking.

Themes
writers
Audience
adult
Length
short · 176 pages

Click a tag to see books like this one that share it.

Read it? Sign in to help tag it.

Liked Writing Dialogue? Here’s where I’d start.

These suit anyone who liked Writing Dialogue. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.

  1. Creating Character Emotions Shares writing, nonfiction, books on writing
  2. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Shares writing, nonfiction, on writing
  3. The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life Shares writing, nonfiction, on writing
  4. The Weekend Novelist Shares writing, nonfiction, on writing

“People who read Writing Dialogue tend to reach for these next.”

  1. Beginnings, Middles & Ends
  2. Breathing Life into Your Characters
  3. Plot
  4. Description

“If you want more of the same, start with these.”

  1. Building Better Plots
  2. Writing Scary Scenes
  3. Write Tight: How to Keep Your Prose Sharp, Focused and Concise
  4. She Sat He Stood: What Do Your Characters Do While They Talk?

“If it was the writing that hooked you, try one of these.”

  1. Finding Your Writer's Voice: A Guide to Creative Fiction
  2. Dynamic Characters: How to Create Personalities That Keep Readers Captivated
  3. Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
  4. Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days

“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

  1. How to Write Dialogue
  2. How Conversation Works: 6 Lessons for Better Communication
  3. Dialogue: Techniques and exercises for crafting effective dialogue
  4. Writing Vivid Dialogue: Professional Techniques for Fiction Authors (Writer's Craft Book 16)