Usually, I wait until the end of writing my story to read it back to myself—the temptation to fix things instead of moving forward with my word count (the goal of NaNoWriMo, of course) is too big. It can lead to serious procrastination, and that's the opposite of what I need if I'm going to "win" this year.
But with Daylight Savings this weekend, I found myself with an extra hour (sort of) and so I spent some time reading the words I've written—and yep, it's still there: my biggest weakness is writing dialogue. It never sounds natural. Like, at all.
So, I thought I would share some tips on writing dialogue I've learned over the years, in case it's a weakness for you too. Here are the top three things I've learned:
CUT THE BORING STUFF. Get rid of conversation that doesn't enhance the plot or provide insight into your character. Everyday stuff like hello, how are you, and goodbye should go. Eliminate repetitive phrases.
KEEP IT SHORT. I have a tendency to ramble...which means I'm including a lot of boring stuff (see above) but also, most people don't talk that way. (Except Grandpa when he's going on and on about his canola crop.) Keep your dialogue brief and to the point.
MAKE THE VOICES DIFFERENT. Your characters shouldn't sound the same. Create a cheat sheet that allows you to see at a glance their favourite (and different) words, catch phrases, and how their characteristics are drawn out in what they're saying. A shy person might spit out the occasional um, for instance.
Of course, I'm not suggesting you go back and FIX your dialogue—that would be counterproductive to meeting your word count goals (especially since it might mean CUTTING some words), but something to keep in mind as you move forward with your story.
Gotta jet! Have a great Monday and...may the words be in your favour!
~ Chase Superman Duffy
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