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Crafting strong dialogue is a crucial element in writing any book. It is through dialogue that characters come alive, and their personalities and motivations are revealed. Good dialogue should sound authentic, move the plot forward, and deepen the characterization.
Make it Real
One of the essential aspects of writing dialogue is to make it believable. It means that the dialogue should sound like something a real person would say in a particular situation. The characters should speak in a way that is consistent with their personality, background, and experience. For example, a shy character would not speak in long, elaborate sentences, and a confident character would not use phrases like "um" or "uh."
One of the common tropes that I often see in children's literature are overly precocious kids who speak like quick-whitted adults. While we may like the idea of the kid who sounds like an adult, it's inauthentic and kids pick up on that fast. Instead, we are looking for characters that look and sound just like their audience. For example:
Sarah leaned against a colorful carousel, peering at Max who was munching on cotton candy.
Hey, Max! Wanna go on the roller coaster?"
Max looked up from his sticky treat, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Nah, roller
coasters are too tame for us. Let's try the upside-down spinny ride instead!"
Sarah's eyes widened with excitement. "Are you serious? That thing spins you upside down
like crazy!"
Max nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! It's gonna be a wild ride, Sarah. Trust me."
Sarah hesitated for a moment, contemplating the thrilling prospect. "Okay, fine! But only if
you promise not to laugh when I scream my lungs out."
Max chuckled. "Deal! I'll be right there with you, screaming like a banshee!"
Sarah laughed, linking her arm with Max's. "Alright, let's go! Prepare for the wildest ride of
our lives, Max!"
Moving Forward
Moreover, dialogue should always move the plot or characterization forward. It should reveal something about the characters, their relationships, or the story's conflict. Dialogue that does not serve a purpose or feels extraneous should be avoided. For instance, idle chit-chat or small talk can slow down the pace of the story and bore readers. For example:
Sophia stormed into the coffee shop, her face flushed with anger. She found her best friend,
Emma, sitting at their usual table, engrossed in her phone.
Sophia plopped down opposite Emma, her voice tense. "Emma, we need to talk. I can't believe
you never told me about Jake!"
Emma looked up, her eyes widening. "Wait, what? What happened?"
"He's been spreading rumors about me at school," Sophia exclaimed, her voice filled with
frustration. "Saying all these horrible things. I thought you were my friend, but you never said
a word!"
Emma's face turned pale as she fumbled to put her phone away. "Sophia, I didn't know. I \
swear. I thought he was only treating me that way, which is why I was avoiding him. "
Sophia crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "Avoiding him? How come I never noticed?
But you didn't say anything."
Emma sighed, her voice filled with regret. "I didn't want to burden you with his drama. I was
trying to protect you."
Sophia's anger softened a bit as she realized Emma's intentions. "I get it, but we're supposed
to have each other's backs, Emma. You should have told me. We're in this together. It turns out
he is a jerk to everyone by the way. Not just you."
Emma reached across the table, grabbing Sophia's hand. "You're right. I messed up. I'm
sorry. I'll make it right, I promise."
Sophia leaned back, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. "Okay, I appreciate that. We're
stronger as a team, remember?"
Emma nodded, determination in her eyes. "Absolutely. From now on, no secrets, no holding
back. We'll face whatever comes together, always."
In this dialogue scene, the conversation revolves around a conflict between Sophia and Jake, and it serves to move the plot forward by revealing the rumors and tension surrounding them. It also showcases the strong bond between Sophia and Emma, as well as their commitment to supporting and being honest with each other. The dialogue not only furthers the characterization of Sophia and Emma but also establishes a promise of unity and resilience in the face of challenges.
Dialogue Tags and Cues
Use dialogue tags and cues to convey the speaker's emotions and actions. Examples of dialogue tags are "she said," "he whispered," "they shouted." Cues describe what the character is doing while speaking, such as "she rolled her eyes" or "he scratched his head." It's important to think of cues as showing us how a character is moving and taking up a space. Most people don't sit around and talk without moving. Dialogue cues can also be used to show setting. For example:
"If you don't move faster, we're going to be late to school," Mom called from the front door,
holding his backpack.
Jason snatched it from her and rushed ahead. "You're always worried about us being late, but
we never are."
"The only reason we aren't late is because I make sure we are on time."
Jason rolled his eyes and pulled his jacket a little tighter as a brisk wind emerged from an
alley. "When I become a grownup, I'm never going to worry about time."
His mom snorted. "Good luck with that."
This scene tells us a little about the characters, but it also tells us what time of day as they are clearly heading off to school. It also tells us the weather since there is a brisk wind. Finally, we have an idea that they are in a city since there is an alley. Dialogue is a perfect place to put some of these little details, rather than info-dumping in an entire paragraph.
Variation
Vary the length and structure of the sentences. People do not speak in perfectly formed sentences, so neither should your characters. Use contractions, sentence fragments, and interruptions to make the dialogue sound natural. Be careful with dialects and accents as they can get unwieldy. It is important however to make your characters sound distinctive. In theory, you should be able to write a scene without any dialogue tags or cues and the reader be able to tell which characters are talking. I say in theory since that is easier to do with only two characters or ones who have clear verbal speaking patterns.
If you don't differentiate though, it becomes confusing to the reader, even with those dialogue tags and cues. I edited a book once in which there were five female nurses throughout most of the book. And I had a very difficult time being able to tell who was who. All of them sounded exactly the same, which ultimately made the story confusing.
Show, Don't Tell
Show, don't tell. Dialogue is an excellent opportunity to show the character's thoughts, emotions, and motivations. Instead of telling the reader what the character is feeling, show it through their dialogue.
It's important to note that not all dialogue is created equal. Superfluous dialogue, also known as filler dialogue, can detract from the story's pacing and bore readers. Examples of filler dialogue include idle chit-chat, lengthy descriptions of mundane activities, and excessive small talk. As a rule of thumb, every line of dialogue should serve a purpose, whether it's advancing the plot or revealing something about the characters.
Conclusion
Crafting strong dialogue is an essential element of writing children's books, particularly in middle-grade and young adult fiction. Dialogue should sound authentic, move the plot forward, and deepen the characterization. Using dialogue tags and cues, varying sentence length and structure, and showing rather than telling are effective ways to make dialogue compelling. Additionally, it's important to avoid filler dialogue and ensure that every line of dialogue serves a purpose. By following these guidelines, writers can create engaging, memorable dialogue that brings their stories to life.