How to Write Killer Prose (17)

Dialogue

            Dialogue isn't easy. There’s so much that can go wrong, and so much to get right. Let's take it in stages.

            When people are talking, you can describe what they say. That's reported speech:

            Dave told Ruth that his marriage was in trouble, but she seemed more

interested in talking about herself.

            Or you can relay their actual words (direct speech) through dialogue:

            I think Sarah's having an affair,' Dave said.

            Ruth frowned. 'I'm definitely going to get those nail extensions.’

            You can see the difference straight away. Direct speech has precision and immediacy, while reported speech is a degree more detached. So that's your first decision. How vital is the reader's need-to-know concerning this exchange? Is Dave and Ruth's conversation at the cutting edge of the narrative? Do we need their actual words? To put it another way: do we show, or do we tell? Reported speech is telling.

            Dialogue (direct speech) leaves more room for the reader's imagination and curiosity. Is Ruth self-engrossed, or is she deliberately avoiding discussing Dave's marriage? Perhaps Dave is chronically paranoid and jealous. Perhaps Ruth knows that Dave's right, but wants to protect Sarah. Perhaps Ruth herself is having an affair with Sarah.

            Don't get me wrong. I've nothing against reported speech. Like exposition, or back-story, it's often exactly what you and your reader need. Reported speech helps speed your reader through your narrative, and brings her up to date.

            But sooner later, you're going to need dialogue. Your characters are going to need to speak, and your reader is going to need to hear their words. There are all sorts of ways of accomplishing this, and in this post I'm going to set out some structural and stylistic guidelines. Basic stuff, but it works, and will help your dialogue land as you want it to.