Writing Excuses Writing Excuses 4.26: Avoiding Stilted Dialog
Jul 5, 2010
The hosts discuss the importance of natural dialogue and provide tips on avoiding stilted language. They explore the concept of stilted dialogue, its components, and the challenges of creating authentic conversations. They also discuss the issue of stilted dialogue in storytelling and suggest strategies to make it more natural. The hosts give examples from 'Firefly' and recommend the book 'American Gods'. Includes a writing prompt to practice incorporating information seamlessly into dialogue.
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Understanding Stilted Dialogue
- Stilted dialogue feels unnatural because characters don't talk or act like real people or their true selves.
- This disconnect makes dialogue feel mechanical, like wearing stilts that don't fit the character's voice or the conversation's flow.
Prune Excess Dialogue
- Write all the dialogue needed to tell the story, then prune it heavily to keep flow natural and realistic.
- Cutting unnecessary setup or obvious phrases helps avoid unnatural or excessive dialogue.
Make One Voice Natural
- Make one character's speech sound very natural to fake a realistic conversation.
- Readers will assume the whole conversation flows naturally even if dialogue is slightly formalized.