Dialogue as “character communication”

In another great discussion in my current Dialogue class, one of the writers in our group Diana Ford had an interesting revelation to my lectures:

On another point, since it’s really conversation-writing that is difficult for me (just as conversation-speaking is for me, LOL), it helps me to know I am really charged with writing communication, not conversation. And, basically, character communication. The psychology of speaking styles is an easier approach to dialogue for me. Rather than “OK, now what should she say,” it’s “How would someone with her personality respond to that.” Much easier.

My response:

Yes, that’s the point in some ways: From the perspective of the writer, Dialogue = Purpose implies not only What do I need to accomplish in this scene and how can the dialogue support that, but also, and perhaps more importantly, a similar question from the perspective of the characters.

If you look at them in macro, what the characters’ general psychological natures and arcs (if they have any) are, there’s that.

Then there’s also a more micro view: Where are they at any given moment in the story re their psych evolution (how the events of the Plotline are impacting them).

Now take both of those points of awareness with you as you think about each character when writing each scene: What are their respective goals in this scene? Where are they generally in their psych journey? Where are they specifically as in right now re this scene?

Just having a clear sense of their psychological mood and emotional state should help you zero in on at least the tone and tenor of their dialogue, and hopefully put you in touch with your characters so they ‘talk’ to you.

As noted previously, there is no formula for writing strong, effective dialogue. Some writers are born with a knack for it. However by grounding our focus in the nature, concerns, backgrounds and goals of each character, we circle in on the area where dialogue can emerge from the characters themselves — not so much conversation-writing, but character communication.

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