A “Dialogue” is defined as “talk between two people”. To write a dialogue successfully, the writer should have the power to put himself inside two imaginary persons so as to make them express their individual opinions naturally and in keeping with their characters. The writer has in turn to be each one, and see the point of view of each on the question.
HINTS
1a) Give all of your characters a chance, and don’t let any one character monopolize the conversation. Make the conversation brisk and rapid.
1b) Like a real conversation, make one person interrupt the other in your written dialogue to add to its naturalness.
For example:
A.- “I am confident that she would never do such a thing. Why, only yesterday she told me-“
B.– “I don’t care what she told you! I know she did it.”
1c) In real conversation, people often use exclamations, surprise (eg., “Good heavens!” “Well” etc.); irritation (eg., “O dear!”); pleasure (“How nice!”)- and so on. You may introduce such interjections from time to time, but the use of them should not be overdone.
1d) Avoid slang words. Nor should you use bookish phrases. Keeping in mind how real people talk in friendly conversation, reproduce that conversational type as well as you can.
2) Pay special attention to the opening sentences and the conclusion. Begin the dialogue in an interesting way, so that the reader’s attention is captured from the very first. The conclusion should not also end abruptly; the conversation should lead to some definite conclusion.
3) The language should be colloquial but not ungrammatical. The characters in a written dialogue must talk good English, no matter how free-and-easy their style of conversation may be.
4) Keeping the above-mentioned points in mind, write your dialogue in as natural and interesting a manner as possible. Make your written dialogue realistic and spontaneous.
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