Screenwriting : Dialogue!?! by Antonio James Casci

http://www.amazon.com/Dialogue-Secrets-Screenwriting-Blue-Books-ebook/dp...

Thanks Jim! Here are some basic things: root word of conversation is "converse" which is conflict. So what is the conflict in the scene? What is the conflict in the story? What is the conflict (or different way of resolving a shared conflict) between the two characters? You want all conversation to be story related, anything else is cutting room floor material. Next: know your characters. Every character is different, speaks differently, thinks differently, reacts differently. Next: No character knows what the other character is thinking, so they may be responding to what they thought they heard or what they wanted to hear, instead of what was actually said. Next: Don't let dialogue do all of the heavy lifting... use actions to tell your story so that the dialogue is free to play.

Yeah there are a lot of tools but I tend to believe either you have an ear for dialogue or you don't. The main tools would be (1) being specific (2) being a student of how people speak around you and (3) having people talk about stuff that is not what they're REALLY talking about. otherwise known as subtext and (4) having people be colorful with language like they are in real life. So for number 1, instead of a woman saying "Are you having an affair?", she might say "You sure talk about Hilary a lot" number 2, for example I know that a Dublin inner city guy would say "give us one of them cigars, mate" whereas a New york inner city guy would say "yo lemme get a Dutch". neither would say "Can i have a cigar please?". Regarding number 3, a woman could be talking about how much she loves wine but really be using that to say "I want to be f-d" as in Sideways, and for number 4, instead of a bank manager saying "I'm sorry, but we can't give you a loan", he might say "Once your FICO is under 620, buddy you better believe I give you a loan I may as well jump on monster.com and start clicking because my ass is toast"

Hi Antonio, there is a great class available here on Stage 32 about writing compelling dialogue. https://www.stage32.com/classes/How-to-Write-Compelling-and-Authentic-Di...

I make sure I know exactly what the scene has to achieve. Then I find the quickest way to say it. I then think if I even need the scene. I had a family dinner, and an after dinner talk. This was all cut (11 pages) and done in a single page where a character states the underlying theme to someone. I try to make compelling people, their dialogue is an externalisation of them.

Great advice above. If I may humbly add, Musically "a great song writes itself" Try a blank slate of characters(no personality) Have them talk (plot) to each other and give them reasons to assist or resist. They will grow a personality of their own , let them learn and grow and they will do the work for you, - If you have good characters the conversation will write itself and thus furthering your story.

This conversation triggered me to look again at a script I have finished. What I did to make sure I really understood my character was write a list of all his traits and characteristics. I find that know a person at that level stops me from write too many words and lets me get to the heart of the dialogue. I did a business writing course once and the presenter said we use 100 words when 99 are wasted. We use them to hide what we are really trying to say (perhaps not knowing our characters good enough). She then said there was a dispute between the two companies building the first trans-American train line. Each company started from different sides and would meet in the middle. One company slowed to make the other company build more. The other company found out and sent this message. "Due to your efforts to cheat me I will destroy you" No guessing what was meant. A message in as few a words as possible. This is how I try to craft me dialogue.