299. How to Write Dialogue That Does More Than Talk

Your dialogue sounds natural. It’s exactly what these two people would say to each other. So why does the scene still feel flat? Making your characters argue won’t necessarily help. Neither will giving them clever things to say. What gives an exchange its pull runs deeper than the words on the page. Today, I’ll show you what gives dialogue its tension, and how to make even a quiet conversation feel like something readers can’t afford to miss. IN THIS EPISODE The shift that turns every line of dialogue into something your character does What every character needs to bring into a conversation, even a quiet one How a single word choice can reveal the way a character sees the world A simple exercise to try on any scene that feels off RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Roger Alan Skipper SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If this episode helped, subscribe wherever you listen and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps another writer finish their story. Thanks for tuning in to Writer Unleashed! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If this episode helped, subscribe wherever you listen and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps another writer finish their story. Thanks for tuning in to Writer Unleashed!