DON’T SAY THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD
How to Write Dialogue that Sings
We’ve all written dialogue that sounds a bit like this:
“I really don’t want you to go out with your friends because I’m totally insecure and afraid you’re going to meet someone and cheat on me.”
But, hopefully, we then did a dedicated dialogue pass and came up with something better. For example:
“Streets are gonna be flooded with this rain and your brake pads are shit.”
Yes, we’re talking about subtext. Often, it’s the last thing a writer gets comfortable with. We literally give notes on this every day. It’s one of the hardest skills to master.
Don’t get frustrated. Practice makes perfect.
So, how can you approach your subtext journey?
Step One:
As demonstrated above, a dedicated dialogue pass is always a great idea. When we write our first few drafts, the focus will be on story and structure and plot. That’s fine. However, once those are a bit more solid, it’s crucial to go back and look at your dialogue. Is it on the nose? In other words, do people say exactly what they think and feel at all times? Then rewrite those lines with subtext in mind.
In real life, we rarely say exactly what we think and feel at any given moment. We employ metaphor, stay silent, we use non-sequiturs, we joke, we exaggerate, deflect, employ little white lies, pout, change the subject, or just let body language do the talking.
What would your character do in this situation? Overtly stating their feelings probably is not it.
And that brings us to…
Step Two:
In order to write effective subtext, you have to know your character. Different people handle situations in different ways. Where one character will make a tearful scene, another character might stoically walk away. One person might get out of an uncomfortable situation via manipulation, while another might throw a punch. Protagonist A might be given to yammering about historic metaphors for the present situation while Protagonist B might keep his sanity by reciting sports stats.
Step Three:
How much dialogue can you cut out of a scene? For example, does your character have to state all of the reasons why she’s lonely or is it enough if we see her grabbing a teddy bear and huddling on the couch in her empty apartment? Do we need an entire back and forth scene about two lovers figuring out that they don’t feel the same way about this relationship or can we simply have a quick exchange like “I make a killer omelette,” or “Sorry, got an early morning.”
Often writers have a tendency to write back and forth question and answer sessions. Do we need those? Can the question simply be answered by the other character walking away or slamming a door or tap dancing on a table? Answering questions directly is often… you guessed it… on the nose writing.
Writing subtext is a skill. It comes with practice and experience. And it will make your dialogue shine.
Now go get ’em.