Writing Dialogue 2

2.

• • • 1. -Who called?

      2. -Your dad.

      3. -I don’t believe it, he replied, sitting up on the sofa and scratching his chin.

      4. -Said it was urgent you call back.

      5. -Well, I’m not.

      6. -Why?

      7. -You know the reasons.

      8. -No, I don’t.

      9. -Well, I won’t because he never calls me.

      10. -But he just did.

      11. -This is different.

      12. -How so? she asked.

      13. -It just is.

      14. -How so?

      15. -He’s only calling because he thinks I’m dying.

      16. -Why would he think that.

      17. -Mom told him.

      18. -Why would she lie?

NOTE

What works and doesn’t work about this exchange? (The characters are exchanging and developing ideas. It feels like a real conversation)

What do you think about the format? (Cool, some writers identify direct speech with dashes and/or single quotations)

RESPOND

What are some rules you might follow to strengthen this dialogue?

• Don't bounce your reader back and forth with dialogue that makes them feel like they're at a ping-pong match

• Don't ask questions just so the other speaker can answer them. People anticipate these questions and answer them for themselves.Lines 11-15 above, for example, could be combined into a single response)