Writing Dialogue

Beginning and experienced fiction writers can create engaging dialogue by listening to the world around them and to their characters. Rich, vivid dialogue moves a plot forward, presents important points of exposition, develops unique, authentic character voices, and sharpens conflict and tension.

In an upbeat, authoritative style, Writing Dialogue gives the reader a thorough understanding and a strong foundation of this key element of the fiction-writing craft. "Good dialogue is like no other part of a story in that it can, and it ought to, give some sense of being an event unto itself. Good dialogue lends the readers a sense that it is happening outside the writer's control, while clearly it is anything but outside his control," says successful fiction writer and teacher Tom Chiarella. "Of all the elements of fiction, good dialogue comes closest to reflecting the world accurately." Illustrative examples from classic and contemporary literature are coupled with hands-on writing exercises to guide the reader in practicing the lessons given and point-by-point summaries to reiterate key advice.

Writing Dialogue takes a sophisticated yet accessible approach that will attract readers of all levels of skill and experience. And it's clear, practical instruction will be useful to writers in any form and genre, since dialogue appears in every type of fiction.