I once read that writing great dialog comes from listening. This is only part of the story.
No matter how proficient I might be at translating the conversations I’ve heard into dialog between characters, if I don’t punctuate that dialog with action, the dialog will seem jumpy. Dialog may also seem jumpy, if I insert action in the wrong places.
Great dialog comes from also using action to replicate the natural pauses we use as we speak. Action bridges subject changes so your reader follows the conversation. ‘Action bridges’ are one of my favorite ways to connect readers with my characters. It gives you the opportunity to reveal your character’s relationship to his or her environment physically and emotionally.
How to Choose Dialog/Action Bridge Insertion Points
Here are the logical places to insert action into dialog.
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Example:*
“Daddy, how did we get so far apart? If it’s not too late, forgive me. Forgive all the stupid stuff I’ve done to tear down your business. Forgive me for taking offense at your choosing James to be Vice-president of the company instead of me. He was the better candidate for the job all along, because he never dreamed of replacing you. I see my heart hasn’t been right toward you for so long, Daddy. I’m so ashamed of myself. My behavior caused some of your best talents to change loyalties as well.”
“I forgive you, John. Your heart turned away from me, John, when you let jealousy get into your heart. That’s when you took your first offense. Anger naturally followed. You didn’t love me like you once had.”
“I understand that now. You made the right choice when you passed me over. I sure miss you, and I miss the supportive atmosphere we always had at ACME. I wish there was a way I could come back.”
Notice how unnatural it feels for the characters to go on and on? Readers can only take an intense outpouring of speech for so long. Let me share the insertion points I recommended to my client.This content is for members only.
Summary
For strong dialog, it is essential that you interweave it with action. This action may be a tiny physical movement—a blink, a twitch—though often it will be (or include) an emotional transition. Feelings are active and require carefully chosen verbs to describe them, so don’t limit your concept of ‘action’ to physical movement.
* This example has been anonomized from a passage written by a client.
