Dialogues are very important in story flow, they are also not necessary. If you’re going to use dialogue in your post, use it correctly to avoid any confusion.
Here are some errors to avoid:
Stilted exchanges
The problem with first time/ amateur writers is that we tend to want to show off the English we know. While we do know what to write on the dialogue, the sentences often seem forced. Let your dialogue sound as natural as possible. You might also want to read it out loud with someone to see if it is something natural beings who are communicating might say. If that doesn’t work, try eavesdropping. Just make sure you are not caught!
Similar Voices
Each of your characters should have a unique voice. Voice is the author’s style, the quality that makes his or her writing unique, and which conveys the author’s attitude, personality, and character. With this technique, a reader can know a character’s level of education, mood etc.
Making small talk
Have you ever tried making small talk with someone you met at an event for the first time? It reaches another level of ‘awkward’ after some few minutes. You don’t just put dialogue in a story for the sake of it. A dialogue must have a greater purpose in the story. It has to provoke an action, reveal someone’s emotion and attitude towards something or someone.
Exposition
This is another name for ‘spoiler alert’. It is when a character explains the story in dialogue. If you have already told the reader what happens at the end, why should they continue reading? The essence of storytelling is to keep the reader hooked till the end.
Forgotten dialogue tags
Always ensure the audience knows who is speaking by using the ‘he said’ or ‘she said’ tags, but they should not be overused. Just use enough to guide the reader as to who is speaking.
Incorrect dialogue punctuation
Ensure that you don’t confuse your readers. Use quotation marks correctly. Decide on your dialogue format, for example, single or double quotation marks, and use them consistently.
Do you know any other errors to avoid? Let us know on the comments section.