Say it with Dialogue

We all know what bad dialogue sounds like. It happens all the time, one of our favorite actors delivers a line that falls flat and deflates the whole cinema experience for us. As movie-goers and writers, we often wonder if anyone actually read the script before it was put into production. As we try to craft our own scenes, we all struggle with the written word and the cadence of speech. And, to add insult to injury, we can all agree that bad dialogue is easier plucked out of a finished movie by a discerning ear than edited out of script by struggling writer.

To learn from the masters, let's consider Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson. Both of these writers are known for dialogue-heavy scripts. These artists are also known for their ability to attract high-caliber actors and actresses who are dying to play quirky characters in their movies. How do they do it? Tarantino's dialogue is best described as useful banter. The "Royal with Cheese" conversation helped make Pulp Fiction famous. Some could argue that the whole scene could have been cut from the movie without any harm to the story. But, as a writer and creative person, you know the film would have suffered greatly without a discussion of Europe's burger names based on their use of the metric system.

Wes Anderson, writer and creator of some of my favorite modern masterpieces, approaches his scenes differently. Rarely do his characters converse without a serious topic. And, very seldom do his characters actually reference the intricate and interesting world around them. For Wes Anderson, the spoken word is something full of mystery and nuance. In The Royal Tenenbaums, Margot and Richie lay quietly in their tent from childhood. Margot asserts that they "will just have to go on loving each other without anyone knowing it." Although her words seem final and certain, her actions are the opposite. In this way, Anderson has infused her dialogue with several levels of meaning and complexity.

Think about your favorite movies and your favorite sections of dialogue. The task of crafting engaging and unique scenes may seem overwhelming. But, just like story structure, writing dialogue has some tried and true formulas. Drafting dialogue should be just like drafting your outline. The words, phrases, and styles will evolve and change as you polish your work.

To avoid the pitfalls of poor dialogue, here are some simple things to remember.
1) Know your levels. Dialogue can be on-the-nose, full of metaphor, or completely abstract. Each level of dialogue is important and necessary to make a story entertaining. If your characters are saying exactly how they feel at all times, the audience will tire of such self-aware and obnoxious characters. If the dialogue is so full of allegory, metaphor, and simile that it is hard to understand, the audience will feel left out of the story world which you are trying to get them involved in. Mix up levels of dialogue and use them as a tool for different scenes.
2) If you don't have anything to say, don't say it. Just like our elders advice, characters should not be filling empty space on the page with words. If the scene is over and everything has been said, move on to the next event. If the conversation about the weather has lasted 25 pages, it's time to change the subject. If your character is on the fifth page of soliloquy, wrap it up. The most painful dialogue to an audience is word vomit to an empty room. Of course, talking to yourself can be a character trait, but the spoken word needs to be received by someone in someway for it to be important.
3) Characters should not narrate there own scenes. Even in first-person novels and movies, the main character is not supposed to be doing play by play of what is happening. Scenes should be organic and dynamic enough to exist without the characters narrating the location, time, place, or events.

Once you have poured over your work for hours and hours, get a group of people together to read it. They don't need to be actors. Better yet, normal people should read your scenes aloud. The lines they stumble over need to be rewritten. The dialogue they deliver without feeling needs to be edited to evoke emotion. The scenes that seem boring need to have a reason for existing.

Rural Wisdome

After graduating from the University of Miami with a double major in Motion Pictures and English Creative Writing, I moved to Ozark, IL (population 620). Instead of loading 16mm cameras and writing screenplays, I began training horses and teaching riding lessons.

Although the change of pace was abrupt, I have come to appreciate many things about country life. And, despite what many would assume, living in a farming community on the edges of the Shawnee National Forest has actually helped me improve my writing skills and style.

My town, Ozark, has several public meetings places. The Baptist Church is packed on Sundays, the feed store is buzzing on Fridays, and the Ozark General Store runs out of seating every morning starting at 6am. Recently, the Ozark General Store was the host for a moment that flipped on my mental light bulb and reminded me why I write.

Three weeks ago, the Ozark Men were holding court around a small table dressed up with a plastic flower print table cloth and a few hunting magazines. These men, ages 50 and up, all held coffee cups and wore baseball caps. As usual, I was in a hurry to buy some gas and get going, but also as usual, I decided to linger a moment and listen to their animated conversation.

Most days, the Ozark Men attempt to solve the world's major problems in under ten minutes and two cups of coffee, but today was different. They were discussing a new romantic comedy film. Since I joined the debate in the middle, I only guessed that many of the men had been forced to see this movie with their wives.

"It wasn't that bad," one of the men said. He sighed. They must have been talking about this for awhile now.

"Yeah, it was a little boring, but I guess it was supposed to be one of those feel-good movies," another chimed in.

"There was a funny part or two," the man proudly wearing waders and a fishing vest observed.

The oldest and most vocal of the men chimed right in. "Maybe you're all right. And maybe that's why Hollywood is still open. But what was the point?" His question lingered with the constant smell of BBQ pork that permeated the air.

The men hummed "Hmm" in unison, nodded, and went back to their coffee. Case closed.

I finished paying for my gas and literally skipped out to my car. The world was not a soulless, mundane, and trite collection of vapid people. These rural old-timers recognized something that many professional writer's miss. The Ozark Men, who could spin yarns for hours, were better students of story structure than most Creative Writing majors.

No matter how lyrical and well-written a piece may be, it has to have a reason for its existence. It has to have a point. In writing terms, a compelling story must have a main character that inspires sympathy and a story that encourages audience engagement. It is so obvious, but it took a group of curmudgeons to remind me of the First Commandment of Storytelling.

"Thine story shalt have a point."

Now, to get that smell of BBQ out of my clothing.

World, Character, and Quest: Writing a Compelling Story

Stories that sell are stories that compel their audience to read, watch, or interact. Imagining, creating, and writing a story that is compelling is less daunting if you understand what your audience wants and needs.  Crafting scenes and dialogue comes more easily if you understand your character arcs and plot lines.  From the beginning of time, when stories were told around campfires and bards were made famous by the yarns they spun, the same formula has been true.  Your audience must be fascinated by the story world you describe, the main character you follow, and the quest that must be completed.

                                                                    

Write an outline.  No excuses.  This outline will serve as your road map.  It should be revised, rewritten, and constantly reorganized.  The outline is an organic and dynamic document.  Your story must have a thread that is easy to track throughout the whole outline.  Find your story holes and fill them before you write 500 pages that go into the trash can.

Your story must have three, distinct acts.  Western cultures prefer linear stories and Eastern cultures prefer spiral story structures.  With either story style, three acts help the audience track import story points and the main character’s journey.

Interesting stories use the standard story formula and breathe new life into it.  Talented writers do not see structure guidelines as a hindrance to their creativity, but rather the foundation necessary for a truly genius work.

Tried and True Writing Advice

Every scene in the story must:

1)   Move story forward.

2) Offer new information about the main character.

3)   Include only necessary dialogue only.

Falling action, or the third act, is essential.  No matter how the story ends, the ending must be given its due time to unfold.  Stories that stop short offer the audience no satisfaction for the time invested in reading your book, watching your movie, or attending your play.

Learn from the Masters

Art students spend years training and copying famous works.  Creative writers should learn from this example.

The absolute best way to understand story structure and what your audience wants is to get out there and see for yourself.  Constantly read books in different genres, watch movies from around the world, attend musicals and black box theater.

Spend hours in the Writing section at a bookstore.  Gather as much information and as many examples as you can of engaging writing.