AnAmericanImmigrant

I did some search in Scripts & Plays section for some dialogue advices but didn't see any threads on them.

Scenes, characters, and actions always seem to come easy for if I had a plot/idea of what kind of story I'm going to work on but when it comes to dialogs and speeches I have struggled in this department. The thing is, when I try to write a conversation between two or more characters it seems a bit cheesy and cliche.

Two great dialog writers come to mind are Kevin Smith and Quentin Taratino. The dialogs in many of their films are very creative and ENTERTAINING unlike many other films. I prefer their style of movies over big budget action flicks because the dialogs are more intriguing than gunfights and explosions. I understand that scenes and actions are the moneymakers and attention grabbers but the dialogs are the main backbone and definition behind a film.

Anyways, I need to know how writers come up with dialogs without sounding cheesy and cliche.

lost cowboy

If it’s any help, it takes about 20 pages before my characters start to find their own voices. I keep tossing them into situations and see how they react and pretty soon they start to find their own voice. For the first couple of pages everyone sounds the same.

I keep writing, picture them in my head, and throw them into really painful or uncomfortable situations and inevitably they start talking to me. I also look at what the other characters need to play off of to build drama or make them stand out.

I can give you some really good examples but unfortunately they aren’t mine. : ) Good luck.

LC

stale911

I see your problem, Immigrant.
Sometimes it is a little difficult to produce an anti-cliche/cheesy dialogue text.
But the dialogue usually just makes it self up for my stories.

Perhaps, if you are still having troubles with your dialogue, you should picture the chracter in your mind and how they would react to a situation. Think of it as if it were a movie, that you were watching exclusively in your head.

Or, when a characters are in a conversation or situation, then picture yourself in the atmosphere of your story. Pretend that you are one of those chracters and ask yourself the question; What would I say in that prediciment?

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Modern-Day Gladiators & Dyansty Legion

Wallmaker

Do they all have different motives per a scene? That can help keep your people sounding different and give them something to talk about. I've had trouble with multiple people talking and realized it was becuase they don't have enough to say. Kevin Smith and Tarantino are clever about this and have characters with opposing viewpoints, odd morals, and whatnot butt heads with each other to create interesting dialogues. I mean, if you didn't have one guy who thought it was stupid to tip waitresses, we wouldn't have that great scene in Resevoir Dogs. And what does that show us? A sense of conflict in the group (important later in the story) and a sense of "psuedo morality" among some of the characters.

Let's say you have 3 People, JOE, who wants to catch the Killer, CANDI, who wants to go into witness protection, and STEVE who wants a sandwhich (all this murder just reminds him of his low blood sugar).
Now, this is a silly and over the top example, but can you see how this might play? Joe's going to try to be telling clues to Candi and Steve...however the more Candi hears, the more she doesn't want to catch her husband's killer, the more she wants to get out of here. Steve clearly could be our cowawrdly comic relief or a seasoned veteran right? Yeah yeah, people die every day, let's get lunch. This is will be fustrating for Joe and an interesting scene.

So, take a look at your characters. Use their personalities to their fullest extent. The dialogue will come out. Also, don't sweat early drafts of dialogue. Sometimes I beat myself up over being witty and I don't write enough. Clever dialogue can take time and drafts even though it seems to effortless up on the screen.

Cheers,
Kay

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paradojas

I like to hang out in coffee shops and other places and listen to the way people talk. Also I read a lot. Especially novels with good dialogue.

When I'm out X-C skiing or running, I sometimes have conversations with my characters.

Watching movies or Sho Time and HBO can help. "Dexter" is a fountain of good dialogue.

Truth-Teller

Stale's advice is the opposite of stale. It is fresh, organic, and homegrown.

Listen to him.

Ask yourself, what crazy thing would you say under this situation? Put yourself in your character's shoe.

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When you try to impress, instead of communicating the written word, you have already failed as a writer; and if you're writing to be loved, instead of loving to write, you should not be called on.

Mklangelo

It comes down to two (or more) people TALKING to one another. Do you have an understanding of your protagonist and your supporting charactors? Write like you talk. When you talk with your friends, does it sound "cheesy" and "cliche"? Of course not. Write like you talk... Take away the wall between you and the keyboard.

BradW

Maybe you could try writing your characters with specific actors in mind. That's what I do.

You don't have to make the character look like the actor but it's a good trick to picture the actor as your character and it does help when it comes to dialogue.

For me anyway. Then again, I've never really had a problem with dialogue.

didi768

Now dialogue is my strong point and I never struggle there but........isn't there always a but?
POV is my biggest problem, as well as grammar. I'm still horrible at sentence structure but isn't that what the editors are for?

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Di

Mklangelo

Grammar is not important nowadays.

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A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.

- Mark Twain

Indigo

Try thinking about your favourite screenwriters. You love Tarantino's dialogue- what exactly is it that gets you going about it? What makes it different - unique? Think about what you enjoy to watch/listen to yourself and - don't copy their style - but try and see if you can try experimenting with their techniques.

What I personally think is the best thing about Tarantino's writing isn't the flashy confrontational dialogue (which is great too) it is when the characters are just talking to each other without any real plot significance. Honeybunny and Pumpkin bickering, Fabian and Butch's babytalk, Mr. Pink's Madonna speech.

Why not try to develop your characters through monologue or dualogue? Leave your plot alone for a bit and just let them ramble on about whatever they feel like. It almost definitely won't end up in your final script but it's great fun and really develops the character. I find it really useful for developing a character's voice. You will discover vocal ticks and ways of talking that you didn't know they had before. if you just let go and write rubbish sometimes you some out with gold.

I don't know about anyone else, it may not work for you but I really enjoy using this method.