: Re: Writing dialogue How much dialogue to use when novel writing? I find it so boring and unimaginative to write, but yet when I read I appreciate that it often provides key information for the

@Moriarity138

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Experiencing something as boring or tedious to write is actually a strong diagnostic for what is weakest in your writing. That, in turn, relates back to what you least pay attention to in real life. For example, I love dialogue, but find descriptions cumbersome to write. That's a warning sign that I write descriptions poorly, which in turn means that I'm not observant enough.

So the first step is to spend some dedicated time studying the thing you dislike, which in this case, means paying close attention to how people talk. In particular, try to become aware of how people hide emotions, attitudes and hidden information under the surface of their words. You can also find an author (or a movie) known for dialogue and study how words are deployed there.

Then, when you actually write the dialogue, make sure it's doing work for you. Dialogue is a great way to tell people about a character's history, background, attitudes, personality and moral character. Between two characters it can be the verbal equivalent of sparring or competition; it can hide or flaunt things such aggression, hatred, love or sexual tension. It's also often one of the things people most remember about a piece of writing. Remember, if it bores you, it will also bore your reader.

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