: Re: Breaking up a talky piece of writing Dialogue is my favorite thing to write. I tend to use a lot of dialogue in my writing, which sometimes results in long, talky passages -- a bit similar

@Phylliss352

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Further to all the excellent advice already given, I'll just mention you may not need as much dialogue as you think you do, which means you can prune it during the redraft. I'll list a few reasons; if anyone knows more, leave a comment. Addressing these will often bring your scenes to life.

Maybe characters are saying things they'd already know (not just exposition, but what's expected of them or how someone else feels).
Maybe a character anticipates what another will say or do, and heads them off (this also breaks up what dialogue remains, when we hear what people are doing or thinking).
Maybe some of what is said can be succinctly paraphrased, briefly interrupting the paragraph otherwise devoted to another's speech.
Maybe a simple thought would be conveyed in body language, or even in silence or inaction.

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