Ideas To Make Your Dialogue Sound Natural

Gary Smailes | 5 December 2025

What “Natural” Dialogue Really Means

Natural does not mean a tape recorder. Real talk on the page wears editing and leaves a clean line. You want the illusion of breath and mess, without the dead air.

Curate, do not transcribe

Real speech wanders. On the page, wandering drains pace.

Raw talk:

• “So, um, like, are you, are you going to the, you know, the meeting or, I mean, we could, I guess, skip, but I dunno.”
• “I mean, yeah, I was thinking, kind of, but then Jess said she might not, which is, like, awkward, right?”

Trimmed for story:

• “You going to the meeting?”
• “I was. Jess might bail.”

Intent survives. Agony goes. Read your scene out loud. Cut filler, repeats, and hedges. Keep the spine.

Quick drill:

• Take a messy page of dialogue.
• Strike every “um,” “like,” and false start.
• Read again. Restore one hesitation where tension peaks.

Purpose drives realism

Real people talk to get things. Information, comfort, power, permission. On the page, every exchange needs a job. Aim for two jobs at once.

Flat:

• “Did you eat lunch?”
• “Yes.”

Purposeful:

• “Did you eat?” He checks the empty fridge.
• “Toast. You forgot the list again.”

Now we see neglect, a tiny wound, and a relationship rule. Character, plot, and tension move together.

Litmus test for each line:

• What changes for the scene?
• What do we learn about speaker or stakes?
• Where does pressure rise?

If a line does none of those, cut or rewrite.

Use how people speak: contractions, fragments, implied subjects

Stiff dialogue sounds written. Everyday speech relaxes.

Stiff:

• “I will not go. Are you coming? Of course, I am afraid.”

Natural:

• “I won’t go.”
• “You coming?”
• “’Course. I’m scared.”

Fragments help when emotion spikes. Implied subjects speed pace. Do not push this in formal settings unless a character ignores decorum on purpose.

Micro switch list:

• do not to don’t
• cannot to can’t
• going to to gonna for one character, not for all
• are you to you

Pick habits per character. Keep them steady.

Match words to context and stakes

Pressure shortens lines. Low stakes leave room to play.

High stakes:

• “Door. Now.”
• “Left or right?”
• “Left.”

Low stakes:

• “So. The red mug? Brave. You going full committee scandal at nine a.m.?”
• “Relax. It was on sale.”

Chase breath. In a rush, people skip qualifiers. In a lull, they riff. If a joke kills pace in a chase, save it for later.

Keep info off the tongue

Readers smell a lecture stuck in a mouth. Move background to beats, interior, or a later scene. Let words stay true to the moment.

On-the-nose:

• “As you know, I have been head of security here for ten years, ever since the merger with Dalton, and the south gate has always been a problem.”

Cleaner:

• “South gate’s weak.” He rubs the scar under his collar. Ten years of patch jobs, and one still itches.

Or split the load:

• Dialogue gives the claim. Beat gives the proof. A line of interior gives timing or regret.

When characters must trade facts, lace them with motive.

• “You told HR?”
• “After you left me off the budget. Felt fair.”

Short examples to model the shift

Overwritten:

• “I simply do not agree with your assessment of Valerie,” Martin said angrily.

Natural:

• “No. You’re wrong about Valerie.” Martin’s jaw tightens.

Overexplained:

• “As you know, my mother died when I was twelve, which is why birthdays upset me.”

Natural:

• “No party.” She folds the invitation. Twelve candles used to mean hospital air and beeping.

Stiff rhythm:

• “I will go to the store. Do you require anything?”

Natural:

• “I’m heading to the store. Need anything?”

Action: compress real talk, then your scene

• Record two minutes of real conversation. Coffee line. Family dinner. A meeting break.
• Transcribe every word.
• Circle main moves. Intent, pushback, reveal.
• Boil into six to eight lines. Keep intent and rhythm. Lose filler.
• Now open a scene from your draft.
• Highlight a page of dialogue.
• Apply the same compression. Keep what moves plot or exposes character. Trim the rest.
• Read the new version out loud. If your ear trips, smooth a beat or swap a tag.

Natural on the page is built, not taped. Purpose in every line. Pressure in the right places. The sound of people, minus the mush.

Build Distinct Voices Through Register and Idiolect

Voice is fingerprint. No two people speak the same way, and your characters should not either. Voice layers four elements: word choice, sentence shape, how they frame the world, and the attitude they bring to every exchange.

The voice equation: diction + syntax + metaphor + attitude

Diction is vocabulary. A mechanic says "busted." A surgeon says "compromised." A teenager says "totally wrecked." Same broken thing, three speakers.

Syntax is sentence shape. Short bursts versus meandering thoughts. Questions versus declarations. Active voice versus passive hedging.

Metaphor reveals how they see the world. A chef talks about relationships "going sour." A sailor mentions "weathering storms." A gamer "levels up" through challenges.

Attitude colors everything. Optimism, cynicism, formality, warmth. The same news lands differently from a cheerleader versus a prosecutor.

Quick test: Take this line: "The project failed."

• Mechanic: "Whole thing's shot."
• Academic: "The initiative did not meet projected outcomes."
• Teenager: "Epic fail. Like, completely."

Same information. Different people.

Register shifts with audience and power

People code-switch. They adjust formality, vocabulary, and tone based on who is listening and where they stand in the social order.

Your corporate lawyer does not use the same voice for:

• Cross-examining a witness: "Where were you at 11:47 p.m.?"
• Texting her sister: "Mom's being weird about dinner again."
• Addressing the judge: "Your Honor, I respectfully object."

Track these shifts. They reveal relationship dynamics and character depth.

Power up example:

• To the CEO: "The quarterly numbers exceed expectations, sir."
• To a peer: "We killed it this quarter."
• To a subordinate: "Nice work on those reports."

Same person, same success, three different ways of claiming credit.

Show voice through patterns, not phonetic spelling

Skip the apostrophes and dropped letters. Avoid "Ah reckon y'all should mosey on over" unless you are writing comedy. Phonetic spelling dates your work and often leans into stereotype.

Show voice through structure and choice.

Rural character, bad approach:

• "Well, I s'pose we'uns better git goin' afore it gits dark."

Rural character, better approach:

• "Best head out before dark sets in." Simple construction. Rural idiom without cartoon spelling.

Or let grammar patterns do the work:

• Academic: "One might consider whether the approach proves feasible."
• Tradesperson: "Worth a shot, I guess."
• Child: "We should try it and see what happens!"

Same idea. Different minds.

Be sparing with slang and current idiom

Slang dates fast. "That's fire" will sound like "totally radical" in five years. Use character-specific vocabulary instead of trend-driven phrases.

Choose words that fit their world:

• Librarian: "volumes," "catalog," "shelf life"
• Pilot: "altitude," "course correction," "clear for takeoff"
• Coach: "game plan," "benchwarmer," "timeout"

This gives voice without expiration dates.

Exception: One character uses dated slang. This becomes a character trait, not a writing mistake.

Create contrast for instant recognition

Readers should know who is speaking before you tell them. Build clear differences in rhythm, formality, and word choice.

Three characters discussing the same problem:

Dr. Sarah Chen (precise, medical background):

• "The symptoms present within normal parameters. I recommend monitoring."

Jake (mechanic, direct):

• "Looks fine to me. Keep an eye on it."

Bella (teenage daughter, dramatic):

• "It's probably nothing, but what if it's everything?"

Same conclusion. Three distinct voices.

Draft your voice palette

For each major character, map these elements:

• Favorite verbs: What actions do they choose? A gardener "cultivates" relationships. A soldier "executes" plans. A teacher "guides" conversations.
• Taboo words: What do they avoid saying? A parent might not swear around kids. A formal person skips contractions. A optimist avoids "never" and "impossible."
• Formality level: Complete sentences or fragments? Casual or professional register as default?
• Metaphor sources: Where do their comparisons come from? Sports, cooking, war, nature, technology?
• Sentence length preference: Short and punchy, or layered and complex?

Voice palette example:

Character: Marcus (investment banker)

• Favorite verbs: leverage, position, execute, capitalize
• Avoids: profanity, admitting uncertainty
• Formality: High, even casually
• Metaphors: Financial, sports, warfare
• Sentences: Moderate length, structured

Character: Riley (art student)

• Favorite verbs: create, explore, feel, question
• Avoids: absolute statements, corporate speak
• Formality: Low, lots of fragments
• Metaphors: Visual, emotional, organic
• Sentences: Variable, often incomplete thoughts

Practice: rewrite the same line three ways

Take one piece of dialogue. Rewrite it through each character's voice until each version sounds like a different person.

Base line: "I think we should leave now."

Marcus: "Market conditions suggest an immediate exit strategy."

Riley: "This place feels heavy. Time to go?"

Dr. Chen: "Given the current variables, departure would be prudent."

Each voice carries personality, background, and attitude. The reader hears three different people.

Test your voice work

Write a page of dialogue with no tags. Give it to someone unfamiliar with your story. Ask them to identify different speakers. If they struggle, your voices need more separation.

Another test: Read dialogue out loud in different accents or pitches. If the words feel wrong in certain voices, your character choices are working.

Final drill: Take your weakest character voice. Give them one strong speech pattern or verbal tic. A phrase they repeat, a way they avoid direct answers, a type of question they always ask. Build from that anchor until their voice becomes unmistakable.

Voice is not accent or dialect. Voice is choice. Every word your character speaks is a decision they make about how to present themselves to the world. Make those decisions count.

Let Subtext Do the Heavy Lifting

People rarely say what they want. They circle, hedge, joke. Natural dialogue does the same. Name the truth without naming the truth.

Start with the on-the-nose line, then bury the meaning under behavior and implication.

On-the-nose:

• "I miss you. Please come home."

Subtext:

• "Your toothbrush is still in the cup."
• She sets a plate on the table. Two forks. Waits.

The message lands harder because the reader completes the thought. Readers love to do that work.

Trade declarations for implication

Swap blunt statements for angles and half-answers. A few common moves:

• Answer a question with a story.
• Reply to pressure with logistics.
• Joke instead of confess.
• Ask a smaller question that points at the bigger one.

Example, workplace:

On-the-nose:

• "I feel unappreciated and underpaid."

Subtext:

• "The new hire makes six figures?"
• He straightens the badge. "Good to know what the market says."

Same grievance. Less announcement, more sting.

Another, relationship:

On-the-nose:

• "You lied to me."

Subtext:

• "You told me traffic. Funny, the photo shows sunlight on your shirt."
• She wipes a glass dry, again.

No speech about betrayal. The point still slices.

Keep friction alive with yes-but and no-and

Agreement, then a condition. Refusal, then a counter. Friction without shouting.

• "Yes, I’ll go, but we leave after dessert."
• "No, I won’t lend the car. And I’ll drive you there at seven."

Both lines move the scene. Stakes rise because the deal twists.

Try this in a tense scene:

Direct:

• "Fine. Do whatever you want."

Friction:

• "Fine. Do what you want, but don’t call me when it falls apart."

No lecture. One clause changes the power balance.

Let beats say what mouths won’t

Beats are little stage directions. Posture, props, micro-actions. They carry meaning and sometimes contradict the words.

• "I’m not worried." He folds the note so neatly the edges line up.
• "Take your time." She checks her watch twice.
• "Great job." He taps delete on the email draft.

A beat can replace a whole speech. Use them to set tone, to show resistance, to slip secrets under the door.

Mini-scene:

• "Thought you quit."
• Alex twists the bottle cap on, off, on. "I cut back."
• "Two a day looks like back to me."
• The cap clicks hard. "Mind your business."

The hands confess before the mouth does.

Interruptions, silence, and topic grabs

Silence has weight. So do breaks and hard cuts.

• "I was going to tell you." She studies the sink. Water runs. No one moves.

Readers feel the pause. No need to explain.

Interruption without clunky punctuation:

• "If you’d let me expl—"
• He steps between her and the door. "No."

You do not need a typographic flare. The action beat does the cutting.

Topic grabs show status. The person who changes the subject holds the reins.

• "How much did the repairs cost?"
• "Did you call your mother?"

A smooth sidestep signals control. Track who gets to steer.

Track control of the topic, then flip it

Status shifts create momentum. Mid-scene control passing from one speaker to another gives life to the exchange.

Watch this:

• Boss: "Close the account by Friday."
• Erin: "We lose a loyal client for a one-time win."
• Boss pours coffee. "Numbers matter more than feelings."
• Erin slides a folder across. "Audit flagged three errors in last quarter’s report. Your name’s on two."
• Coffee freezes mid-air.
• Boss sets the cup down. "Walk me through your recommendation."

Control began with the boss. Erin shifted control with a concrete fact and a prop. No need for a speech about ethics or courage. The move speaks.

A quick before-and-after

Too direct:

• "I’m scared of the surgery," Mom said. "I think I might die."
• "You won’t die," I said. "The doctor is the best."

With subtext:

• "Did you bring the blue blanket?" Mom smooths the hospital sheet. "The one your grandma quilted."
• "In the bag." I fold the rail up. "Doctor Lewis asked about your crossword habit."
• "He reads the clues wrong if his pen squeaks."
• "Then I’ll switch pens."

Fear hums under domestic business. The bond shows up in objects and petty rules. Less speech about terror, more truth.

A small toolbox of subtext moves

• Agree, then narrow the terms.
• Refuse, then offer something else.
• Change the topic to signal control or avoidance.
• Answer with a question that points to motive.
• Use props to stand in for feelings.
• Let silence hold the loudest line.

Action

Take a scene where characters declare feelings or motives. Keep the situation and goals. Strip every line that names an emotion or intention.

• List what each speaker wants in one sentence.
• Assign a prop or posture to each person.
• Pick one yes-but or no-and moment.
• Add one interruption and one silence.
• Rewrite with shorter lines and specific beats. No speeches about feelings.
• Read aloud. If the truth lands without naming the truth, the scene works.

Subtext is trust. Trust the reader to hear the real conversation under the one on the page. Give clues, not sermons. Let pressure build in the gap between what people say and what they mean.

Shape Rhythm with Pacing, Punctuation, and Mechanics

Dialogue has its own music. Short lines speed the pulse. Longer ones let characters breathe, think, reveal. Mix both to match the scene's heartbeat.

The mechanics matter more than you think. A misplaced comma shifts meaning. Wrong punctuation kills rhythm. Get the technical stuff right, and your dialogue sings.

Vary line length to control tempo

Rapid-fire exchanges build tension:

• "Where is it?"
• "Gone."
• "Gone where?"
• "Hell if I know."

Each line hits like a drumbeat. No wasted breath.

Now add texture with a longer response:

• "Where is it?"
• "Gone."
• "Gone where?"
• "Look, I checked the safe twice, called the bank, even crawled under the desk in case it fell. Hell if I know."

The longer line changes the pace. Adds frustration. Shows effort. One character speeds up, the other slows down. Tension builds through rhythm, not just content.

Watch how line length shapes a scene:

Fast version:

• "You're late."
• "Traffic."
• "Again?"
• "Yeah."

Textured version:

• "You're late."
• "Traffic was murder on the bridge. Three lanes down to one because some genius thought rush hour was the perfect time to fix potholes."
• "Again?"
• "Yeah."

Same basic exchange. The longer line gives the excuse room to breathe, makes it feel more honest than a one-word brush-off.

Master punctuation for cuts and pauses

Different punctuation creates different sounds in the reader's head.

Periods end clean. Full stop. Next thought.

Commas slow things down, create natural pauses, let thoughts flow into each other.

Question marks demand response? They pull the reader forward, create urgency.

Exclamation points add force! But use them like hot sauce. A little goes far.

For interruptions, use a dash:

• "I never said I would—"
• "You promised."

The dash cuts sharp. No fade, no trail-off. One speaker slams into another.

For trailing thoughts, use ellipses:

• "I thought we agreed..."
• "We did."

The dots fade. Voice drops. Mind wanders or gives up.

Don't overuse either. One well-placed interruption beats a page of verbal collisions. Same with ellipses. Too many dots make dialogue feel sleepy.

Keep dialogue tags invisible

"Said" disappears. Readers skip right over it. Use it as your default and save the fancy alternatives for when they add real value.

Weak:

• "I hate this place," she muttered bitterly.

Better:

• "I hate this place." She kicked the empty can across the parking lot.

The action beat does more work than the adverb. Shows the emotion instead of naming it. Anchors the scene in a specific place.

More examples:

Weak:

• "You're wrong," he declared forcefully.

Better:

• "You're wrong." He slammed the folder shut.

Weak:

• "Maybe," she whispered uncertainly.

Better:

• "Maybe." She studied her hands.

Action beats ground dialogue in the physical world. They show character through gesture. They break up chunks of speech. They're invisible workhorses.

Paragraph for clarity, not decoration

New speaker, new paragraph. Always. Even if the line is one word.

Wrong:

• "Where's the car?" "Dave took it." "Without asking?" "Yeah."

Right:

• "Where's the car?"
• "Dave took it."
• "Without asking?"
• "Yeah."

Clear paragraphing lets readers follow the conversation without getting lost. White space between speakers gives the eye a place to rest.

Re-anchor speakers every few exchanges, especially in group scenes:

• "The contract's bogus," Martinez said.
• "How bogus?"
• "Fake signatures, backdated clauses, the works."
• Collins leaned forward. "You're sure?"
• "Ran it through three verification programs."

"Martinez said" and "Collins leaned forward" remind readers who's talking without cluttering every line with tags.

Handle stutters and fillers with restraint

Real speech is full of ums, likes, you knows. Fiction needs the feeling of natural speech, not a transcript.

One stutter shows nervousness:

• "I d-don't think that's right."

A page of stutters annoys readers and slows pace. Pick your moments.

Same with fillers. One "um" shows hesitation:

• "Well, um, the thing is..."

Five ums in a paragraph make dialogue hard to read. Trust readers to hear the hesitation without spelling it out every time.

Better to show nervousness through action:

• "I don't think that's right." She twisted the pen cap.

Match punctuation to the moment

High-stakes scenes need sharp, clean punctuation:

• "Move."
• "Now?"
• "Now."

Low-stakes conversations can afford looser rhythms:

• "So, what do you think about the whole mess with the Johnson account?"
• "Honestly? I think we dodged a bullet when they walked."

The punctuation matches the energy. Quick scenes get quick marks. Relaxed scenes get more breathing room.

A quick mechanics checklist

Run through this list during revision:

• Does each speaker get a new paragraph?
• Are interruptions marked with dashes, not ellipses?
• Do trailing thoughts use ellipses, not dashes?
• Can you follow the conversation without dialogue tags?
• Does line length match the scene's energy?
• Do you use "said" as your default tag?
• Are stutters and fillers used sparingly?

Before and after

Messy:

• "I don't know," she said uncertainly, "maybe we should, um, you know, think about this more?" "Think about what exactly?" he demanded angrily. "Well, I mean, the whole thing seems kind of, um, rushed..." she whispered nervously.

Clean:

• "I don't know. Maybe we should think about this more?"
• "Think about what?"
• She twisted her wedding ring. "The whole thing seems rushed."

Same conversation. Better rhythm. Cleaner mechanics. The meaning comes through without fighting the punctuation.

Action

Pick one chapter of dialogue-heavy scenes. Do three passes:

Pass one: Mark every ellipsis and dash. Are they doing different jobs? Cut half of each. Replace with stronger action beats or cleaner line breaks.

Pass two: Circle every dialogue tag that isn't "said" or "asked." Rewrite decorative tags as action beats. Keep only the ones that add real value.

Pass three: Read aloud. Mark anywhere you stumble over punctuation or lose track of speakers. Fix for flow, not just grammar rules.

Your goal: cut 20-30% of the punctuation clutter while keeping all the meaning. Good dialogue mechanics disappear. They let readers hear the voices without tripping over the typography.

Rhythm lives in the details. Master the mechanics, and your characters' voices will sing.

Test and Revise for Ear-Truth

Your dialogue might look perfect on the page and sound terrible out loud. The eye forgives what the ear won't. Testing dialogue means listening, not just reading.

Good dialogue has ear-truth. It sounds right when spoken. It flows when heard. It feels natural coming out of a human mouth. You won't know if you have ear-truth until you test for it.

Read aloud, always

Your mouth knows things your brain doesn't. Awkward rhythms. Tongue twisters disguised as dialogue. Lines that look fine but feel clunky when spoken.

Read every dialogue scene out loud before you call it done. Not silently. Not whispered. Full voice, as if you're performing it.

Mark any line where you stumble. Circle words that feel forced in your mouth. Note places where you run out of breath or rush to catch up.

Common problems you'll catch:

Too many consonants clustered together:

• Bad: "Trust strong structures strictly."
• Better: "Trust what works."

Unnatural word stress:

• Bad: "I absolutely categorically refuse to participate."
• Better: "No way. I'm out."

Rhythms that don't match speech patterns:

• Bad: "The reason that I called you is because I wanted to ask if you would consider coming with me to the store."
• Better: "Want to come to the store with me?"

Text-to-speech software works too. Listen to your dialogue through computer voices. Robot speech strips away emotion and leaves pure rhythm. If it sounds stilted through text-to-speech, it probably needs work.

Test with live readers

Writers' groups and beta readers catch things you miss. Fresh ears hear differently than tired ones.

Set up a table read. Assign characters to different readers. No coaching, no context beyond what's on the page. Let them stumble through it cold.

Watch their faces. Listen for natural emphasis. Note where they pause, speed up, or look confused.

Common signals your dialogue needs work:

Readers pause mid-line: The syntax is fighting natural speech rhythms.

Readers emphasize wrong words: Your punctuation or word order is leading them astray.

Readers sound flat: The lines lack personality or natural flow.

Readers laugh at serious moments: Something unintentionally funny is happening. Often overwrought language or melodramatic phrasing.

Readers ask "What?" or "Who's talking?": Clarity problems. Weak voice distinction or confusing dialogue tags.

Don't defend your choices during the table read. Take notes. Ask questions later. Let the dialogue succeed or fail on its own.

The highlighter audit

This exercise shows whether your dialogue is doing real work or just filling space.

Print out a dialogue-heavy scene. Get three highlighters: yellow for plot information, pink for character development, blue for tension or conflict.

Go through each line of dialogue and highlight it according to what it accomplishes:

• Yellow: Moves the story forward, reveals important information
• Pink: Shows who the character is, their values, fears, or desires
• Blue: Creates or escalates conflict, builds tension

Any line that doesn't get highlighted gets cut or rewritten. Dialogue that doesn't advance plot, develop character, or build tension is just taking up space.

Good lines often earn multiple colors:

"I promised Mom I'd stay until she got better."

This line could be:

• Yellow: Plot information (character is staying)
• Pink: Character development (keeps promises, family loyalty)
• Blue: Tension (torn between duty and desire to leave)

The invisibility test

Strong dialogue carries its own weight. Weak dialogue needs crutches.

Take one page of dialogue and remove all the dialogue tags. Every "he said," "she asked," "Mom replied." Leave only the spoken words and action beats.

Now read it. If you lose track of who's talking, your character voices aren't distinct enough. If the conversation doesn't make sense, you're relying on tags to carry meaning instead of the words themselves.

Example:

Tagged version:

• "I don't like this plan," Sarah said nervously.
• "Why not?" Tom asked impatiently.
• "It feels dangerous," she replied hesitantly.

Tag-free version:

• "I don't like this plan."
• "Why not?"
• "It feels dangerous."

The tag-free version is weaker. The voices sound the same. The emotional information (nervously, impatiently, hesitantly) disappears.

Better tag-free version:

• "I don't like this plan." Sarah twisted her ring.
• "Why not?"
• "Something's off. The timing, the location. Everything." She studied the blueprint again.

Now the conversation works without tags. Action beats carry the emotional information. The longer response in the third line shows Sarah's analytical nature.

Bring in outside perspectives

Beta readers catch dialogue problems you've become blind to. Sensitivity readers catch authenticity issues you lack the background to see.

For culture-specific dialogue, profession-specific jargon, or regional speech patterns, find readers with lived experience. They'll spot stereotypes, outdated language, or simple errors that pull readers out of the story.

Ask specific questions:

• Do these characters sound like real people from this background?
• Is the professional language accurate?
• Are there any phrases or references that feel off?
• Do the power dynamics in the conversation ring true?

Don't ask, "Is this good?" Ask, "Is this accurate? Does this sound natural to someone who knows this world?"

Three focused revision passes

Don't try to fix everything at once. Break revision into three distinct passes, each with a single focus:

Pass One: Developmental Intent
What changes in this scene? What do characters want? What do they get? What do they learn?

Mark every exchange that doesn't serve the scene's dramatic purpose. Cut conversations that circle without advancing anything. Tighten exchanges that take too long to reach their point.

Pass Two: Voice and Rhythm
Does each character sound distinct? Does the dialogue flow when read aloud? Are the line lengths varied and appropriate to the moment?

This is where you fine-tune speech patterns, adjust rhythm, and make sure each voice is unmistakable.

Pass Three: Mechanics and Consistency
Punctuation, dialogue tags, paragraph breaks. The technical stuff that makes dialogue readable.

Fix punctuation errors, streamline dialogue tags, check for consistent speech patterns within characters.

Track your cuts. Aim to reduce dialogue by 20-30% without losing meaning. Tighter dialogue reads faster and hits harder.

The revision tracking exercise

Keep a simple log during revision:

• Original word count: [X]
• Pass 1 cuts: [X words removed] - [Reason: redundant/off-topic/unclear]
• Pass 2 adjustments: [X words changed] - [Reason: rhythm/voice/clarity]
• Pass 3 polish: [X words removed] - [Reason: tags/mechanics/consistency]
• Final word count: [X]
• Percentage reduction: [X%]

This tracking shows you patterns in your dialogue problems. Do you consistently write too much exposition? Do your characters all sound too similar? Are your action beats too wordy?

Before and after

Weak version (needs multiple passes):

• "Well, I suppose that I should probably tell you that I've been thinking about what you said yesterday about the situation with our mutual friend, and I have to say that I'm not entirely sure I agree with your assessment," Jennifer said thoughtfully.
• "Oh, really? That's interesting. What exactly is it that you disagree with?" Robert asked curiously.

After Pass 1 (developmental intent):

• "I've been thinking about what you said yesterday. I don't agree."
• "About what?"

After Pass 2 (voice and rhythm):

• "I keep thinking about yesterday. You're wrong about Marcus."
• "Wrong how?"

After Pass 3 (mechanics):

• "I keep thinking about yesterday." Jennifer set down her coffee. "You're wrong about Marcus."
• "Wrong how?"

Original: 47 words. Final: 18 words. 62% reduction. Same information, clearer delivery, better rhythm.

Action

Pick your most dialogue-heavy chapter. Schedule three revision sessions, one per pass:

Session 1: Read the entire chapter aloud. Mark every stumble, unclear reference, or off-topic exchange. Cut ruthlessly.

Session 2: Do the highlighter audit on three key scenes. Rewrite any unhighlighted lines or cut them entirely.

Session 3: Remove all dialogue tags from one page. Rewrite until the conversation works without them.

Track your before and after word counts. Good dialogue revision always cuts more than it adds.

Your goal is ear-truth. Dialogue that sounds natural when spoken, flows when read aloud, and works without props. Test everything. Trust your ear more than your eye.

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