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Unit 4: Dialogue Writing
5. In a dialogue, when characters talk, readers listen, and the characters take on qualities of notes
real people.
6. In a dialogue based on formal situations, we should use more filler words to make it real.
7. In a good dialogue, a sentence contains not more than 12 words.
8. You should write dialogues in such a way that the readers have no problems in distinguishing
one character from another.
9. Writers often use this sort of speaker attribution to tell a reader what a character feels
because telling is always easier than showing.
10. It is better to end each dialogue with an adverb to show exactly how the characters are
feeling.
4.3 Dialogue Writing Based on informal and regularly occurring
situations
A dialogue is a conversation or a talk between two or more people. It can also refer to the exchange
of view. A dialogue is very close to a personal and informal chat. It is through dialogue that one
learns to use words, phrases and expressions that are suitable to important situations. Dialogues
and the way they ought to be delivered govern communicative functions. A dialogue focuses on
‘what to say’ and ‘how to say’. “What to say” relates to the content and “how to say” means the
form of communication. It also enables us to use speech devices such as intonation and stress to
show meaning and attitude. Dialogue should be spontaneous. In informal dialogue writing, the
principles of formal writing stay but the words chosen can be informal and friendly.
Example: If the conversation is between two friends, we can use words like ‘Buddy’,
‘Yeah’, “Na’, etc. to make it more real and imaginative.
Task Write a brief dialogue between two friends who are discussing about the test that
is going to take place tomorrow in their class.
How to write a dialogue?
Following steps are to be followed in writing/developing a dialogue:
l At first, you should select the situation for the dialogue from the real world.
Example: A discussion between two friends or a dialogue between an individual and a
shopkeeper.
l Then you should start collecting ideas related to the theme of the dialogue.
l You should keep in mind the addressor, the addressor and their relationship (Formal/
informal).
l Then you should select apt words and structure in accordance with the register.
l You should make the tone consistent and avoid self-contradiction.
l You should make it coherent by arranging the thoughts logically and systematically.
l You should keep the language of a dialogue should be simple, direct, and concrete.
l You should keep your dialogue free from artificiality of formal English.
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