by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Writing is a creative art, but it does require a lot of work. Creating effective dialogue according to genre is one area that can easily slip by us without understanding the guidelines.
Romance
The story is about two people who are romantically involved. The plot focus is love—the characters must overcome differences, obstacles, and make sacrifices for the novel to end in a satisfying, happily-ever-after love relationship.
The dialogue is poetic and filled with metaphors and similes as the characters search for ways to describe their love and emotions outwardly and inwardly. The characters journey through a contemporary setting and see the world in unexpected beauty.
Writers can pair romance with many genres to add an extra thread to the plot and deepen characterization, such as historical romance and romantic suspense.
Historical
In historical fiction, the plot and setting take place no less than fifty years before the current time. The mood and tone of the story reflect culture, language, religion, historical period, social mannerisms, health problems, government control, and concerns of the people.
In historical fiction, specifically before the twentieth century, characters often spoke with more of an artful expression. The dialogue reflects the language of the era, social norms, living conditions, education, and other qualifying factors. People lived at a slower pace and took pride in their oral and written language—usually more formal, eloquent, and polite. Contractions were not used, but an exception would be a character who is uneducated. I caution the writer to leave some of the contractions for the contemporary reader’s ear. Regional expressions determine word choices for characters.
Fantasy
In a fantasy novel, the setting or story world is imaginary and mirrors a medieval universe. Quests, culture, magic, adventure, strange creatures, unrealistic circumstances, and social norms are at the whim of the writer. The supernatural makes the impossible seemingly possible but without technology.
Dialogue consists of invented words and like romance, the characters often tend to sound poetic. The writer who creates language for the fantasy inhabitants frequently explores legends and mythology from the Romans, Greek, Celtics, Far Eastern Lore, and/or a mixture to form specific words. I encourage the fantasy writer to develop the story world and language for a glossary. Informing the readers of story specifics makes it easier for them to enjoy the adventure.
Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller
These three genres are similar but with distinct differences.
A mystery involves a crime to solve. Usually, the main character is a detective or private eye who works throughout the story to find clues and solve a crime. A subgenre is the cozy mystery which has the violence occur in backstory or not visible to the reader. An amateur sleuth solves the crime.
A suspense builds anticipation for what will happen next. Often the protagonist battles a ticking clock which increases the tension. The writer uses apprehension and employs hold-your-breath excitement for what will happen next. High stakes, fast pacing, unexpected twists and turns, and red herrings add to the story’s appeal.
Thrillers are suspense novels taken to the next level. These stories are darker, and the high stakes have a deadly or catastrophic effect on many people. Fast pacing and fear play a large role in advancing the mood of this genre.
Dialogue for mystery, suspense, and thrillers relies on the characters’ background and story setting. If the protagonist’s career is in law enforcement, research the appropriate agency to learn the jargon, required training, job descriptions, home and family life, agency guidelines, and career expectations. Also investigate the setting because word choices and meanings differ from region to region. Interview a person in your character’s line of work. A hero doesn’t have to work for a federal or local law enforcement agency, but the character must have the skills and wisdom to overcome the enemy.
Science Fiction
In a sci-fi novel, the imaginary world is futuristic and uses technology beyond our current capabilities. The writer stretches scientific theories and principles to engage characters in plot and setting. World building is varied but all create environments based on life beyond the planet Earth as we currently know it.
Dialogue develops much like a contemporary novel with the criteria of a technology-advanced world in a surreal setting. Many writers establish a glossary of definitions, names, and places to root the reader in the story.
Other popular genres also require specific dialogue for the characters to remain true to their story: horror, western, young adult, dystopian, women’s fiction, biblical fiction, action/adventure, and the list goes on with sub-genre categories.
4 Tips for Writing Authentic Genre Dialogue
- Read several books in your genre. Note rhythm, setting, word choice, emotion, and characterization.
- Read your dialogue aloud or use text-to-voice software.
- Know your characters and ascribe patterns of verbal and nonverbal communication.
- Study movies and films.
Our genre determines speech patterns for characters to communicate while striving to achieve a goal. Add emotion to create unpredictable dialogue, and the reader will be back for more.
*Reprinted by permission from Exploring the Art of Emotion and Dialogue by DiAnn Mills, Bold Vision Publishing
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She is the former director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson. Connect here: DiAnnMills.com
Excellent advice.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kay.
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