How to Write Dialogue

Dialogue is when two or more people talk to one another.

Here are some notes that will help you with writing dialogue. You should have received a copy in class.

Dialogue Notes

This key can be used in conjunction with the dialogue handout you received in class. (See above.)

1. surround dialogue with quotation marks
2. dialogue - comma - quotation mark - tag
3. always a period at the end of the sentence
4. indent a new paragraph every time a different character speaks
5. place the tag as early as possible in the paragraph
6. question marks at the end of questions
7. use a comma after the tag when the tag is placed in the middle of a sentence
8. when the tag is placed in the middle of a sentence, use a lower case letter to continue
9. include action in the story
10. sometimes include action in the tag
11. use an elipses (three periods) when a character trails off or is cut off
12. after a pattern is established (three or four back-and-forths), you may omit tag
13. description can be included in tags
14. only omit tags when the pattern is obvious
15. rule: each paragraph can only be about one person; if character A speaks in a paragraph, character B cannot have action in that paragraph - only character A
16. swtich up dialogue regularly - include descrpiton and action throughout