Introduction
Writing dialogue that feels authentic can seem like an impossible task. It’s not just about putting words into your characters’ mouths but about creating exchanges that resonate with audience’s, reveal character depth, and drive the story forward.
Unlike prose, where narration can fill in the gaps, we screenwriters must rely on spoken words and subtext to convey meaning and emotion.
In today’s blog, we have ten practical tips you can use to craft screen dialogue that feels both natural and cinematic. Your characters will literally be leaping off the page!
Why Realistic Dialogue Matters
In screenwriting, dialogue is more than just communication but a tool to draw your audience deep into the story. Naturalistic dialogue helps them connect with characters, making them feel relatable. while stilted, cliched, or unrealistic dialogue can break your audience’s buy-in.
Great dialogue often does double duty: advancing the plot while gradually revealing character over the course of the movie or TV series. It’s layered, concise, and infused with subtext.
In film, where visuals will always dominate, any accompanying dialogue must be deliberate and impactful. Dialogue is the bridge between what’s seen on screen, and what’s felt.
The ultimate question is, of course, how do we achieve that balance? Get ready for our ten top tips…
10 Tips for Writing Dialogue That Feels Real
1. Avoid exposition dumps
Exposition is necessary but delivering it through unnatural dialogue can be jarring. Characters shouldn’t speak solely to inform the audience. Instead, make sure to weave exposition into your action or conflict.
Here are two examples of a line of dialogue (one is natural, one is unnatural). Can you identify which is which?
Example A
Example B
The more natural dialogue is B; this exchange conveys backstory while still maintaining tension and character voice. Example A is more of an exposition dump, sounding more factual than a conversation a person would have in real life.
2. Capture unique character voices
In our last tip, we mentioned ‘character voice’. This means each character should have a distinctive way of speaking that reflects their personality, background, and emotional state.
When considering how each of your characters speak, think about cadence, their vocabulary and their tone. For instance, a seasoned police officer might speak in terse, clipped sentences, while a nervous police intern may ramble.
Notice how these characters have their own distinct way of talking, making it easy for the audience to differentiate them, even without visual cues.
3. Use Subtext Effectively
Subtext is what’s implied rather than stated directly. As we know, visuals do much of the storytelling in film, so the role of subtext is to add emotional depth and keep dialogue intriguing.
Here’s an example of a direct statement versus subtext. Which do you think is more effective?
Direct
With subtext
The second line of dialogue, including the subtext, conveys anger and disappointment without spelling it out, leaving room for the audience to interpret. Ideally, you want your audience to be fully immersed in your story, and subtext is one way to make this happen.
4. Vary Sentence Length and Pacing
Good dialogue mirrors the natural ebb and flow of conversation. Varying sentence length and pacing creates rhythm and reflects the emotional tone of a scene.
Notice how the two dialogue examples below incorporate differing sentence lengths, leaving room for the characters’ thoughts and feelings.
Tense Scene
Reflective Scene
Learn more about mastering pacing in your screenplay with our comprehensive guide. Click here!
5. Listen to real conversations
Inspiration can come simply from being out and about in our daily lives. Observe how people talk in real life. Notice the interruptions, pauses, and filler words like “um” or “you know.”
Yes, film dialogue will always be more polished than everyday conversation, but it does borrow elements from real speech to make it as authentic as possible. Let’s take a look at how we can take a simple line of dialogue and elevate it, taking notes from general conversation.
Simple
Elevated
By adding naturalistic touches as we’ve done in the elevated example, we can make dialogue relatable without sacrificing clarity.
6. Avoid overusing slang
Slang can be a great way of grounding dialogue in a specific time or place but overusing it can risk dating your script or alienating your audience. The trick is to use slang sparingly and ensure it fits the character.
For example, a teenager may say:
But you want to avoid going too far and writing:
7. Consider the Character’s Background
Character’s speech should reflect their upbringing, culture, and experiences. A character’s word choice, accent and syntax can reveal as much about them as their actions do.
Let’s create two characters from different backgrounds: a wealthy CEO and a working-class mechanic. Both have been asked a question about the services their companies provide. Here is a sample response to the query, tailored to each of the characters.
Wealthy CEO
Working-Class Mechanic
Notice that while these characters have given more-or-less the same response, it’s how they respond that’s crucial.
Authentic dialogue grounds characters in their world, making them more relatable. We all have different perspectives, so this needs to be demonstrated in our writing.
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8. Use action to break up dialogue
Relying solely on dialogue can make a scene static; remember, film is first and foremost a visual medium. Use action to complement or contrast with what’s being said.
Here’s an example of a dialogue scene between two forbidden lovers, without action.
Without Action
While this exchange is fine, we don’t get a huge sense of what’s happening on screen. Let’s add in some action.
With Action
Physical action like this adds layers to the dialogue, creating a more dynamic scene.
9. Test it out loud
Screenplays are designed to be performed, so it’s important you read your dialogue aloud to get a feel for how it sounds. Hearing the lines can reveal any awkward phrasing, unnatural rhythms, or overly formal and expository language.
Ask yourself three questions:
- Does this sound like real speech?
- Does it suit the character’s voice?
- Can the actor deliver this line naturally?
You can then refine and revise your dialogue depending on your answers. Don’t worry if you get it right the first time; writing is an ongoing process – there’s always room for improvement.
Celtx’s Read-Through tool brings your script to life with customizable text-to-speech playback — so you can hear your dialogue the way your audience will.
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10. Edit ruthlessly
Speaking of improvements, great dialogue is often the result of meticulous editing. Cut anything that doesn’t serve the story or character. It’s crucial that dialogue is concise and purposeful.
Here’s an example of a first draft of a line of dialogue, and how we can improve it.
Original
Notice this dialogue is quite long-winded for someone asking another to go to the park. While we do want to use varied sentence length and convey character, this line is in danger of frustrating an audience – it doesn’t do anything to push the action forward.
Edited
Here we still get a sense of Grayson’s character with the slight hesitation “if you’re not busy”, but we get to the point a lot quicker, with a view to move the story on.
This version is also punchier and easier for actors to deliver.
Need more help? Try: Ruthless Editing for Nice People || autocrit.com
Examples of Great Dialogue in Popular Media
Of course, this wouldn’t be a Celtx blog if we didn’t highlight some of the best dialogue in cinematic history.
Here are some wonderful examples of dialogue exchanges that we can learn a great deal from!
Pulp Fiction (1994)
“Good dialogue reveals characters through conversation, not exposition.”
Quentin Tarantino
Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega’s banter is iconic. It feels authentic and layered. This example: their opening discussion about “a Royale with Cheese” is both humorous and reveals their dynamic while grounding the story in a specific cultural context.
Check out a clip of the exchange below, with the script version alongside.
The dialogue between Jules and Vincent blends both humor and exposition, making it engaging rather than heavy-handed. The casual nature of their conversation also juxtaposes the tension of their hitman lifestyle – we know there’s more to them than meets the eye!
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
The witty, overlapping exchanges between Harry and Sally mirror the rhythms of real conversations, capturing both their personalities and evolving relationships.
A standout moment in the movie is the “can men and women be friends?” debate. The dialogue reveals their contrasting personalities (Harry’s cynicism versus Sally’s idealism) while advancing their dynamic relationship.
As we can see from the clip, and script, their discussion reflects natural speech patterns, including interruptions and tangents. Plus, it’s infused with both humor and charm, making the characters relatable and endearing.
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Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
Walter White’s transformation is reflected in his dialogue. Early in the series, he hesitates and uses polite, almost deferential language.
But by the end of the series, his words become commanding and sharp. Let’s look at dialogue from episode one, as opposed to the last series.
In this first clip, we see Walter receive his devastating diagnosis.
A pivotal moment in the pilot episode, yet he has little to say in his shock. Then, as we look at a scene further along in season four, we see a vastly different Walter White, as he fully embraces his drug lord status.
While we don’t have access to a script for this episode, here is the clip, demonstrating the shift in Walter’s character arc, underscoring his descent into criminality.
What’s most interesting about Gilligan’s writing is his belief that dialogue is sometimes overrated. He prefers to be known for writing great stories, rather than great dialogue.
Something for us to bear in mind also; while dialogue is important, it’s the story that will draw in and maintain our audience’s interest.
The Social Network (2010)
“What your character does reveals who they are. What they say reveals who they see themselves as.”
aaron sorkin
Aaron Sorkin’s script is renowned for its razor-sharp dialogue and there’s so much for us to learn from it as screenwriters.
The opening scene, where Mark Zuckerberg and Erica Albright argue in a bar, establishes Mark’s brilliance and arrogance while foreshadowing his downfall.
The quick-fire delivery of the dialogue creates an engaging rhythm that holds the audience’s attention. It also conveys a great deal of subtext, as Mark’s insecurities and ambition seep through his words.
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Conclusion
In essence, writing realistic dialogue for the screen requires balancing authenticity with cinematic flair.
By avoiding exposition dumps, crafting unique character voices, utilizing subtext, and refining through editing, you can create dialogue that feels real and compelling.
Remember, the best dialogue isn’t there to just fill silence – it there to reveal, drive, and connect the dots.
With practice, today’s top tips, and attention to detail, you can master the art of screenwriting dialogue that captivates audiences! For more on how to craft amazing dialogue, check out our recent interview with dialogue master, C.J. Spataro!
For more screenwriting advice, try these articles:
- Celtx: Your Ultimate Tool for Creating an Efficient Shot List
- How to Become a TV Writer [Guide + Salaries]
- Script Length 101: How Many Pages Is the “Average” Movie Script?
