Listen or watch now! Say your story structure is finished. Oh dialogue, the stumbling point for so many writers!
Below, we gather theoretical tips on writing good dialogue and take a closer look at iconic film scenes, which unveils an insight or two into creating impactful conversations. Of course, screenwriting is a creative discipline, as is filmmaking. In fact, every writer has their own style think of David Lynch, for example, rest his soul. However, there are recommendations and tips that can support you along this challenging journey.
Here, we use this adjective to define effective, impactful, and strong dialogue. Several characteristics make a dialogue in your script effective:. These are simple topics, so why do they make our hair stand on end? Because of the meaning hidden underneath. That brings us to another important characteristic of good dialogue.
Remember the golden rule from the screenwriting guru Syd Field: every scene in your script must have a purpose? It can certainly be applied to dialogue, too. Or, as Robert McKee puts it in his book:. All talk responds to a need, engages a purpose, and performs an action. No matter how seemingly vague and airy a speech may be, no character ever talks to anyone, even to himself, for no reason, to do nothing.
Good dialogue can serve multiple functions. The main ones are:. Holmes himself:. Of course, most viewers are familiar with the classical work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, myself included. Yet this version of Sherlock, brilliantly portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, surprises us all the same. From his very first dialogue beats first with Molly, then — with Dr. Watson , we get to know Sherlock as painfully direct, almost rude, quick-witted, asocial, and absolutely genius.
