Prose & StyleFoundational
Dialogue
Speech that does several jobs at once.
Principle
A line of dialogue should reveal character, advance story, or hold subtext — ideally all three.
Takeaways
- Realistic speech is not the same as good dialogue.
- Each speaker should sound like themselves under pressure.
- What is not said often does more work than what is.
Overview
Dialogue in fiction is heightened, stylised speech. It compresses real talk to retain its shape while doing characterisation, plot, and thematic work simultaneously.
Examples
- Two characters argue about laundry while ending a marriage.
- A speech is interrupted by silence that finishes it.
- A line of dialogue that the reader will reinterpret in chapter twelve.