Write Natural Dialogue

Good dialogue sounds like real speech. Real speech is messier than prose.

People interrupt each other. They do not always answer questions directly. They trail off. Use that.

Keep dialogue short. Most real sentences are brief. Long speeches feel like lectures.

Use subtext. People rarely say what they mean. The words are a cover for the real message.

Cut greetings and small talk. Skip the hello and how are you. Start where the tension is.

Read it aloud. If your dialogue does not sound right spoken, fix it.

Less is more. A single well placed line beats a paragraph of explanation.

Dialogue is action. Every line should move the scene forward.