Using Dialogue to Hook Readers

Dialogue is one of the most authentic ways to enchant readers with your story.

One of the easiest ways to both hook readers and lose them is through dialogue. Dialogue plays a vital role in telling your story—your main goal should always be to make it feel realistic and natural for the characters. Writing robotic or overly scripted dialogue is one of the quickest ways to lose readers because it makes your story lose authenticity.

On the flip side, dialogue can pull readers into a story as effectively as anything else.

Which can be confusing and lead many authors to wonder how they can ensure their dialogue helps captivate readers. Here are a couple quick tips to make that happen:

1.     Minimize Dialogue Tags

While important, dialogue tags can become clunky and break up the flow of a story when they’re overused. When it’s obvious to readers who the speaker is, it’s okay to refrain from using a dialogue tag. In some cases, an action beat will have a stronger effect here, aiding in helping to move the story along.

Example: “I don’t understand what you want from me,” Sadie cried.  “I want the truth,” Will responded. “I want to know what’s going on between the two of you.”

She drops her head in her hands, shoulders shaking with sobs.

“We kissed.”

2.    Give Characters a Distinctive Voice

If there’s something unique about the way your character speaks, keep it consistent throughout the story. Maybe one of your leads has a southern twang or your side character is known for their biting sarcasm. Whatever it may be, make sure your character carries that with them throughout the story.

3.    Avoid Info Dumping

This is a tip you’ve heard in terms of description and other narrative, but it’s still true with dialogue. This really becomes an issue when the narrator has a running train of thought and then immediately speaks it in the form of dialogue. Readers don’t need an inner monologue all about how the main character is awkward on first dates with gritty details about past failures, just to have the character repeat those very same stories to their date.

4.    Small Talk Isn’t Necessary

Are you an author who hates small talk like me? If so, I have good news for you!  It doesn’t need to be included in your story. When two characters meet up for coffee, don’t go into the small talk that usually happens unless it’s pivotal to the story or the character’s personality requires it.

5.    Don’t Be Scared of Silence

Having characters trail off or hesitate is a very real, very human, thing. It adds authenticity to your characters along with emotional impact and can aid in creating tension. The characters do not have to be speaking at all times.

If you’ve been following me on social media for a while now, then you know my go-to dialogue tip already: Read it out loud. Whether you’re the one reading it or you have someone (or the robotic voice on your computer) read it to you, this is the best way to catch awkward dialogue. This is a tool I use time and time again, both on editing clients and my own writing.