How to write Distinct Dialogue

Writing Dialogue can be tricky and making each character sound different, even more so. Below are 5 things you should think about whilst writing Dialogue.

1. Upbringing

How was your character brought up? Were they taught to be expressive and lively? Or were they made to suppress their feelings and not ask questions? A persons upbringing can have a huge effect on their social life as they grow and this changes how they speak to people.

Is your character quiet and held in? Or are they loud and in your face?

2. Education

How was your character educated? This does not just mean did they study at University, etc, but also, were they a big reader? Did they ask a lot of questions?

Someone who is well read or studied is more likely to use a larger vocabulary and ask more questions than someone who did not.

3. Career

What is their career? A persons career can change how they describe things, what analogies they use. For example, a sailor might say, "my anger is rising like the tide," or, "it's as clear as the sea on a calm day."

A persons career can also make them use different abbreviations.

4. Worldview

What is your character's worldview? Are they a pessimist or an optimist? Are they religious or syndical? These things can make a huge difference to how they speak, or even how often they talk.

5. Generation

What generation is your character? How old are they?

A persons generation can make them like and dislike certain things, but it can also determine what slang they use and understand. Make sure the characters of the same generation understand and use the same slang, but you can show a persons age and group with these subtle differences.

Keep these 5 things in your head whilst writing dialogue to make each character individual. But this also takes some practise. Try writing short stories or snippets of dialogue for each character to get used to the way they speak.

A word of caution, beware of regional dialects. Yes, they will make your character sound different. However, this can be jarring for the reader and slow them down in their reading. Not everyone understands all the different regional dialects and accents out there. My advice would be to use only two or three words of that dialogue per speech. This is enough to let the reader know they have an accent, but not enough to jar them whilst they read.