Hey y’all, so like when I attempt to script out a conversation it never sounds realistic. Like, it sounds like I’m trying to summon up a conversation and like in other stories when characters are talking to each other it doesn’t sound like the scripter is trying to make them have a good realistic conversation so please someone help me wit dit dat lmaooo
lol! ok, now, uh…lol, u have authors that do that sometimes, but, thats maybe how they want it to be…
To make your character s have a really good conversations, i would say, write down what you want your characters to talk about. Give more details on it. you can include some humor to the conversation, make it flow.
Kk thx!
Omg I was wondering the same thing too! Looks like I’m not alone in this! I’m gonna bookmark this thread
I’d suggest comparing your characters’ conversations to conversations you have in real life
Comic relief turned serious!
Casual conversations can be difficult to illustrate without seeming forced. So? DONT MAKE THEM CASUAL! Start out with designing a bit of banter between characters.
Ex:
1: “I can’t stand this weather!”
2: “Yeah, well I can’t stand you!”
1: “You won’t be able to stand in a moment when I break your legs for being such an asshole.
Now, turn it into something more… relaxed.
1: “I can’t stand this weather!”
2: “Neither can I!”
1: “Maybe if we shot a water gun at the sun it’ll help.”
Turn the aggravation at 1 into something 2 relates with! This is the process I use.
Thx!
I think that you just have to perfectly knowing your characters: their personnalities, behaviours, sense of humour…
And then, the little voice in your head will make the job, everything will come naturally!
Well, that’s what happen with me😉
Please, don’t call me crazy
Also, maybe after you write the dialogue, say it out loud. You realize a lot when you say it out loud, such as if the dialogue sounds forced or not.
Or do what I do, when your not working on your story, think of some meaningful dialogue and say it to yourself with emotions that way when you go to write your story, you’ll know what you want each character to say and how they say it with animations.
Personally, I write the way I talk. All my characters, unless they’re supposed to be more formal, speak the way I do
haha
The way I do it, is I speak out my thoughts as I do that I imagine my characters having a conversation then I start writing. Hope this helps.
Oh okay thx!
Don’t make your dialogue sound robotic or unnatural.
A lot of people make dialogue sound cringey when they use things like expositional dialogue, which is essentially when you tell your readers things in a way that isn’t realistic. The link below has a great example of this. American Dad also has an example of this in this clip from seconds 0-38.
Listening to other people’s conversations does help. You’ll notice you use more slang, don’t use full sentences, improper grammar (which is okay in conversation to a certain degree), and rarely will you say that person’s name a lot, etc. Those are just the few tips I have - I’m not perfect either and we’re all always learning!
The link for “things in a way that isn’t realistic” is not working. Can you give any examples of things what you are talking about?
"MONICA
Why? Because your folks died in that fire back in ‘07’? It wasn’t me. You’ve always blamed me but it had nothing to do with me. It was an accident."
An example From the site itself. That’s not a realistic way of telling someone something. It’s sooo specific and expositional, that it sounds robotic.
"Why do novice screenwriters use it? Because they want to explain something or convey something to the reader that is important about the story or a character. Unfortunately expositional dialogue simply sounds fake - it kills realism.
Always assume your reader is intelligent - they can often work things out for themselves. If you don’t, you’re doing them and yourself a disservice. If you clearly explain EVERYTHING, you’re going to do yourself no favors with prodco readers."
from the site itself because they explain it better than I could.
I also want to know, great question really. All of the replies have been really helpful so far!
I usually fall victim to using too many ellipses, but my best tip is don’t be afraid to hit enter and use looping animations- people take a lot of pauses when the talk, so a new line can give the reader’s a natural pause. I also like to let my characters talk in fragments, like real people do, so saying things like ‘yeah no I agree but-’ and ‘So I uh. We… Um. I think-’ get the emotions in the dialogue across even if they aren’t perfect grammar.
But really I think Kw.Episode said it best:
Most often in episode stories I see writers cramming exposition into casual conversation, and it’s awkward and weird. Things like having your sibling characters call each other “sis” or “bro” (when in reality I call my siblings by their names or ‘you horrible gremlin’), talking about their deeply held secrets in scenes that are too casual, or reminding the readers about past events constantly all give conversations a stilted effect. I’m not going to meet a person in class and immediately start talking about my crush or my depression or why I think a dead girl is stalking me, and your characters shouldn’t either.