Skill Focus – Dialogue That Sounds Like People

Because no one says, “I am going to the store to purchase groceries now,” unless they’re a robot. Are your characters robots?

✨ Welcome to the Conversational Tuning Lab

Dialogue that sounds like dialogue isn’t enough.

It needs to sound like this character, at this moment, with something unsaid hiding beneath the surface.

Real people:

  • Interrupt

  • Trail off

  • Lie to themselves and each other

  • Use fragments, slang, filler words, silence

  • Don’t always answer the question

And characters should too.

🧠 What Makes Dialogue Sound Real?

  1. Contractions & Incomplete Sentences

“I do not want to go.” → ❌
“I don’t wanna go.” → ✅

  1. Interruption & Hesitation

“I mean, I just—look, it’s not that simple.”
“You said you’d be there.”
“Yeah, well, I was gonna—”

  1. Voice-Specific Rhythm

A soldier, a teen, and a lawyer should not all talk the same.
Give them quirks. Tells. Repetition. Economy. Tangents.

  1. Subtext

“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“Well, maybe don’t look.”

No one says everything they mean. Show that.

🛠️ Try This Rewrite Drill

Here’s a line:

“I’m very angry that you left me behind.”

Rewrite it so it sounds:

  • Like a person in pain

  • Like someone who doesn’t want to admit they’re hurt

  • Like a character trying to stay calm but cracking

💡 Tip: Think about rhythm, emotional stakes, and what they can’t say out loud.

🎯 Quillwyn’s “People Talk Like This” Checklist

Ask:

  • Would a person say this out loud, in this way?

  • Does it flow like spoken language—not written text?

  • Is there emotional friction or subtext?

  • Does it reveal more than just what’s said?

If you’re unsure: read it aloud. Or even better—act it out.

🧪 Dialogue Isn’t Just Talking

Good dialogue does 3 things:

  • Reveals character

  • Moves the scene forward

  • Leaves space for tension, silence, or change

If your dialogue just delivers information, it’s a missed opportunity.

💬 Need Help? Ask Quillwyn!

Drop a line or conversation and say:

“Can you help this sound more like people?”

She’ll tweak the tone, pull in personality, and help every word land like a heartbeat.