Writing believable dialogue for books

We all love to read believable dialogue (and, conversely, hate unrealistic dialogue!), but it can be hard to achieve this. Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, dialogue is an important tool to help bring your characters and stories to life. Here are some tips on how to write believable dialogue in books.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when writing dialogue is that people don't always speak in complete sentences. In fact, most of us use a lot of verbal shorthand when we talk, especially when we're talking informally with friends or family. This means that your dialogue should reflect the way people actually speak, rather than being overly formal or "perfect".

Another important thing to remember is that people often speak in different ways depending on the situation they're in. For example, someone might speak differently when they're angry, when they're trying to be charming, or when they're nervous. Make sure that your characters' dialogue reflects their current emotional state.

It's also worth considering how much (or how little) your characters say. Some people are naturally more talkative than others, and this should come through in their dialogue. Similarly, some characters may choose to stay quiet for strategic reasons - think about what they stand to gain (or lose) by saying something before having them open their mouths!

Finally, make sure that your dialogue furthers the plot or develops the characters in some way. Although it can be tempting to have your characters just shoot the breeze for a while, ultimately this isn't very interesting for readers. Make sure that every line of dialogue furthers your story in some way.