Monica Cox

As a former video producer, my dialogue tends to read more like a script. While the pacing and content shine, the meaning I imbue in my head doesn’t always translate onto the page. I have had to learn to add more context, intentional body language, and narrative exposition to enhance my dialogue.

I’ve learned to use these five strategies to help.

1.  THAD 

In From Idea to Novel: Mastering the Process, Elizabeth George suggests the Talking Heads Avoidance Device, or THAD method. The idea is that characters in conversation with one another are doing something—a work task, eating, knitting, etc. These actions reveal things about the non-POV characters, add to the reader’s understanding of your POV character, and enhance the setting. 

Version 1:

“You’re home late,” she said. 

“Stuck in traffic,” he replied. 

Version 2 with THAD:

Her husband leaned in to kiss her cheek, and she caught the citrusy scent of someone else’s perfume. 

“You’re home late,” she said and swung her knife down in one swift, hatchet-like movement, halving the butternut squash on the wooden cutting board.

“Stuck in traffic.” Wisely, he backed away from her and her vegetable carnage to hang his coat on the hook in the hall.

 2.  Internal Response

With only the words in quotation marks on the page, readers miss the emotional context. Internal narrative can fill in those blanks, adding emotion and tension. Is your character picking up on body language from their scene partner, ruminating on past arguments, or thinking about something else entirely?

Version 1: 

“Good evening, ladies,” Joe said to the table of four women. “I hope you’re settling in okay?”

“Yes, thank you,” Sarah said.

Version 2:

“Good evening, ladies.” Joe said. Lisa startled at the sight of her brother at their table. She hoped he didn’t plan on interrupting every moment of her trip. “I hope you’re settling in okay?”

“Yes, thank you,” Sarah said, and Lisa noticed a blush rising up her neck.

Great. Did her brother plan on flirting with everyone at this resort? There wouldn’t be a woman left not under his spell. She’d had enough of that in high school.

In the scene, Lisa is the POV character, but if we only focused on the conversation she hears, we’d miss out on all her reactions and the building sibling rivalry.

3.  Subtext

Sometimes what isn’t being said is more interesting than what is. If a character is lying or holding back, the reader will be curious to keep reading to solve the disconnect.

The first example, with our knife-wielding wife, demonstrates the character’s suspicions when her actions are in contrast to what she says. Or imagine a deathbed scene between a not-so-kind mother and her estranged daughter. When the daughter says goodbye, her character will be revealed by what she is and isn’t willing to say to her mother in those last moments.

4.  Body Language

We react to conversation with more than words. Body’s flinch. Fists clench. Breath releases. But be careful of only including somatic clues. If the reader doesn’t know why a character is rolling her eyes, it doesn’t impart any more meaning than omitting the physical tag would. See if you can deepen a physical reaction with THAD or an internal response.

5.  Logistics

Cut unnecessary logistics and exposition in your dialogue. Get readers to the good stuff! Ask yourself if the information moves the scene forward or adds something to the interaction? If the answer is no, trim it out.

Using these tips can help to enhance your own dialogue with depth and drama, making it and your story more dynamic.