Mastering Dialogue in Romantic Fiction

Tips to make your dialogue sing!

Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash

I like to talk, and I really find having a nice conversation with someone so joyful, so it probably won’t come as a surprise that dialogue is my favourite part of writing a book.

But even if, like me, talking comes very naturally, it’s worth remembering that it isn’t the same as writing dialogue. Like every other narrative technique, it’s a skill that needs to be honed and refined. On point dialogue is important in any genre, but it really takes on something special in romantic fiction because not only does it propel the plot but it also deepens the emotional connection between characters, and if your readers can feel that emotional connection, they’ll be rooting for the characters and engaged in the story. So here are are few tips to level up your dialogue.

First, find the voice

Before you write a single line of dialogue, you have to know your character inside and out. You have to know their backgrounds, their beliefs, where they grew up, all that stuff, because all that will shape the way they speak.

Think also about how they would react in different situations. How do they speak when they’re happy, sad, or when they fancy someone? Remember that dialogue reflects personality, background, and current emotional state so consider the quirks, the hesitations, the bursts of emotion, and the choice of words that make each character’s speech unique and relatable.

Build tension with subtext

Remember this: often, and especially in romantic fiction, it’s about what’s being said without being said.

There’s a scene in The Matchmakers - and it’s quite a pivotal scene - where Fraser tells Abby he wants out of the pact.

‘I don’t want to do this any more,’ he says, ‘I want out of the pact.’

And Abby, quite lit at this point, assumes he means that he wants to jack it in and leave the TV show altogether, and she reacts in anger and accuses him of being interested in someone from the production team, because she hasn’t grasped that what he’s really saying is that he doesn’t want to pretend to be in a relationship with her anymore. He’s asking her to give it a shot for real.

He could have said, ‘Abby, this pretending is proper daft, and actually, I want to be in a real relationship with you. So, off with those knickers.’

But instead, he lets her get all het up before revealing his true feelings, which plays into the playfulness with each other that we see throughout the book.

Don’t worry though. She gets it eventually. And… off come those knickers.

Keep it balanced

Okay, I struggle with this. My first drafts are very dialogue-heavy. Too dialogue-heavy, in fact. I have to rein it in and remember I’m not writing a screenplay. But here’s the thing: While your dialogue drives interaction, the setting and actions surrounding it serve to enhance the mood and contribute to the scene.

It’s so easy to rely on words, but if you can pepper that with physical gestures, facial expressions, and setting details, you’ll really deepen the story.

Here’s an example. You can intentionally write staccato sentences and fluff words to indicate a character might be nervous, but if you add that they’re twisting a ring around their finger, or that their eyes are darting around, or that they keep touching their hair or fidgeting some other way, that will help to really highlight the mood.

Capture and condense realistic conversations

Alright, I’m going to split this section into focus and tone.

1. Focus. Good dialogue should mimic true-to-life speech but be razor focused at the same time. You don’t have all the words in the world so let’s be concise. Long, rambling paragraphs can get dull, and how often does a person deliver a monologue without breaking it up in some way? Include interruptions, segues into other topics, and jokes to keep it punchy.
   
   Remember also, dialogue should be all killer, no filler. It should have a purpose, and that could be that we learn something about a character or situation, or it hints at something to come, or it serves the plot and propels it forward.
   

2. Tone. Put yourself in your characters shoes, and think about the things you’d say in the situation you’re writing. Speech should sound natural, so try to avoid stiff or formal-sounding dialogue, unless, of course, the scene calls for it, in which case, go off! Think loose and casual with friends, with in-jokes and banter. Maybe up the flirting with the love interest. Steel yourself and write some sexy pillow talk. I might do a post one day about how I write spicy scenes. Spoiler: lots of wine and absolutely no eye contact with anyone.

It’s all about the he said, she said

Dialogue tags are your friends. Please, please, keep it obvious who is speaking. Doesn’t have to be after the dialogue, and it doesn’t have to be he said, she said - you can use body language and movement:

I toss my hair and look over my shoulder. ‘How about this one?’

You can use the way someone speaks:

‘But you also said not to push something that was doomed to fail,’ I blurt. ‘I thought–’

‘But what if it’s not?’ he interrupts, shrugging. ‘You dodged production to come and hang out, and I took you to Chatsworth. What does that tell you?’

See what I mean?

You can also just use ‘said’ or ‘says’ if, like me, you like writing in first person present - that’s totally fine. I’ve seen people say that too many synonyms for said can pull you out of the story, but I’m not touching that. I like variety.

Allow it to evolve

As in life, the way your characters speak to each other is likely to be different when they first meet compared to their interactions later on, so this is something worth thinking about as you plot, and as you write.

To use the same example as before, in The Matchmakers, Abby and Fraser meet for the first time at the altar. Although they’re being filmed and their vows are very much for TV, the first private conversation they have is tentative and curious. And it’s the same conversation anyone might have with someone they’ve just met; what do you do for work? Where do you live? etc etc.

But as they get to know each other’s personalities, out come the in-jokes, camaraderie (they are, after all, a team on a reality tv show) and then finally, the more romantic side of their relationship, the trust and words of affirmation.

Read it aloud, hone, and do it again

Reading your dialogue aloud is one of the best ways, if not the best way, to make sure it sounds legit. It’s the only way you’ll really get a feel for the tone and the cadence and even the syntax. So don’t be afraid to do it, and often. Write it, read it, hone it.

(In my head that sounded like the ‘See It. Say It. Sorted’ audio about reporting dodgy unattended luggage and general bad behaviour on trains. UK readers will know.)

Any adjustments you need to make are more easily done at this stage, whilst you’re in the zone, and can really smooth out and improve the impact of your dialogue.

Woohoo! Okay, this got long, so well done to you if you read all the way. To summarise, there really is more to writing dialogue than just getting the words down. It’s every aspect of communication between characters, and it’s worth spending time on. Getting it right can help you to up the drama and turn a conversation into a pivotal moment that’ll draw in your readers and keep them there alongside you!

Good luck! xoxo