How to Format Dialogue in Fiction: Two Sources

Below are two resources on punctuating and writing dialogue. The first source is a video from TedEd. The second is a source you can read online.

This video by Ashley Clarke clarifies the proper way to FORMAT dialogue. We already looked at a video discussing why dialogue is important and how to think about strong lines of dialogue; this video looks at the technique and punctuation rules for writing dialogue in fiction. You have to watch the whole video to get the full information. It’s not exciting, but it’s short! And, you will get the information you need.

Also, on formatting dialogue, you can read “How To Write Dialogue:Master List of Punctuation & Tips,“from The Self-Publishing School,  which also offers important tips for writing strong dialogue in addition to providing explanation of grammar and punctuation. Among these tips are:

Here are 10 tips from the site on how to write dialogue:

1. Say the dialogue out loud
2. Cut small talk when writing dialogue
3. Keep your dialogue brief and impactful
4. Give each character a unique voice
5. Add world-appropriate slang
6. Be consistent with the characters’ voices
7. Remember who they’re speaking to
8. Avoid long dialogue paragraphs
9. Cut out greetings
10. Show who your character is

Here is the direct link: https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-write-dialogue/