283. What's Making your Dialogue Read False (and What To Do About It)

Most writers know when their dialogue isn't working. What they don't know is why. In this episode, I'm breaking down the three mistakes that make dialogue read false, and what to do to turn it around. So your reader feels like they're eavesdropping on a private conversation.

[00:00:00] Why dialogue feels so hard to write when conversation comes so naturally to us in real life.

[00:01:04] The eavesdropping illusion -- why the moment your characters start performing for the reader, the dialogue falls flat.

[00:02:21] Mistake #1: Your characters are explaining things they both already know -- and why this rings false even when the reader can't name why.

[00:04:57] Mistake #2: Your characters are saying exactly what they mean -- and why directness kills tension and deflates the scene.

[00:07:11] Mistake #3: The dialogue isn't doing anything -- why every line needs a job and how to know when a line isn't earning its place.

[00:11:04] All three mistakes come from the same place -- and what to do instead.

[00:12:24] Your final dialogue checklist -- three questions to ask every time a scene feels off.

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