Simple Writing Tips for Newbies

DIALOGUE 1

Dialogue is the discussion between two or more characters except when a character is soliloquising (speaking to himself).

Punctuation

A good dialogue have a natural flow and keeps the readers engaged when it is written with correct punctuations.

Punctuations such as inverted commas, exclamation marks, question marks, full stop and comma in the right corners makes dialogues readable and relatable.
Always indicate your dialogue sentences with the quotation marks, open and close (" ").

Example.

"I like sushi."

Not

"I like sushi".

Note the difference. The full stop is placed before the quotation mark closes.

Example 2

"I like sushi!"

An exclamation at the end of the sentence makes it sound like someone is excited to really eat sushi.

"What!"

This is expressing more of shock than excitement.

Example 3

"What did you say?"

A question mark indicates a serious questioning sentence.

Paragraphing

Dialogues should be written separately from any incoming or outgoing paragraphs except in rare occasions.

Example

Lola stopped in her tracks catching her breath. Her eyes glared at the man with a gun. She slowly raised her hands above her head. "Please don't shoot me." Her voice quivered. "Lola...Longtime no see..." The man grinned bitterly and pointed the gun.

(This is muddled up. It is not relatable.)

RATHER WRITE...

Lola stopped in her tracks catching her breath. She glared at the man with a gun. She slowly raised her hands above her head.

"Please don't shoot me." There was a cold quiver in her small voice.

"Lola...Longtime no see..."

The man grinned bitterly and pointed the gun.

OR

Lola stopped in her tracks catching her breath. She glared at the man with a gun. She slowly raised her hands above her head.
"Please don't shoot me," her voice quivered.
"Lola...Longtime no see..."
The man grinned bitterly and pointed the gun.

Note the difference.