Writes and refines dialogue that serves plot and reveals character through subtext, intention, and behavioral exchange — applying McKee's subtext principle and Sorkin's intention-and-obstacle model. Use when dialogue feels flat, expository, or 'on the nose.'
Dialogue craft is the strategic scripting of character interaction. It moves beyond "chat" to directed action. By applying McKee's "Subtext" principle, Sorkin's "Intention and Obstacle" model, and McPhee's "Dusting" technique for clarity, the writer ensures that every spoken word serves the plot and reveals character through behavioral exchange.
Dialogue is not a monologue or a prepared speech; it is an exchange of behaviors. Every line is an action aimed at eliciting a specific reaction from the other character. If characters are just talking at each other without reacting, the scene is dead.
Characters rarely say exactly what they are thinking or feeling. Subtext is the hidden emotional reality beneath the spoken words. Avoid "on the nose" dialogue where characters state their internal states (e.g., "I am very angry with you").
Every line of dialogue must be driven by an intention (what the character wants) meeting an obstacle (what stands in their way). Dialogue is the character's weapon used to maneuver, bargain, or fight past that obstacle.
In non-fiction, spoken speech must be "dusted"—trimmed of "ums," "uhs," and false starts—to make it legible in print. You trim and straighten to achieve clarity, but you do not invent or manufacture meaning.
Use periodic sentences to keep the reader engaged. Delay the core meaning or the "punch" of the sentence until the very last word. This forces the audience to listen to the end of the line.
Ask: "Can I write this scene without any dialogue at all?"
Before writing a single line, define what Character A wants from Character B in this specific moment.
Rewrite the scene so the characters talk about something else (e.g., the weather, a broken car) while actually fighting about the core intention.
Read the dialogue aloud.
Review the draft for economy.
REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: character-vulnerability — to ensure the voice is rooted in the character's flaws. RECOMMENDED SUB-SKILL: copy-editor — to prune the dialogue for maximum impact.