How to Write Dialogue That Isn’t Boring

Writing dialogue can be one of the biggest challenges for writers. You might be able to describe landscapes in a way that pulls the reader in, portray your characters in such detail that they come to life, and paint the most mundane details in the most colorful way.

But then it comes to dialogue, and you just know something isn’t right. It’s hard to write, doesn’t flow, and sure isn’t great to read.

And it’s not just beginner writers who struggle with it. Writing engaging dialogue is an art on its own, one that challenges even experienced writers.

But we’re not here to dwell on issues—we’re here to brainstorm solutions. And I have a few ideas that can make your dialogue flow (and read) better.

A Real Nail-Biter

Say you’re writing a conversation between two fairies, one about to ask the other for a huge favor (asking the toad in the neighboring swamp out for her). Naturally, the fairy feels nervous.

One way to convey that nervousness would be through the dialogue itself, like so:

“Hey, Dandeliona, can I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure, Garlic-Blossom. What is it?”

“I really like the toad in the neighboring swamp, but I’m too nervous to ask him out. Could you do it for me?”

“Don’t tell me you like that thing.”

In this example, Garlic-Blossom directly states her feelings, but the exchange comes across as cartoonish and overly simplified. She has to explain her emotions to her friend, which makes the dialogue feel dumbed down for the reader.

Another option is to add descriptions to the dialogue, expressing the speaker’s feelings without stating them outright. For example:

“Hey, Dandeliona. Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure, Garlic-Blossom. What is it?”

Garlic-Blossom looked aside, biting her lip. She took a deep breath before finally saying:

“Could you talk to the toad in the neighboring swamp for me?”

Dandeliona squinted as if she’d bitten into a lemon, folding her arms. “A toad? Really?”

In the second example, not everything is plainly spelled out for the reader, and nuances emerge through the characters’ behavior. The reader infers the emotions without being told directly.

And it doesn’t have to be only nail-biting or awkward glances—any emotions can be shown through habits, ticks, looks, or hand gestures. They don’t need to be exaggerated or crammed into every bit of conversation, but if you want to emphasize an emotion, show it in body language.

In the second example, Garlic-Blossom never said she was nervous, but it was evident through her gestures. So was Dandeliona’s appalled reaction, even though she never stated it outright.

It is sometimes the things the characters don’t say that speak volumes.

Be careful, though—accentuating every line of dialogue with a gesture can get repetitive and unnatural. A gesture here and there to emphasize what matters can be enough to give the scene much more life.

Lukewarm Greetings

One of the fastest ways to tire a reader is to start a dialogue with greetings.

“Hello, Lord Everfrog,” said Lady Birdton.

“Good to see you, Lady Birdton.”

“You seem troubled. Have you received any bad news?”

“I have. It appears that the Mushroom Queendom is planning to attack tonight.”

Just don’t (unless the point of the scene is to poke fun at empty pleasantries).

And it’s not just greetings. Unnecessary dialogue includes goodbyes, small talk about health or family, or details the reader already knows (like “I just spoke to Lord Everfrog and he told me that the Mushroom Queendom will attack tonight,”, if that was already mentioned previously).

So what should you do instead? Like in the previous example, you can use gestures in place of greetings, have characters open with something that reflects their current mood, or just cut the unnecessary parts altogether.

Jump straight into the moment where something interesting is happening.

For instance:

Lord Everfrog entered the cabinet, slamming the door behind him. When he noticed Lady Birdton he momentarily flushed, composed himself, and offered her a tense smile.

“Bad news?” she asked.

Here we immediately read Lord Everfrog’s emotions, understand he has encountered Lady Birdton, and learn he’s likely just received bad news. The scene feels more tense and avoids unnecessary dialogue.

A word of caution: greetings and goodbyes can work if they serve a purpose. If a greeting conveys how one character feels about another or reveals something about social dynamics, it’s not necessarily wasted. For example:

A warm “Good to see you!” from character A answered with a chilly “Hello.” from character B tells us more than exposition ever could.

That Accent

When we write, especially fantasy, it’s tempting to lean into flowery, old-world language. Every character sounds like a lord or lady of a court—pompous and overly polite.

That can work in some cases, but if you don’t give your characters unique voices, you run the risk of writing boring dialogue.

Distinct accents and voices make characters recognizable, reveal their personalities, and add color to their words. Consider the following:

“How do you suggest we defend our keep from the imposing threat of the Bunny-folk, General Whiskers?” Lord Everfrog asked. He attempted to leisurely raise a glass of wine to his lips, but his hand refused to play along and kept shaking uncontrollably.

Whiskers downed his own drink in one gulp. “Catapults.”

A moment of silence passed before Lord Everfrog asked: “Do you mean—”

“We build catapults and load ’em up with rotten cabbage. No better way to drive ’em bunnies away.”

Without me having to describe him, you probably picture General Whiskers as you read these lines. His clipped, sparse words and lack of elaboration suggest impatience, bluntness and a wealth of military experience.

The contrast between Lord Everfrog’s formal, cautious manner and Whiskers’ curt directness makes the exchange dynamic.

That said, you don’t need to go overboard with phonetic spelling, filling your book with foreign royalty who say “ze” instead of “the” or farmers who drop “aint no” into every line. Often, subtle choices in wording, rhythm, and formality do far more to make dialogue feel authentic and unique.

Empty Words

There are more ways than described above to write stronger dialog, but whichever you use, keep this rule in mind: all dialogue must serve a purpose.

Whether it’s a casual conversation, a heated argument, or a formal meeting, it should accomplish at least one of the following:

1. Reveal something about the characters.

2. Enhance worldbuilding by showing the environment or culture.

3. Drive the plot forward by revealing important events.

Conclusion

A good indication that your dialogue works is when the reader doesn’t really notice it. That doesn’t mean they’re not paying attention—quite the opposite. It means your readers are so immersed in the scene that the dialogue flows naturally without tripping them up.

It’s the bad dialog that makes readers stop and notice it.

Don’t expect to get it right on the first try. Dialogue will likely be one of the scenes you revisit most, but when done well, it can make your story infinitely more engaging.