Writing-Craft

“I love you,” she gasped. “Really?” he queried. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “But—” he stammered. “No buts,” she interjected. Stop. This is bad writing. And it’s bad for a very specific reason: the dialogue tags are working too hard. The golden rule: “Said” is invisible. Everything else calls attention to itself. And in 95% of cases, you don’t want readers noticing your dialogue tags—you want them immersed in the conversation. What Are Dialogue Tags? Dialogue tags (also called “attributions”) identify who’s speaking: ...

Perfect turn-taking is a myth. Real conversations don’t work like written dialogue usually looks: A: "I went to the store." B: "What did you buy?" A: "Milk and bread." Real conversations are messier: A: "I went to the store and—" B: "Did you get the milk?" A: "I was about to—yeah, I got—" B: "Because last time you forgot and—" A: "I got it! I got the milk." Real speech includes: Interruptions Overlapping dialogue Pauses and silence Trailing off Verbal stumbling And incorporating these patterns makes dialogue feel authentic. ...

Watch any great dialogue scene and you’ll notice something: characters almost never directly agree with each other. Even when they’re on the same side, even when they ultimately want the same thing, they resist, deflect, challenge, or qualify. This is called “The No Game”—and it’s one of the simplest, most powerful techniques for creating dynamic dialogue. What Is the “No” Game? The principle: Characters instinctively resist what other characters say, even in small ways. ...

Bad dialogue is characters talking at each other, exchanging information the writer needs us to know. Good dialogue is characters doing things to each other with words. Dialogue isn’t just communication—it’s action. Every line should move something forward: plot, character dynamics, tension, understanding, or emotion. If you can cut a line of dialogue without losing anything, it shouldn’t be there. The “Dialogue as Action” Principle Traditional writing advice separates: Action = physical events (fights, chases, building things) Dialogue = characters talking (conveying information, feelings) This is wrong. ...

“We should talk.” Three words. Grammatically simple. Literally: a suggestion to have a conversation. But everyone who hears them knows: Something bad is about to happen. A breakup. A confrontation. A revelation that will hurt. How do we know? Because of subtext—the meaning beneath the words, the real message hiding under the literal one. And it’s arguably the most important skill in dialogue writing. What Is Subtext? Text: What is literally said Subtext: What is actually meant ...

The writing advice is nearly universal: “Make your characters three-dimensional! Give them depth! Show their complexity!” And then you look at some of the most beloved stories ever told—fairy tales, myths, adventure films, genre fiction—and realize: many of their characters are flat as paper. And it works perfectly. James Bond doesn’t have a meaningful character arc across most films. Indiana Jones is the same person at the end as at the beginning. Sherlock Holmes remains fundamentally unchanged across decades of stories. ...

Walter White cooks meth and poisons a child. Amy Dunne frames her husband for murder with sociopathic precision. Jordan Belfort defrauds thousands and revels in his own depravity. And we can’t stop watching. This is the paradox of the unsympathetic protagonist: characters who violate our moral codes yet remain narratively compelling. They shouldn’t work—but in the right hands, they become cultural phenomena. The question isn’t whether you should write unlikeable protagonists. It’s how to make them watchable without sacrificing moral complexity. ...

There’s a specific kind of dopamine hit that comes from watching someone who is exceptionally good at something solve a problem with elegant precision. Sherlock Holmes deducing a person’s entire backstory from their shoelaces. Tony Stark building a suit in a cave with a box of scraps. Elle Woods demolishing a witness with perfect legal maneuvering. Dr. House diagnosing the impossible case through sheer diagnostic brilliance. This is competence porn—and it’s one of the most satisfying character types in storytelling. ...

Your character walks into the story chasing the wrong thing. They’re convinced that if they just get the promotion, win the competition, or reach the destination, everything will be fixed. They’re pursuing their Want with laser focus. And the entire story is about why they’re wrong. Because what they Want is not what they Need—and that gap is where character transformation lives. The Want vs Need Framework This is one of the most powerful tools in character development: ...

Every compelling character is haunted by a belief that isn’t true. Not a minor misconception. Not a small error in judgment. A fundamental lie about themselves or the world that shapes every decision they make—until the story forces them to confront it. This lie is the engine of character transformation. And understanding how to craft it separates functional characters from unforgettable ones. What Is the Character’s Lie? The Lie is a false belief your character holds about themselves, others, or how the world works. It’s: ...