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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/40381
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/40381
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Find yourself a writer's group where you critique each other's work. Or a group of friends/family will work for this. Make sure it's in person (or by video/phone conference, if you must). Now, read your work out loud. Not the whole thing; maybe 10-15 mins.

Even if you're writing work meant to be read individually, using the technique of reading it out loud really helps you, the author, figure out where things aren't working right. While this technique works for all kinds of things, where it really shines is in figuring out dialogue problems.

When you say your dialogue sucks, that tells me that maybe it doesn't sound real. So that's your first step: making sure that all the dialogue sounds like it could have come from the mouth of a real person.

Next, you want each character to have a unique voice. Some will really sound different and, for others, the difference will be subtle. And that's okay. Think about in real life how out of a group of 10 friends, several will (or could) respond in the same way to something. Make sure the main characters are really different and aim for some slight differences among the others.

If your critique group is willing, ask them to pretend to be a character and react as that character would. Do some improv. If they get it wrong, how is it wrong? Ask the other members of the group to weigh in here.

Remember too, it's not just what someone says or how they say it. If they speak is part of their voice too. Sometimes people respond with grunts or nods. Others selectively ignore what they don't want to discuss. Some will answer if they're alone but will let others answer for them if they're not. Then there is body language.

Once you're able to see each character as a full, complete, person, you will hear their voice and see how they interact with others. Then you can call on these things as you write for them.

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