Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/2720
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/2720
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I believe in creating **dialogue touchstones** : find each major character a couple of lines that _they_ would say, that _no other character_ would say.

Some of these might be catchphrases, or might sound like catchphrases ("Elementary, my dear Watson," "Le- gen- wait for it!", "Everybody lies,"). That's fine, because catchphrases are often attempts to represent the character and his voice. But it can also be something more specific, or less bombastic - simply an example of the way this person talks. The trick is to find **distinguishing examples** - there are lots of things two characters _could_ say precisely the same way; those won't be as helpful here.

A lot of the examples in [Christopher Mahan's answer](https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/2713/how-do-you-avoid-the-problem-of-all-the-characters-in-your-story-sounding-the-sam/2715#2715) would serve admirably. And a lot of the points in [Craig Sefton's answer](https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/2713/how-do-you-avoid-the-problem-of-all-the-characters-in-your-story-sounding-the-sam/2714#2714) will help you find situations where two characters will speak differently. A succinct rule of thumb might be this: a person's personality is revealed by his speech. If you write a line that tells you nothing about a character, consider how that character's personality might make him phrase it differently. An obnoxious character will say it obnoxiously; a worried character will be tense and nervous; somebody confident will speak with certainty and authority. So: find a few lines that you're able to shift around and polish until you're able to say, "Yes, yes, that's exactly how this character would say this; that's _him_ speaking."

Once you've got those lines as touchstones, they're helpful in finding the voice. They jump-start you into that character's way of expressing himself. You can imagine the character speaking the touchstone line to somebody else, and then turning back to the scene at hand for his next line; for me, once I've spoken _one_ line that gets me into the character, I find that the next lines flow much more easily.

(This is actually an insight I picked up from amateur acting. I'd find my character's voice by warming up with some of his loudest, most melodramatic, most distinctive lines - the ones I found easiest to act "well," the ones most obviously "in character." From there, continuing into less-distinctive lines while retaining the character's distinctive voice was a lot easier than starting cold.)

Original score: 4