Screenwriting : Tips on Dialogue by Lamar Faulk

Listen to dialogue everywhere you go. Notice what people say and more important, what they do not say. Check out Writing Subtext by Linda Seger.

Think about the last conversation you had and revise it. That's how I learned to write dialogue.

Does anyone have a quick example?

What's good, Lamar! Also try reading all dialogue aloud. This technique also works well with description/direction/action.

My advice? Go to a bar and talk to a woman you're remotely interested in getting to know. Be yourself. Record it though. The art of seduction is all subtext. No one comes out and says what they want in the beginning. They cloak in innuendo, double meaning, etc... Find that in your screenwriting dialog, that way of saying without saying the full thing. No one says, I'm done with this conversation. They say, I need some air.

Writing good dialogue has a lot to do with being a good listener. I also try to keep in mind a quote from BRIAN HELDGELAND. "Movie conversations are how we wish we talked."

Writing good dialogue? Sit in a bar and listen in on other people's drunken stories... always good food for fodder.

Excellent Advice!! Thanks to everyone.

Having recently moved to the South I'm always eavesdropping - restaurants and especially waiting rooms - doctors offices/garages etc. The colloquial way things are presented as well as said is mind-boggling. i.e "Be talkin' back at cha" . One I heard yesterday; guy was looking at another's cell phone of a picture of new girlfriend. "Shit, but she's got a pretty smile. You know that upkeeps gonna cost yah. Dental bills is far from cheap nowadays."

We have an excellent class (available for immediate download) all about how to write compelling dialogue from Jared Iacino, the VP of Film and TV Development at Panay Films! You can read more here: https://www.stage32.com/classes/How-to-Write-Compelling-and-Authentic-Di...

Hi Lamar, I found this invaluable and it helped tremendously with my screenplay writing: it's called 'writing dialogue for scripts' by Rib Davis. It's a must!

Make silent films! Seriously, if you have trouble with dialogue, keep it to a minimum - and work to your strengths. Not everyone can be Quentin Tarantino!

Yes, you and I can't get away with opening a film that has ten pages of dialogue. Less is more. If you can leave out a line of dialogue—do it. Allow the actors to "act." Live and breathe the characters while writing your script. It's almost like when you sit down you're channeling a force that we can't explain. You live and breathe every character in your screenplay. Also helps to take an acting class.