Overcome the Yips!

I stretched my back. Next, I gave each of my fingers a massage. I closed my eyes and warmed up my imagination. Then, I put on the perfect playlist. A quick check showed my favorite glass holding iced tea was full, and my screens were all at the perfect height. It was time to write some killer dialogue. Writing session, commence.  

“Sup?” 

“Not much. You” 

“Eh.” 

Nothing else came to mind. Not only was that the least helpful dialogue I’ve ever written, but I’d also actually permanently destroyed brain cells typing it. 

Word yips strike the beginner and veteran writer without respect for persons. Sometimes, going back to the basics helps with dialogue. Keep these tips in mind as you write, and hopefully, you will be back to writing compelling dialogue again soon. 

• Conflict drives dialogue. People getting along with each other is boring content. Drive the plot forward by making tension-filled words fly: “I’m hungry, can you make me a sandwich right now?”— “Make your own stupid sandwich.” 

• Dialogue should be doing more than surface-level work. The words should reveal character, intent, and even things the character does not even know about themselves: “You’re a liar, and you always have been.”—“Well, perhaps. But only since I’ve met you.” 

• Make every word count. Filler words we use in real life are not necessary, unless you want them for a reason: “Well, um. Ah, I just…”—“I see you don’t know if you want to marry me.” 

• Use beats (action) more than speaker attributes (he or she said): She folded her arms. “You’ve taken the last cinnamon roll.”—“And what are you going to do about it?” He asked. 

• Avoid the infamous info dump like in the following example. Work it in other ways: “Oh my, that twenty-five-foot-tall monster with unpenetrable skin and large claws is getting much closer to you, my dear sister.”—“I know, special brother, and our home, car, and half-acre garden we spent four years working on are in danger! We must fight it!” 

• Allow characters to have unique voices to highlight their character. Gender, accents, upbringing, and other details are brought out in dialogue: “Forsooth, the belly doth claw for sustenance.”—“Okay, Carl, stop being so dramatic. I’m not making your sandwich. Go fix it yourself. Oh, and make me one while you’re in the kitchen.” 

These tips should help spark your dialogue and keep you from getting the yips! 

Views expressed are not necessarily those of all members of ICW. Image credit: Freepik