How To Annoy A Script Reader - Part 6
Wednesday 3rd June 2015
6: Weak dialogue
By this I mean characters with lots of chunks of dialogue in which they explain what they are doing or what is going on in the plot. This is really boring to read and seems amateur.
It comes back to the basic 'show, don't tell' principal. Try to use dialogue sparingly, and think about the subtext of conversations. Can your character convey the same sentiments with more subtlety, or even with just a glance?
Also, don't wear headphones on public transport. People are your subject matter, so listen to how they speak to each other. This will make your dialogue more realistic.
This tip comes from Jamie Rhodes, Script Reader and author of Dead Men's Teeth
More: Tip 1, Tip 2, Tip 3, Tip 4, Tip 5, Tip 6, Tip 7, Tip 8, Tip 9, Tip 10, Tip 11, Tip 12, Tip 13, Tip 14, Tip 15, Tip 16, Tip 17