Characters should not really say what they’re thinking because that’s dull and not really how

people work.
Dialogue should be an expression of disguise and manipulation, not straightforward
transmission of information. Dialogue is complicated and has subtext, just like the rest of
prose.
I’m pretty bad with dialogue because I’m not great at differentiating character voices and I
have a bad habit of being too to the point with conversations.
Dialogue is the moment where the character comes alive. Flash fiction often doesn’t have
much opportunity for texture and dialogue can really provide that.
Summary dialogue: the narrator summarising what is said.

Indirect dialogue: third person, not actually what was said, but still maintains the feel of the
exchange.

Direct dialogue: what we’re all most familiar with.

Dialogue is not simply transcribed speech but distilled speech, the ‘filler’ and small talk of
real conversations edited away as the weight of implication is increased.
When writing dialogue look for redundancy, things that aren’t needed. Especially look at the
first line.

Ensure movement around the dialogue, people never just speak. They act amid conversation.
Use this to provide detail about the character.
Dialogue can be action and contains stakes. Dialogue contains the potential for change in the
characters, and if that potential change is serious then the dialogue should feel that way too.
Find the important beats (in the editing phase, you won’t notice them as you’re first writing it
out). Emphasise them.