I started paying attention to dialogue in stories once I started writing my book about Catalyntje. Once I changed my book from a history book to historical fiction, I realized I needed to take a closer look at how to create interesting dialogue. Once I started analyzing dialogue in books, I recognized it as a power tool. Dialogue allows the reader to hear the characters’ voices in the book, such as knowing if they are ordinary folk, if they have an accent, if they use an extensive vocabulary, etc. Additionally, the words that surround the dialogue paint a more detailed picture of the mood, actions, and surroundings of the discussion between characters. 

My book takes place in the 1600s and is about ordinary people, so I was careful not to use modern terms or words that regular people wouldn’t have used at the time. I rewrote a lot of conversations with people working on the docks or meeting up in a taproom to make their interactions more casual. I also wanted Catalyntje to be different from everyone else in her speech. To accomplish this, I never had her say contractions; instead, she always used whole words. Because of this, her speech pattern is slightly different from that of the other characters in the book. 

What are some helpful ideas you have used when writing dialogue? How do you avoid using the word ‘said’ after a character speaks?