A very quick tip here for writers struggling with dialogue.
One of the issues that I find in a lot of the manuscripts I edit is that the dialogue can seem forced and contrived. Realistic, believable and authentic dialogue is a must for a good novel, and authors need to make sure they get it right. But many new writers think they have to write ‘properly’ and they think this means eschewing contractions.
Generally, if you want to make your dialogue flow and for readers to believe in it, then you need to use contractions (there are exceptions to this, in particular types of fiction). Think about it. How many people do you know (however posh they are and however ‘properly’ they speak) who say things like this:
‘Please do not walk on the grass.’
The answer is no one. No one ever (except perhaps the queen and probably not even her) speaks like that. It sounds horrible.
So remember:
‘Don’t’ not ‘do not’
‘They’ve’ not ‘they have’
‘Should’ve’ not ‘should have’ (and definitely NOT should of)
‘I’ll’ not ‘I will’
‘Can’t’ not ‘cannot’
You get the point.
There are three things you can do to improve your dialogue:
Listen – actually listen to people talking. This has the advantage of also often being very entertaining.
Read – when you’re reading, make a note of dialogue that really works, and why it works
Speak – read your dialogue out loud. Does it sound right?
Contrived, formal, awkward dialogue is, I’m afraid, the sign of a writer still learning their craft. Get it right, and your writing will be smooth and professional and your dialogue a pleasure to read.
Alison Williams Writing 
I, on the other hand, swing so far the other way and try to mimic conversations so accurately that they look ugly on paper.
Love this tip though. Thanks for sharing!
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You’re welcome 🙂 It’s all about balance!
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Another issue I sometimes come across in my editing work is when writers mix contraction use with non contraction use in the same sentence. That usually feels/sounds wrong, as well, unless there’s some reason why certain words would be stressed or said differently.
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I think it all comes down to what sounds right – and as Georgia says, reading your manuscript out loud works really well.
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This is where reading your work out loud is vital as the dialogue feels far too precise without contractions. Excellent post, Alison. Thank you.
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Thank you 🙂 And yes, reading out loud is an excellent way to catch lots of things – typos, repetitions, awkwardness etc.
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I thinks sometimes experimenting different things is not bad at all, Trying variations in writing seem to be a good thing for reader as well for the writer.
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