Nose dialogue example and how to stop it from killing your script.
What’s the quickest way to let people reading your script know they’re in the hands of a newbie? Answer: Write the dialogue on your nose.
On-the-nose dialogue is like kryptonite to readers and should be eliminated wherever it is found.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to write dialogue between two characters that feels as natural as possible. We’ll do this by using the example of nose dialogue, followed by content from the author can have But it was written.
So let’s get started.
Conversation Example #1 About Nose.
This is not how people talk in real life. It feels fake. If everything your character says in the script feels fake, everything in the script will end up feeling fake too.
This scripted dialogue is taken from the first page of the script. We tell authors we really should look Lydia ultimately struck a deal instead of having the two women talk about it after the event.
The script will likely begin with Lydia and Victoria finalizing a deal in the office. This way we can see the women in action and get a feel for their characters.
It’s the old adage of “show don’t tell,” and it’s an important skill to master as a screenwriter to help get rid of nose-to-nose dialogue.
How to eliminate annoying conversations.
Want to know the secret to removing nose dialogue from your script? Recognize it!
Clean up your script. Let others read it and point it out. Read the script dialogue out loud to yourself. Have someone else read it aloud to you. Organize script reading sheets and more.
Whatever you do, get rid of all the on-the-nose dialogue and cut it. See if you can replace the on-the-nose scripted dialogue with scenes show Something the characters are talking about.
In most cases, you’ll find that you can.
Conversation Example #2.
This is another example of on-the-nose dialogue taken from another script. Two teenage girls chatting on the phone in the bedroom:
There are many scenes or shots that can show This is not a scene of two girls talking on the phone:
• The author could have done without Riley asking Katie if she was going to do a commercial. tell us A brief scene of Katie in a commercial audition.
• We never see Katie anywhere near the audition, so, of course, the scene would have been better if we had seen Katie screw up the audition. Then we can see why they didn’t even let her audition. What bad thing did she do? This script is a comedy, so showing her messiness here would be a great opportunity to get some laughs.
• Riley asks Katie if she can borrow some money from her parents, but that’s “never going to happen!” A brief scene of Katie driving with her mom, where the car breaks down and her mom panics because she can’t fix it, wouldn’t the message be better ? Then we learn all about Mom’s money situation and the fact that Katie’s asking for money from her is pointless.
It’s also amazing when you start replacing dialogue with dialogue visual scene By showing the characters in action, things start to flow more naturally from one scene to the next.
For example, after showing Katie botching her audition, the writers could cut to her leaving the studio, angry and disappointed, perhaps overreacting to being accidentally bumped into by a passing stranger.
Action/Reaction Screenwriting.
In other words—show us—Katie screwed up the audition. Then show us reaction—Katie yelled at strangers for no reason because she was really angry about the audition.
There are many other basic techniques for improving your dialogue, but on-the-nose dialogue can be the hardest beast to tame. However, if you want to be a screenwriter, you have to do this.
We hope you enjoy these tips on how to write dialogue that engages your readers. Check out our course Script Hackr for more implementation tips and exercises. Or hire us to make your script exactly how you want it, find an agent and sell it.
To eliminate direct dialogue from your script, we offer a variety of script coverage services below.
Like this article? Read more about how to avoid nose conversations…
Scripted Dialogue: If Your Characters Are Just Talking, You’re Doing It Wrong
How to Write a Screenplay: Secrets to Beyond the Ordinary
Show rather than tell: How to turn an audio script into a visual masterpiece
[© Photo credits: Unsplash]
