Conversation is not dialogue.  When Joey says, “The sun shines” and Gina replies, “Yes it does,” it’s only dialogue when it pushes the story forward.  If it doesn’t, then it’s just two people talking.  Like two friends lying on the sand in the beach, enjoying the sun – they’re probably speaking words, but it’s all fodder. No matter how impeccably written the exchanges are (thanks to your powerful writing software), two people “chatting” just doesn’t make a good story.

Dialogue, on the other hand, always serves a purpose.  Because it pushes the story forward, it keeps things active.  Remember, readers will pay more attention to that which moves, than those which stand still.  As such, dialogue will keep your readers tuned in the way mere conversations are likely to make them tune out.

How do you write strong dialogue?

• Make sure your characters move the piece along by discussing things that are relevant to the story.
• Don’t have a character give a second hand account of an important event.  Put your reader in the thick of the action by letting them sit in the middle of it.  Any dialogue that happens then becomes vibrant naturally.  At the least, have it told through one of your characters’ eyes.
• Be efficient with your use of quotes, using it to highlight strong, forceful exchanges.
• Make sure the reader knows who’s speaking.  I know that’s a given, but it always begs saying.

You can write an entire novel with a shallow plot and still keep readers interested if your characters are compelling.  Plots can be thin, weak and not-so-fresh.  In fact, majority of stories are clad this way.  However, if you properly build your protagonists and supporting cast, turning them into individuals that the reader can “feel” for, you’re on a good way.

Short on the technical aspects of stylish writing?  No problem.  Believable characters with worldly traits and realistic motivations can get over the least technical prose.  If you can gain the reader’s sympathy with characters that people can identify with, you’ve got half the job done.

Needless to say that with fiction, creating strong characters is key.  Sure, you need to write decent prose (use the help of a fiction writing software), have a valid conflict to drive your plot and create a realistic environment in your reader’s mind.  However, you can be weak in all those areas and still produce a decent read with good characters.

Focus on that.  The rest can be worked on later.

In fact, you will notice this same feature as a default facility in many fiction writing software, where it is treated as an important (albeit, optional) part of the process.  Every novel uses a different formula, each with its own process and structure.  Obviously, it will depend a lot on the writer, although numerous things can also prove a factor, including the novel’s genre and the overall impressions you wish to create.

Here’s a sample structure that was used in the process of writing a recent medical thriller.

1. The main protagonist is an expert.
2. The chief villain is also an expert.
3. All evil actions are viewed with the main villain in the scene.
4. The main protagonist is aided by a capable team behind him.
5. A romantic involvement between at least one couple on the protagonist’s team should take place.
6. Two or more of the protagonist’s team must die.
7. All deaths should be viewed from the vantage point of either the protagonist or one of the characters in the team.
8. If, at any point, you feel stuck, kill someone.

From such a formula, you can produce what is pretty much a wide body of prose.  Just throw in different characters, fresh conflicts and new plots, all while carefully sticking to the outlined structure.

If you’re having a hard time figuring out how you want to lay your work of fiction out, it’s a good idea to read through your favorite novel, using it as a model for putting together your own.  Work to drill down the entire work as a simple formula as above and use it to successfully fashion your piece.