WRITING

DIALOGUE
WHAT IS A DIALOGUE

• IT IS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO OR MORE PEOPLE IN A

PLAY/STORY
• WRITTEN IN MUCH LESS FORMAL STYLE
• AN EQUAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE (BOTH SHOULD
SPEAK FOR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME)
FEATURES OF A DIALOGUE/SCRIPT

• A TITLE (WHAT THE DIALOGUE IS ABOUT)

• STAGE DIRECTIONS
• CHARACTERS
• SCENE
TITLE

• EVERY PLAY NEEDS A TITLE THAT TELLS THE READER WHAT IT IS

ABOUT
• A NAME GIVEN TO THE SCRIPT/DIALOGUE
• FOR EXAMPLE, “MACBETH” “ROMEO AND JULIET”
SCENE

• INCLUDES DESCRIPTION OF SETTING

• GIVES THE ACTORS INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCENE: WHERE IT
IS,WHAT IT IS LIKE(WEATHER) AND WHO IS THERE.
• FOR EXAMPLE, “SCENE 2: “DADDY BEAR COMES INTO THE
HOUSE.MUMMY AND BABY FOLLOW HIM.THEY ARE TIRED AFTER
THEIR MORNING WALK IN THE WOODS.
• USED WHEN YOU WANT TO CHANGE LOCATION OR THE TIME THE
DIALOGUE IS TAKING PLACE.
CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE

• CHARACTERS ARE THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE DIALOGUE

• EACH CHARACTER SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR PERSONALITY
• THE NAMES ARE WRITTEN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE
• A COLON IS WRITTEN AFTER THE NAME (BEFORE THE DIALOGUE) TO
SEPARATE IT FROM THE SPEECH.
• NO SPEECH MARKS
 STAGE DIRECTIONS

• WRITTEN IN THE PRESENT TENSE

• THEY ARE USED TO SET THE SCENE
• THEY ARE INSTRUCTIONS.THE ACTORS ARE TOLD ,CLEARLY,WHAT THEY
SHOULD BE DOING IN THAT SCENE (THEIR ACTIONS) OR HOW THEY
SHOULD TALK.
• FOR EXAMPLE, (JOE STOMPS ACROSS THE STAGE LOUDLY AND ANGRILY).
• STAGE DIRECTIONS SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN BRACKETS OR ITALICS.
FURTHER DETAILS

• USE ELLIPSIS(…) TO SHOW THAT A CHARACTER SHOULD PAUSE OR IS

STUTTERING THEIR SPEECH.
• FOR EXAMPLE, “SOPHIE:(NERVOUSLY)WHERE…WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?
• USE CAPITAL LETTERS,BOLD OR ITALICS TO EMPHASISE WORDS
• USE EMOTIVE AND DRAMATIC LANGUAGE IN DIALOGUE TO CONVEY
THOUGHTS AND HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE FEELING.
• A MIXTURE OF BOTH LONG AND SHORTER PARAGRAPHS.
• USE PUNCTUATION FOR EFFECT
…

• USE LANGUAGE THAT IS REALISTIC TO THE CHARACTER

• LANGUAGE CREATES A SENSE OF VOICE
DIALOGUE/SCRIPT EXAMPLE

SCENE 1
THE DRAWING ROOM OF LADY AND LORD MONTAGUE,WHICH IS
FURNISHED WITH PLUSH CARPETS,SILKCURTAINS AND BEAUTIFULLY
CURVED ANTIQUE FURNITURE.LORD MONTAGUE IS SITTING ON A
VELVET SOFA,SMOKING A PIPE AND READING A PAPER.LADY MONTAGUE
IS SITTING AT A GRAND PIANO,TRYING BUT FAILING TO PLAY A MELODY.
…

LADY MONTAGUE: TRY AS I MIGHT,I SIMPLY CANNOT GET THIS BLESSED

MELODY!
LORD MONTAGUE: YOU ARE TRYING TOO HARD,DARLING.RELAX,LOOK
AT THE NOTES AND LET YOUR FINGERS FIND THEIR WAY TO THE RIGHT
NOTES.STOP TRYING TO GET IT RIGHT.JUST FEEL THE MUSIC
LADY MONTAGUE: (PUSHING A STRAND OF HAIR FROM HER FACE
WEARILY)YES.PERHAPS YOU ARE RIGHT.