Literary devices are the toolbox of any author. Let's breakdown a few of my favorites to keep in mind while writing rich, realistic dialogue between your characters.
Literary Devices for Dialogue
Colloquialism
Euphemism
Circumlocution
Colloquialism
Colloquialism is casual language or slang. While this can be useful in most aspects of writing, it's especially important to incorporate colloquial language into your dialogue.
Professionals know how to write formally - In some genres, like academic research, it's necessary to limit yourself to the conventions of your field. However, in fiction, there's much more room for colloquialism.
Our characters, like real people, do not speak only within the confines of formal language. They use contractions, slang words, or even just phrases that sound correct but do not adhere to grammatical rules.
If we want our dialogue to flow and sound natural, we must use colloquialism to mimic true speech.
A quick word of caution: All writing does not have to remain within the confines of formal conventions, but I believe you must understand the rules before you break them. Many readers might not be able to articulate every rule in the book, but they'll know when something sounds off, and that can significantly distract from whatever story you're trying to tell.
Euphemism
A euphemism is a softer replacement for a harsh or unpleasant word or phrase. We use these constantly in everyday conversation, so your characters should too.
A simple example of a euphemism is the replacement of the word 'died.' Saying someone died can invoke harshness or depressing feelings. Instead, we might say something like 'passed away' or 'moved on.'
Euphemisms belong in dialogue because they exist naturally and frequently in typical speech. They can also be a simple way to show a character's personality, as someone concerned with softening their language is likely a kind or empathetic person.
Circumlocution
Simply put, circumlocution is writing in a way that is intentionally confusing to the reader. It's not something we want to overdo, but it is a useful literary device to keep in your back pocket when writing dialogue.
Characters that don't want to give a straight answer are great candidates for circumlocution. Maybe your character was justifiably accused of cheating by a spouse and doesn't want to provide a straight answer. Maybe they're accused of a crime with no alibi.
Whatever the situation where your character strives to mislead another, circumlocution can help you get there.
Wrapping Up
Add these literary devices to your writer's toolbox and pull them out when writing or editing dialogue. All can help you craft dialogue that's engaging, realistic, and goes beyond a simple conveyance of messages between characters.
Happy reading and writing, everyone!
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