How to Write Believable Dialogue

Make It Sound Like Real People Talking

Writing dialogue sounds easy—until you try it.

The trick isn’t to make it perfect. The trick is to make it believable.

In screen acting and scriptwriting classes, one of the first red flags is dialogue that feels stiff or unnatural. Luckily, there are some clear ways to fix it.

What Makes Dialogue Believable?

Believable dialogue doesn’t mean writing exactly how people speak in real life.

In real conversations, people ramble, interrupt themselves, and say “um” a lot. On screen, we want things to feel real—but tighter.

Great dialogue:

• Matches the character’s personality

• Has a clear purpose in the scene

• Feels like something you could hear someone say

Know Who’s Talking

Is your character 11 years old or 17?

Shy or confident?

From Dubai or from somewhere else?

Their voice should match their age, attitude, and background.

For example:

“You seriously think I’d care?”

Sounds totally different from:

“I don’t believe that’s any of my concern.”

Both could work—but not for the same person.

Cut the Small Talk

Skip boring lines like:

“Hi.”

“How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Unless the small talk adds tension or reveals something, it’s better to jump into the real moment.

Start where things matter.

Every Line Has a Job

In good screenwriting, every line:

• Moves the story forward

• Reveals something about the character

• Builds tension or changes the scene

If a line does none of those things, cut it.

Read It Out Loud

Always.

Always.

Always.

Read your dialogue out loud.

Does it sound weird?

Is it hard to say?

Would a real person talk like that?

Reading aloud is a powerful editing tool—even professional screenwriters do it.

Bonus Tip: Let Actors Fill the Gaps

You don’t have to write everything a character feels.

Sometimes silence says more than words.

Let the actor use a look, a pause, or a reaction. That’s what screen acting is all about.

Try This Exercise:

Write a short scene with two characters in conflict.

Now go back and remove every line that isn’t completely necessary.

What’s left is where the story lives.