1) Slang. Consider how your character’s past and upbringing might change the way they refer to things. Does your character refer to a dog as ‘pup’ or ‘beast’? If the latter, was it because they were attacked by a dog as a child? Another example would be referring to a girl as “lassie” or “chick” or “lady”. These all display a different cultural upbringing.
2) Action. Mix in action with your dialogue to make it more natural. As humans, we rarely just stand straight like a post while talking. We move our hands, fiddle with things, have nervous ticks, etc. A great tip is to add in a prop for your characters to mess with while they talk. For example, a soldier talks to a newbie about the harsh realities of war while he cleans his gun.
3) Make sure the dialogue advances the story. This could be revealing a secret through dialogue, further developing your characters, creating or breaking relationships, physically pushing the plot forward, creating conflict for your crew, etc. Some authors go as far as saying to cut any dialogue that does not aid in the progress of the story.
4) Naturally reveal worldbuilding through dialogue. This one is pretty important as it helps to prevent info dumping. If your character arrives somewhere new and knows nothing, or you need to explain something to your readers that is unique to your world, dialogue is a great place to do this. Give your character a mentor who can explain the way things work, or have them meet a character to who they ask questions.
5) Don’t overuse catchphrases. Giving your characters a unique phrase that they say often can bring them to life. Extra points if this phrase enhances your worldbuilding by being unique to your fictional realm. However, if the catchphrase is said too much, it can become unrealistic and a bit annoying to the audience. Here are some examples of catchphrases:
“Cauldron Boil Me!” - A Court of Thorns and Roses
“Thank the Maker!” - Star Wars
“Old sport.” - A Great Gatsby
6) Not every character knows the truth. To write enticing dialog, it can be smart to keep in mind that not everyone knows everything. A young man raised in a small village would not understand the slang or politics of a bustling city. Therefore, the way he talks and what he says will be vastly different than the city folk.
7) So… create conflict and false truths. Expanding on the previous point, if your character doesn’t understand something… it can be human nature to pretend that we do. Does your character spread false information to the reader and characters? If so, this can be a great opportunity for twists and epic reveals.
8) Using said is okay. You’ve heard it before, so I won’t say much, but you don’t always need flowery dialogue tags. Sometimes using ‘said’ and be much more impactful.
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