Dialogue

Is something I think we all struggle with. I know I do at times because I'm used to talking one way myself in real life, and that does cause us writers to struggle to make realistic dialogue. But then, there's the opposite end of the spectrum where scriptwriters, etc, try to make things too "realistic" and move into the absurd.

I stumbled across "American Horror House," which starred Alessandra Toressani (Zoey Graystone on Caprica-and someone I'm hoping I can get to galaticon 3 in Houston to meet) who's one my favorite young actresses. She and three others come up to a place where there's a lot of blood-and here comes the awful dialogue we should try to avoid.

Alessandra: "If that's real blood, someone got hurt really bad here."

Do'oh! You think?? Why in the world would there be BLOOD there if something DIDN'T get hurt. See what i mean about poor dialogue.

If the beauty wasn't good enough, here's the follow up:

"If that's real blood, someone died here."

*Smacks forehead and runs hand down face*

Not a good example of dialogue in any shape of the imagination.

I'm not sure how others feel, but it seems to me, the best dialogue is something that either. 1. ratchets up the tension. 2. Pushes the Plot forwards or 3. teaches you something about the character. If it doesn't fit those three things, then it might be unnecessary talking.