The Dialogue Dilemma: A Writer’s Unexpected Discovery

A Huge Discovery, At Least To Me

Yesterday I made a huge discovery. At least it felt huge to me.

I’ve heard many fellow writers and instructors say it’s a good practice to read our book out loud, as it has a different feel than reading silently to yourself.

So, yesterday I took a crack at it and started at chapter one. It felt a little silly at first, but I kept going.

When I got to chapter three, I realized something that had never struck me before. I wasn’t sure whether to be horrified or totally fine with it. Either way, I panicked a little.

The Truth: No Dialogue In The First Three Chapters

Here’s the truth…I have NO dialogue in the first three chapters of my book. Is this a big deal?

Dialogue is what pulls readers into a character's world. It reveals personality, tension, voice. I started to worry…would readers be able to connect without hearing my characters speak early on? Would they feel distant from the story before it really had a chance to begin?

I’m not sure!

I took to social media to get some thoughts on it from people much farther along in this process than I am. And I’ve also asked readers to weigh in, too. Would they be bored reading a book that has no dialogue in the beginning of the story?

(May I also add, this is where a writing community comes in extremely handy. You can ask your questions of people walking the same road as you, people with more experience and who are willing to help you learn. A welcoming, helpful community like this is invaluable to your writing process.)

Turning to My Own Bookshelves

While waiting for those results to come in, I took to my own bookshelves and started to look through the books of various authors. Books I’ve loved and read more than once.

What did I find? A surprising mix.

Some books have no dialogue in the first several chapters. Then there are some that have dialogue on page one and keep going through most of the book. I was surprised, and I guess it just shows it’s not something I’ve really paid attention to before, or have a strong opinion about, from the point of view as a reader.

For Now, I’m Leaving It Be

I am taking this as good news. That maybe, just maybe, my book is okay just the way it is. After all, I’m giving backstory and setting the tone for the rest of the book where, I assure you, dialogue does flow.

For now, I will leave the opening chapters of my book as it currently stands. But I will keep the possibility of adding dialogue in mind.

Have You Discovered Something Unexpected?

What about you?

Have you ever made a discovery on something you were working on, that had the potential for big changes that you hadn’t planned on?

I’d love to hear about it. And in the process, we can cheer each other on to accomplish our goals no matter what!

Drop me a message on the “contact me” page and fill me in, I always love hearing from you!