When my teenage son picked up “Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing” (Morrow, 96 pp., $14.95), it fell open to Rule 3: “Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.” “I wish my teachers could ...

Writing dialogue is one of the most difficult aspects of screenwriting. When it's good, it's almost invisible, but when it's ...

Dialogue shouldn't sound natural.

In the world of fiction, dialogue is the lifeblood that pumps through the veins of every great story. It’s the invisible thread that weaves characters together, propels plots forward and breathes life ...

It’s the melodrama that gets me — every time. For as long as I as I have been watching TV, I have been attracted to dialogue. And I guess the daytime TV dramas, better known as soap operas were all ...

I’m having trouble writing believable dialogue. Any advice?—Susan S. Good dialogue is essential if you want to attract the attention of an agent or an editor, so it’s well worth putting in the time ...