Dialogue is like the Christmas lights on your story’s tree. When it’s done right, everything sparkles and feels magical. When it’s done wrong, it’s a tangled mess that makes you want to scream into your hot chocolate. If you want your characters to sound like real people and not like creepy robotic elves, this festive post is for you. Let’s unwrap the gift of great dialogue, one (icicle) tip at a time.
*WARNING: this blog post contains many, many, many Christmas references. I’m not going to pretend like I couldn’t help myself. I could help myself. I just didn’t want to. Let the Christmas bells RING!!!
Why Dialogue Matters
Dialogue isn’t just about characters chatting. It’s the cranberry sauce to your turkey. Here’s why it’s essential.
- Character Development: Think of dialogue as the Christmas card your characters send to readers. It’s how we figure out who they are, what they want, and why they might be on the naughty or nice list. Is your character a Santa or a Scrooge? Let their words show us.
- Advancing the Plot: Dialogue is like a reindeer pulling your sleigh of your story forward. It gives readers the info they need without pages of expository prose.
- World-Building: Why write a whole essay about your North Pole economy when a cheeky elf can complain about candy cane inflation in one line?
- Creating Tension and Emotion: Nothing says holiday drama like a tense Christmas dinner conversation. Or the silence after someone burns the turkey.
The Golden Rules of Dialogue (a.k.a How Not to Sound Like The Creepy Talking Doll Your Niece Inevitably Gets Given)
Make It Purposeful
Every line of dialogue should have a reason to exist. If your characters are just saying,
“Merry Christmas, How are you?”
“Merry Christmas, I’m fine.”
you’re writing a holiday card, not a novel.
Boring: “Hello. How’s the snow?”
Festive: “You tracked snow all over my clean floor again, didn’t you?”
Keep It Authentic
No one talks like they’re reading from “A Christmas Carol” when they’re down the middle of Lidl. Listen to real people. What sort of rhythm do different personalities have?
Bonus Tip: If you’re writing a child, remember—they’re fluent in sugar-fuelled chaos and mischief.
Differentiate Your Characters’ Voices
Everyone’s unique**, so make sure your characters sound that way. A jolly Santa will sound different to a grumpy elf..
**”I’m not”
Example:
Santa: “Ho, ho, ho! That’s the Christmas spirit!”
Elf: “Can’t believe I’m working overtime for this nonsense.”
Show, Don’t Tell
Let your characters’ words hint at what they’re feeling. Nobody ever said, “I’m angry,” while genuinely angry—they’re too busy being passive aggressive about Christmas presents.
Instead of: “I’m disappointed.”
Try: “You really thought re-gifting last year’s fruitcake was a good idea?”
Use Subtext
Subtext is like the surprise gift you weren’t expecting, but love. It’s the stuff under the surface that makes everything better.
Example:
“That cardigan’s… unique,” she said, eyeing the reindeer pattern with barely concealed horror.
Pacing and Formatting: Don’t Lose Your Readers in the Tinsel
Break It Up
If your character starts sounding like they’re reading “The Night Before Christmas” in one breath, it’s time to cut that dialogue down. Sprinkle in some action or inner thoughts to keep things festive.
Example:
“I’m leaving,” she said, shoving her half-eaten gingerbread into her bag. “I don’t care if you think I’m overreacting.”
“It’s not overreacting,” he muttered, picking at the tinsel. “It’s a holiday meltdown.”
Avoid Dialogue Tag Overload
With that previous note in mind, readers don’t need to know that every line was “whispered,” “shouted,” or “sang like a caroler.”
Most of the time, “said” works just fine—or just skip it and let the context sleigh ride to the rescue.
Overdone: “I love it,” she jingled joyfully.
Better: She laughed. “I love it.”
Mix Up Sentence Length
People don’t talk in perfect Hallmark script paragraphs. Use short, snappy lines for arguments and longer ones for warm, fuzzy moments. Unless your character’s had too much sherry, then just go with “Blurgh.”
Dialogue Don’ts (Because Christmas Mistakes Are Only Funny Later On)
The Exposition Dump
Instead of: “As you know, I’m your brother, and our father, Santa Claus, is retiring.”
Try: “Dad shouldn’t be sliding down chimneys anymore!”
Adverb Abuse
You don’t need to tell us your character “said something joyfully” if they’re throwing confetti. Actions speak louder than adverbs.
Forgetting About Silence
Not everyone has the perfect comeback ready. Let your characters pause, stumble, or blurt out the wrong thing. It’s way more relatable.
Example:
“I… uh… didn’t mean to eat the cookies,” he mumbled, crumbs falling from his mouth.
Fun Exercises to Level Up Your Holiday Dialogue
Dialogue-Only Scene
Write a scene with no descriptions or tags. Let the characters’ words carry the action. Bonus points if it’s an argument about something ridiculous, like whether Santa prefers mince pies or cookies.
Opposites Attract
Write a conversation between two characters who couldn’t be more different. A grumpy elf and a cheerful snowman? A grotto Santa and a child who’s too old for this?
Subtext Showdown
Write a scene where the characters talk about the weather but are actually arguing about the burnt Christmas turkey. Let the tension shine through.
Writing great dialogue is part art, part science, and part listening to awkward family conversations over Christmas dinner – so there’s some homework right there! It’s where your characters get to be themselves—awkward pauses, bad jokes, and all. So go forth, write some killer conversations, and remember: it doesn’t count as eavesdropping*** if it’s for a novel.
***Or ELVESdropping! O.K O.K I’m done now, I promise!
Merry Christmas!
Moor Imagination 