✍️Playwriting Workshop Unit 3 – Dialogue and subtext

What's the Deal with Dialogue and Subtext?

• Dialogue serves as the primary vehicle for character interaction and plot progression in playwriting
• Consists of the spoken words exchanged between characters on stage or screen
• Subtext refers to the underlying meaning, emotions, and intentions beneath the surface of the dialogue
• Effective dialogue and subtext work together to create compelling, multi-dimensional characters and engaging stories
• Understanding the interplay between dialogue and subtext is crucial for crafting authentic and impactful scenes
• Mastering the art of dialogue and subtext separates good playwrights from great ones
• Studying the techniques and examples of successful playwrights can help aspiring writers improve their skills in this area

Key Elements of Effective Dialogue

• Authenticity: Dialogue should sound natural and true to the characters speaking it
  • Reflects the character's background, personality, and emotional state
  • Avoids stilted or overly formal language unless intentionally used for characterization
• Brevity: Good dialogue is concise and purposeful, avoiding unnecessary exposition or filler
  • Each line should serve a specific function (revealing character, advancing plot, or creating tension)
  • Trimming excess words and focusing on the essential can make dialogue more impactful
• Subtext: Effective dialogue often conveys meaning beyond the literal words spoken
  • Characters may say one thing while implying or feeling something else entirely
  • Subtext adds depth and complexity to the characters and their relationships
• Conflict: Dialogue thrives on tension and disagreement between characters
  • Opposing goals, beliefs, or desires can fuel engaging and dynamic conversations
  • Conflict doesn't always mean arguing; it can be subtle, such as a power imbalance or unspoken resentment
• Distinctive voices: Each character should have a unique way of speaking that sets them apart
  • Factors like age, education, social status, and personality influence speech patterns and word choice
  • Consistent and distinct voices help the audience identify and connect with the characters

Subtext: The Hidden Conversation

• Subtext is the unspoken thoughts, feelings, and motivations that lie beneath the surface of the dialogue
• Conveys the true intentions and desires of the characters, which may differ from what they explicitly say
• Adds depth and complexity to the characters and their relationships
• Can be expressed through various means:
  • Word choice and phrasing
  • Tone and inflection
  • Body language and gestures
  • Pauses and silences
• Subtext often arises from the characters' backstories, past experiences, and inner conflicts
• Effective use of subtext creates a sense of realism and authenticity in the characters and their interactions
• Allows the audience to actively engage with the story by interpreting the underlying meanings and emotions

Techniques for Writing Killer Dialogue

• Listen to real-life conversations and observe speech patterns, rhythms, and idiosyncrasies
• Develop a deep understanding of your characters' backgrounds, motivations, and personalities
• Give each character a distinct voice based on their unique traits and experiences
• Use subtext to convey the characters' true feelings and intentions beneath the surface
• Employ conflict and tension to create dynamic and engaging conversations
• Trim unnecessary words and focus on the essential to keep the dialogue concise and impactful
• Read the dialogue aloud to ensure it sounds natural and authentic
• Revise and refine the dialogue through multiple drafts to improve its effectiveness

Mastering the Art of Subtext

• Understand your characters' backstories, desires, and inner conflicts to inform their subtext
• Use word choice and phrasing to hint at underlying meanings and emotions
• Employ tone and inflection to convey subtext through the delivery of the lines
• Incorporate body language and gestures to complement or contradict the spoken words
• Utilize pauses and silences to create tension and allow the subtext to resonate
• Be subtle and trust the audience to interpret the subtext rather than spelling it out explicitly
• Ensure that the subtext is consistent with the characters' established traits and motivations
• Practice writing scenes with a focus on subtext to develop your skills in this area

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Exposition dumps: Avoid using dialogue to convey large amounts of background information or plot details
  • Integrate necessary information naturally through the characters' interactions and conflicts
  • Trust the audience to infer and piece together the story without excessive hand-holding
• On-the-nose dialogue: Steer clear of dialogue that explicitly states the characters' thoughts and feelings
  • Rely on subtext, actions, and implications to convey the characters' inner worlds
  • Allow the audience to interpret and engage with the story on a deeper level
• Unnatural or stilted language: Ensure that the dialogue sounds authentic and true to the characters
  • Read the lines aloud to check for awkward phrasing or unnatural speech patterns
  • Revise and refine the dialogue to make it more fluid and believable
• Lack of distinct voices: Give each character a unique way of speaking that reflects their personality and background
  • Avoid having all characters sound the same or use similar vocabulary and speech patterns
  • Develop the characters' voices through observation, research, and consistent application
• Overreliance on dialogue: Remember that dialogue is just one tool in the playwright's arsenal
  • Balance dialogue with action, visual storytelling, and other theatrical elements
  • Use dialogue strategically to highlight key moments and revelations rather than as a constant presence

Putting It All Together: Dialogue Exercises

• Eavesdropping: Listen to real-life conversations in various settings and transcribe them verbatim
  • Analyze the speech patterns, rhythms, and idiosyncrasies of different people
  • Incorporate these observations into your own character development and dialogue writing
• Subtext practice: Write a scene where the characters say one thing but mean something else entirely
  • Focus on conveying the subtext through word choice, tone, and body language
  • Share the scene with others and discuss how effectively the subtext was communicated
• Voice experimentation: Create a character profile with a distinct background, personality, and set of traits
  • Write a monologue or dialogue in that character's unique voice
  • Read the piece aloud and refine it to ensure consistency and authenticity
• Conflict exploration: Develop a scene where two characters with opposing goals or beliefs confront each other
  • Use dialogue to highlight the tension and explore the characters' motivations
  • Revise the scene to make the conflict more subtle or complex, relying on subtext and implication
• Collaborative feedback: Share your dialogue-focused scenes with other writers or actors
  • Solicit feedback on the effectiveness of the dialogue, characterization, and subtext
  • Incorporate the feedback into your revisions and continue refining your skills

Real-World Examples: Learning from the Pros

• August Wilson's "Fences": Observe how Wilson uses dialogue to explore complex themes and relationships
  • Pay attention to the subtext and the characters' unique voices and speech patterns
  • Analyze how the dialogue reveals the characters' backstories and inner conflicts
• David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross": Study Mamet's use of sharp, staccato dialogue and strong subtext
  • Examine how the characters' language reflects their power dynamics and motivations
  • Note the use of profanity and interruptions to create a sense of realism and intensity
• Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire": Observe Williams' poetic and evocative dialogue
  • Analyze how the characters' speech patterns and word choices reflect their backgrounds and emotional states
  • Pay attention to the use of subtext to convey the characters' desires and inner turmoil
• Aaron Sorkin's "The West Wing": Study Sorkin's fast-paced, witty, and intelligent dialogue
  • Examine how the characters' conversations reveal their expertise, relationships, and conflicts
  • Note the use of walk-and-talk scenes and overlapping dialogue to create a sense of urgency and realism
• Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction": Analyze Tarantino's use of pop culture references and nonlinear storytelling in dialogue
  • Observe how the characters' conversations create a sense of their personalities and relationships
  • Pay attention to the balance of humor and tension in the dialogue and how it contributes to the overall tone of the film