Dialogue: The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen
by Robert McKee · Robert McKee
Story teacher Robert McKee's treatise on dialogue as action, deconstructing scenes from Shakespeare to Breaking Bad to show how characters' speech advances conflict and reveals desire; readers learn to write lines that are credible, subtext-rich and dramatically purposeful across prose, theatre and film.
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More resources on Dialogue
Bang2Write
Archive of dialogue articles from Bang2Write, the site of script editor and novelist Lucy V Hay, covering exposition, character voice and scene-specific dialogue such as interrogations. Writers learn to spot on-the-nose or cringeworthy lines and make each exchange serve story and character.
Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting
Master dialogue like Sorkin! Learn his screenwriting secrets for crafting compelling conversations that captivate your audience.
scriptmag.com
Script Magazine is an online publication for screenwriters featuring craft-focused articles, interviews with industry professionals, and practical resources like sample scripts and market news to help you write, develop, and pitch your projects.
How to Write Great Dialogue
A craft book by script consultant Linda Seger and writer John Rainey that examines dialogue through film and novel examples; each chapter ends with flawed passages annotated and rewritten, teaching you to diagnose and revise stilted or expository dialogue in your drafts.