Let Sparks Fly with Powerful Dialogue
Guest Post by Jacquelin Cangro –
A few weeks ago, I was editing a novel draft where two main characters were supposed to be having a fiery breakup. The stakes were high, the emotions were raw—and yet, the whole thing felt like a polite disagreement over who left the milk out. I made a note in the margin: “Let them say the stuff they’ll regret later!”
When the author and I talked, she confessed, “But I don’t like conflict!” (Same, gentle reader, same). But great stories thrive on conflict—especially when it comes to character arguments that leave readers invested and maybe even picking sides.
Arguments in fiction aren’t just about shouting or spicy language—they’re about emotional baggage, fears, and deep, personal truths bubbling to the surface. So, if your characters are awkwardly tiptoeing around a confrontation, this might be the nudge you need to let them truly argue—messy, emotional, layered arguments that reveal who they are at their core.
Ready to let sparks fly? Let’s get into it!
What Is Your Character’s Arguing Style?
Before you throw your characters into the ring, it helps to consider this question: What’s their arguing style?
Are they the type to explode at the slightest provocation, or do they wield sarcasm like a weapon? Maybe they deflect with humor, or they clam up completely, letting silence do the talking (which can be just as cutting).
Understanding how your character argues—based on their personality, background, and experiences—adds layers to the scene and keeps the conflict feeling authentic. A hot-headed rebel won’t argue like a calculating strategist, and a people-pleaser might try to “keep the peace” even as their voice shakes with suppressed rage. Their style is a reflection of who they are—and how far they’re willing to go when pushed.
Six Questions to Craft Dialogue with Punch
The next time there are heated words between your characters, ask yourself these six questions to make sure that this is a powerful conversation that stays with readers and advances the story.
1. What Is the Intention of This Conversation?
Before we dive into what your characters might say, it’s important to consider the purpose of the conversation and how it’s going to move the story forward. We don’t want characters arguing for the sake of arguing. Know what you’re trying to accomplish with this argument so you can establish the emotional depth of the conversation.
If you’re writing the break-up scene in a historical romance, you’ll want dialogue that causes a rift but isn’t so damaging that your characters can’t reconcile.
On the other hand, if you’re introducing the villain in a historical thriller, you’ll want to have dialogue that is bitter and cutting to clue the reader to watch out for this character.
2. What Is the Motivation?
Consider the emotions of the characters in this scene. Are they angry? Frustrated? Jealous?
It’s important to acknowledge where these emotions are coming from because that will dictate the type of dialogue they deliver. For example, has one character finally had enough? Their lines will be different than if their anger is simmering beneath the surface. In the former, they may be explosive and curt. In the latter, they may be calculating and biting.
Know the depth of your characters’ anger and honor it.
3. How do Your Characters Handle Confrontation?
Know thy characters’ emotional baggage. Too often, I edit novels where characters will verbally spar, delivering scathing lines that are great for tension in the scene but feel out of alignment with the character’s personality.
The answer to this question might take you back to your character’s childhood. Did they come from a quiet, thoughtful family and not feel prepared to go toe-to-toe? Or did they grow up in a large household and take the “best defense is a good offense” approach?
4. How Does That Emotional Baggage Show Up for Them?
Once you have a handle on their emotional state and their confrontation style, it’s worth noting how that shows up for them. They might ramble, cry, disassociate, clam up, or yell obscenities. Put that on the page.
5. How Can I Turn This Up a Notch?
Think about your character’s greatest insecurity, fear or point of pride. Let’s say your character has high moral standards and lives with integrity. Another character might choose to call this integrity into question during an argument.
Or if your character has a fragile ego, maybe another character pointing out all of their flaws would hit hard.
6. How Can I Keep It Simple?
Often, the more straightforward the dialogue, the better. Characters who go on long rants tend to lose the reader. Likewise, using over-the-top adjectives can weaken the impact. Choose one or two effective descriptors and move on.
Jacquelin Cangro worked at Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster for more than twenty years. Now, as an independent developmental editor and book coach, she reviews novel manuscripts in many genres, including historical, YA, women’s fiction, romance, and upmarket, providing writers with feedback to revise their stories. She teaches creative writing at GrubStreet and The Loft, and she’s presented workshops at writing conferences around the world. You can find out more about Jackie and her work at https://jacquelincangro.com.
