Here’s part two in my writing dialogue series. If you missed part one, click here.
Tip two: When more than one character is speaking, you must place each character’s speech into different paragraphs. Otherwise it can be difficult to work out who is saying what e.g.:
“How much is that dress?” Sian asked the shop assistant. “It’s three hundred pounds.” “How much?” Sian frowned. “It was five hundred pounds. It’s a bargain.” “No, it’s not. Well, it is a lovely dress.” “I agree.” The shop assistant smiled kindly. “It’s no good. I can’t.” “I could knock another fifty pounds off,” the shop assistant said.
Confused? Even if you could follow it, you will have had to work at who is saying what in the conversation. If you’re reading a short story or novel, you want to enjoy it, not to have to work hard at it. By placing each character’s words into a different paragraph, see how much easier it is to read:
“How much is that dress?” Sian asked the shop assistant.
“It’s three hundred pounds.”
“How much?” Sian frowned.
“It was five hundred pounds. It’s a bargain.”
“No, it’s not. Well, it is a lovely dress.”
“I agree.” The shop assistant smiled kindly.
“It’s no good. I can’t.”
“I could knock another fifty pounds off,” the shop assistant said.
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Esther Chilton 
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