Appearing Quote by Elliot Perlman
“I like dialogue in novels. I wanted to avoid laying history on with a trowel - appearing to be lecturing, as opposed to the characters lecturing their children or students. Dialogue can humanise the story and make it go down somewhat more smoothly.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing novel writing, 2014
Dialogue lets readers experience characters directly, avoiding heavy exposition and making the story feel more natural.
In simple terms: Dialogue makes stories feel natural.
Key Takeaway
Use dialogue to show, not tell.
Themes
writing
character development
exposition
Mood
thoughtful
creative
Type
advice
literary
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- teaching
- public speaking
Key Concepts
Narrative technique
show vs tell
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance dialogue and description?
- When does dialogue become exposition?
A Different Perspective
Dialogue can still feel forced if overused.
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