I have read in various places that a huge percentage of novels should be made up of dialogue, but don't really know how to get it in there right. I don't want them to go off track and start bleating random thoughts or descriptions of the setting. But I want my story to be very dialogue based, supplying the reader with the information they need, without the characters acting in a way that they wouldn't in real life. Any help? Thanks!
I had the same idea. I have written a few lines and then to listen to the recording will writing and making the necessary corrections. I'll take some more time to see the results ..
My novel was originally made to up of too much diaglouge, so I balanced it out with more description. I agree with Victoria that it needs to be a decent balance. It is really difficult to find the right balance sometimes, I try to just go with the flow. Because the trilogy I am currently writing is based in the first person it is very easy to just go and voice the characters immediate thoughts and emotions rather than observe what is around her.
I never use dialogue as a means of conveying large chunks of information or for explanations of things - it's unbelievably tedious to read. The Da Vinci Code does this a great deal and is one of the (many many many) things wrong with the book! Dialogue to me is a natural progression of the narration - I never think: oops, too much prose, gotta do some talking now. The one bleeds into the other. As for the quantity, it depends on the book. There are no rules. Use your instinct.