The Dialogue Clean-Up Checklist

If revision is where many writers struggle, dialogue revision is often where they get stuck.

You know the feeling. You’re reading through a chapter when a conversation suddenly feels…off.

Not terrible. Not obviously broken. Just not as strong as it could be. The good news is that dialogue rarely requires a complete rewrite. More often, it needs a little cleaning up.

In the first post in this series, I introduced the Three-Pass Revision Plan. Dialogue revision belongs firmly in the Micro Pass, where we’re looking at scenes, paragraphs, and word choices rather than the overall structure of the story.

Yesterday, we talked about how to cut 10% without losing your soul. Dialogue is one of the best places to trim with intention because small cuts can make conversations sharper, faster, and more meaningful.

The goal isn’t to make every character sound witty or clever. The goal is to make every conversation feel purposeful, natural, and true to the characters speaking. Here are the questions I ask during a dialogue revision pass.

Does Every Character Sound Like Themselves?

When you get ready to jump into dialogue revision, one of the easiest ways to spot weak dialogue is to remove the dialogue tags and read the conversation on its own. Can you tell who’s speaking? Real people have different vocabularies, speech patterns, and ways of expressing themselves. Those differences should show up on the page.

A sarcastic teenager shouldn’t sound exactly like a retired librarian. A shy character shouldn’t suddenly deliver lengthy speeches unless there’s a reason for it. If everyone sounds interchangeable, your dialogue may need more personality. In my book Consanguinity, one of the characters is kind of witty and extremely snarky. You can tell it’s him without any dialogue tags just because of the way he talks. That’s where you’re trying to achieve. In my story, no other character other than Eric is going to use “donuts,” as an excuse for anything.

One reason dialogue can feel flat is that the characters themselves aren’t fully developed yet. Distinct voices often grow out of understanding a character’s goals, motivations, and personality. If you’re still exploring those elements, my free Cozy Plotting Guide includes exercises designed to help writers build stronger characters and stories from the ground up.

Are Characters Repeating Themselves?

People repeat themselves constantly in real life. Fictional characters don’t need to. Look for places where a character makes a point and then immediately explains it again. Trust your reader. Often, the first version is stronger.

Are Characters Saying Things They Already Know?

This is one of the most common dialogue traps. Characters begin explaining information solely because the author needs the reader to know it.

For example:

“Brother, ever since our parents died five years ago in that tragic accident…”

Nobody talks like that. If two characters already know something, find a more natural way to reveal it. Readers are smart. They can piece information together through context.

Can You Cut the Greetings?

Real conversations often begin with:

“Hi.” “Hey.” “How are you?” “Good. How are you?”

Stories usually don’t need all of that. Whenever possible, enter the conversation at the interesting part. The same rule applies to goodbyes. Unless the greeting or farewell serves a specific purpose, consider trimming it.

Is the Dialogue Pulling Its Weight?

Every conversation should accomplish something.

Dialogue can:

• Reveal character
• Advance the plot
• Increase tension
• Develop relationships
• Deliver important information

Ideally, it does more than one of those things at the same time. If a conversation doesn’t change anything, it may not belong in the story.

Are You Overusing Dialogue Tags?

Dialogue tags have one job. They tell the reader who’s speaking. Most of the time, “said” works perfectly. In fact, readers often skip right over it.

Instead of searching for increasingly creative dialogue tags, consider using action beats.

Compare:

“I don’t believe you,” she exclaimed angrily.

With:

“I don’t believe you.” She crossed her arms and stared at him.

The second version allows the action to carry the emotion.

Good dialogue is often more effective when it’s concise. The Purdue OWL guide to concise writing offers useful strategies for eliminating unnecessary words while preserving meaning, a skill that can dramatically improve fictional conversations.

Have You Read It Out Loud?

This may be the most powerful dialogue-editing tool available. Read the conversation aloud. Actually speak every line. Awkward wording becomes obvious almost immediately.

You’ll hear:

• Sentences that are too long
• Repeated words
• Unnatural phrasing
• Dialogue that sounds stiff

If it feels awkward to say, it will probably feel awkward to read.

Does Each Character Want Something?

The strongest dialogue isn’t just an exchange of information. It’s a collision of goals.

Even in friendly conversations, people usually want something.

• They want reassurance.
• They want information.
• They want approval.
• They want someone to change their mind.

When characters have goals, dialogue becomes more dynamic and engaging.

The Dialogue Revision Checklist

Before moving on from a chapter, ask yourself:

• Does every character sound distinct?
• Have I removed unnecessary repetition?
• Are characters avoiding obvious exposition?
• Can I trim greetings or farewells?
• Is the conversation accomplishing something meaningful?
• Am I relying on action beats when appropriate?
• Have I read the dialogue aloud?
• Does each character have a goal in the conversation?

If you can answer yes to most of those questions, your dialogue is probably in good shape.

Better, Not Perfect

The purpose of revision isn’t to create perfect dialogue. It’s to create dialogue that feels authentic for your story and your characters. You don’t need every conversation to sparkle. You just need it to feel believable. Small improvements add up quickly. A cleaner conversation here. A stronger character voice there. A little less repetition. A little more purpose. Those small changes can make a huge difference in how readers experience your story.

In the next post in the Revision Without Tears series, we’ll tackle the Emotional Continuity Pass and explore how to make sure your characters react consistently to everything they’ve experienced throughout the story.