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Great dialogue isn't luck, it's engineering. In this episode I'll break down the science of writing dialogue that crackles, using the two writers everyone points to: Aaron Sorkin and Quentin Tarantino.
Both example novels are free to read on Wattpad (links below) No ads, No catch.
I start with the craft itself. The mechanics from Robert McKee's Dialogue: what every line is really doing, the tactics underneath the words, subtext, and the turn that makes a scene move. Then we go deep on why Sorkin and Tarantino are considered masters, what Sorkin's rhythm and "fight under the fight" actually do, how Tarantino builds unbearable tension out of small talk — and what you can steal from both. Finally, I show you exactly how I write dialogue for my own books, step by step, so you can do it yourself.
You'll learn how to:
Give every line an intention and a tactic (the McKee engine)
Write subtext: what's said vs. what's meant
Use Sorkin's rhythm, overlaps, and the kind line that wounds
Build Tarantino-style tension from ordinary conversation
Turn a flat exchange into a scene that moves, live, step by step
I use two of my own novels as living examples (Both free on Wattpad):
Hi Bob, It's Gus — my finished novel, where you can see these dialogue techniques in action:
How to Survive Paris with No Money, No French, and No Idea — the first-person novel I'm writing live across this series:
📚 The craft book behind this episode:
Dialogue — Robert McKee
#writing #howtowrite #dialogue
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2026/10/09
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