How to Write Dialogue to Show Character Personality

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This engaging video lesson explores the art of creative writing with a specific focus on using dialogue to develop characters. Through a humorous narrative involving a writer named Justin and his fictional creation Julius, the video breaks down the difference between direct and indirect characterization. It emphasizes the "show, don't tell" principle, demonstrating how dialogue can reveal personality, background, and relationships without explicitly stating them. The content covers five key strategies for writing effective dialogue: word choice, manner of speaking, character interactions, subtext, and surrounding words. The video uses "mentor texts"—contrasting a poorly written scene with a well-crafted one—to illustrate how these elements work together to create tension and believability. It specifically defines direct characterization as factual description and indirect characterization as revealing traits through speech, thoughts, and actions. For educators, this video serves as an excellent anchor for a narrative writing unit. It provides clear definitions, concrete examples, and scaffolded practice opportunities. The video includes built-in pause points that ask students to predict definitions, analyze text for character traits, and plan their own dialogue scenarios. It is designed to move students from understanding the concept of indirect characterization to applying it practically in their own creative writing.