When screenplay dialogue is flat or bland, the whole script suffers. On the other hand, great dialogue can elevate a mediocre script and cause people to see the writer as "someone with serious potential," even if there are other glaring errors in the screenplay.

Among other things, great dialogue produces these results:

– Delivers on multiple levels

– Projects character

– Engages us in the story

– Sounds natural, but accomplishes a purpose.

It is well worth taking the time and effort to master the skill of writing great dialogue. To start that process, let's look at some dialogue from THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT that Aaron Sorkin wrote which does a pretty good job of bringing a scene to life.

In this scene, President Shepherd has just returned to the White House after reversing his position on a political deal he made with Sydney, who is his girlfriend and who also works for an environmental lobby firm. He finds Sydney searching for a sweater.

INT. SHEPHERD'S BEDROOM – LATE AFTERNOON

SYDNEY is going through the closet in search of something.

The door opens, and SHEPHERD steps in, perhaps a little

tentatively. He doesn't see SYDNEY at first.

SHEPHERD

(calling out)

Syd?

SYDNEY comes out.

SYDNEY

Have you seen a gray cableknit

sweater?

SHEPHERD

A grey…sweater? No. I called you

at the office, but…

SYDNEY

It's Beth's. I wore it here one time,

and I didn't want to leave it.

NOTE: This seems like a useless topic for a lead character to be discussing with the President of the U.S.. Normally, this kind of thing wouldn't move the story forward, but in this case, you'll see that the sweater is a brilliant METAPHOR for how Sydney feels.

Also, notice how it leads to Shepherd's question, which then leads to the big issue. This is Sydney's first HOOK: "I didn't want to leave it."

SHEPHERD

Where were you going?

SYDNEY continues her search.

SYDNEY

I'm going home, and then I'm going

to Hartford.

NOTE: Another hook.

SHEPHERD

Connecticut?

SYDNEY

Yes. Do you know if it was sent with

your dry cleaning by any–

SHEPHERD

What's in Connecticut?

NOTE: Notice how Shepherd has to drag this information out of her. The subtext is that he knows there is a problem under the surface, but hasn't gotten to it yet.

SYDNEY

Richard Reynolds' campaign. He may

be able to get me a job.

NOTE: A third hook. By the time we get to Sydney's next line, we're in a heavy state of anticipation.

SHEPHERD

When did you decide to get a new

job?

SYDNEY

Not long after Leo Solomon fired me

from my old one. Beth's gonna kill

me. She loves that–

NOTE: Again, notice how Sydney is only giving the minimum amount of information she can. She is forcing him to dig deeper. Also, notice that there are two different conversations going on here — the "sweater" conversation and the "firing/new job" conversation.

SHEPHERD

Why did he fire you?

SYDNEY

Total failure to achieve any of the

objectives for which I was hired. I

told him he was being unreasonable.

After all, I did get to dance with

the President and ride in Air Force

One a couple of times. But you know

those prickly environmentalists.

It's always gonna be something with

them. If it's not clean air, then

it's clean water. Like it isn't good

enough that I'm on the cover of People

Magazine.

NOTE: Note the subtext technique — sarcasm. It is a great technique for her to express her anger with Shepherd and to have us understand her concerns without directly stating them.

SHEPHERD

I'll call him.

SYDNEY

You'll call him? You mean you'll

call him yourself? Personally?

It'll come from the President?

That's a great idea. I think you

should call Leo and make a deal. He

hires me back for, say, 72 days. I

go around scaring the hell out of

Congress, making them think that the

President's about to drive through a

very damaging and costly bill.

They'll believe me, right, 'cause

I'm the President's Friday Night

Girl. Now I don't know if you can

dip into this well twice, especially

since I've lost all credibility in

politics, but you never know, I might

just be able to pull it off again. I

might be able to give you just the

leverage you need to pass some ground-

breaking piece of crime legislation —

like a mandatory three-day waiting

period before a five-year-old can

buy an Uzi.

NOTE: Again, sarcasm as subtext. She's not saying "Wow, this is a great idea." She's saying "You've killed my reputation and taken me out of politics."

Also, notice the exaggeration in the end: "three-day waiting period before a five-year-old can buy an Uzi." Another excellent technique for creating colorful dialogue.

She slams the drawer.

SYDNEY

F–k the sweater — she'll have to

learn to live with disappointment.

NOTE: Here is my favorite line. She's not talking about her sister; she's talking about herself. She's not talking about the sweater; she's talking about her career and love-life. At this point, the sweater metaphor has paid off. It is interesting how the writer used this metaphor to deliver the emotional impact of Shepherd's betrayal.

She starts to exit.

SHEPHERD

What do you think went on here today?

She stops.

SYDNEY

I know exactly what went on here

today. I got screwed. You saw the

poll, you needed the crime bill, you

couldn't get it on your own, so I

got screwed.

NOTE: Finally, Sydney has told him exactly what she is upset about. If this had been her third set of lines in the beginning of this scene, it would have been considered on-the-nose and bad dialogue. But because of the amazing buildup, we now honor her direct statement.

SHEPHERD

The environment got screwed. Nothing

happened to you today, Sydney.

Governing is choosing. Governing is

prioritizing. I've made no secret of

the fact that the crime bill was my

top priority.

NOTE: Here is Shepherd's JUSTIFICATION. Again, if he had said this early in the scene, it would have been totally flat, but because it was well set up, with all the upset, it has an interesting impact: It shows Shepherd's standard line as nothing more than a weak justification.

SYDNEY

Well then, congratulations. It's

only taken you three years to put

together crime prevention legislation

that has no hope of preventing crime.

NOTE: Sydney just stated the IRONY of Shepherd's justification. That makes it interesting dialogue.

SYDNEY heads out the door–

SHEPHERD

(stopping)

Sydney. Please. I don't want to lose

you over this.

SYDNEY

Mr. President, you got bigger problems

than losing me. You just lost my

vote.

And SYDNEY is out the door…

NOTE: I like this METAPHOR because it provides many meanings. He's talking personally and she just answered politically. And the brilliance of her political answer is that it means she lost faith in him — both in their relationship and for the important job he is doing for the country.

Remember this: Great dialogue delivers on multiple levels. Not only does this dialogue deliver the messages listed above, it also becomes the "kick in the ass this President needs" to finally stand up to his opposition.

When dialogue is written well, it often looks deceptively simple. I've always liked this scene, but it wasn't until I analyzed it that I noticed all the work the writer put into it. Hopefully, just reading this gives you some ideas on how to improve your dialogue.

It takes some work to write great dialogue like this, but it is well worth it.

Want to learn more about writing great screenplay dialogue?

Check out our Advanced Dialogue Screenwriting Class where you learn 47 ways to write any line of dialogue — including many of those you saw in this article.

In 10 days, you'll have the tools to go from good dialogue to great dialogue.