Banter can compress the backstory of your characters while also making your readers stay between big scenes. Here’s how to write it and what it is not.
Ahhh, banter is one of my favorite things! 😍 Having grown up with seven siblings, I'm not usually fast enough to be in the thick of it, but I've been so steeped in it that it naturally works its way into my writing. (Although I do have the advantage of being able to take several hours to figure out the line that my character snaps off in half a second.) 😄
In my superhero serial, Dash and Car are the absolute masters of snarky banter, but if you broaden it out to dialogue that conveys history and relationship, there are so many more! Here's another favorite example from a pair of enemies turned reluctant brothers-in-law:
“Can’t be helped.” He threaded trembling fingers through his hair. “If we hadn’t met that scouting party—they’ll report back. The army will be on its way at daybreak. There’s no time.” He rested a hand against the wall and paused to gather his strength, but a moan from the pallet pulled my gaze around to see Rolfe struggling to a sitting position, his face like chalk in the lamplight. Eben growled. “Lie down. You’re under orders.”
“So are you.” Rolfe hissed the words through gritted teeth, his utter stillness a clear indication of the pain pulsing through his head and likely churning his stomach. “If you can defy her, so can I.”
“One of us has to make it back.” There was a barely concealed quiver in Eben’s voice, and Rolfe swallowed hard.
“Let it be you then. The army needs you more. Only a handful of people even care if I live or die.”
“That handful counts more than all the rest, and you know it.”
“Eben.” Rolfe forced his eyes open, and fire sparked in them beneath the pain. “This was my mission first. Don’t expect me to lie here if you won’t.”
They're "reluctant brothers-in-law" and they supposedly don't care, or well, they try to hide it but we can see they clearly do. This is one of my favorites dynamics in fiction. Thanks for sharing!
I also, feel like I'm terrible at banter when talking to people but in writing I can manage.
Thank you for another informative article! I find banter fun to read when it's not meanness getting labeled as banter. I've read stories with meanness presented as banter, so I appreciate how you draw a distinction between the two. I also appreciate your noting that banter isn't just for romance stories. I think banter between siblings or friends (as long as it stays friendly) can be fun. Definitely depends on whether banter really fits a character's dynamic, though, like what S. E. commented. I think some of my characters banter, but it depends on the story because some have more of a bent toward it, and some of them don't.
Thanks for reading Li! It definitely depends on the characters. Banter may not always fit for other stories and that's okay. I'm glad the meanness distinction resonated with you. I don't understand why some people like the bullying trope 😅
Thanks for writing! And I don't understand it either! Sometimes I wonder if people like it because they think they have to, they've had that kind of meanness directed at them and think it's normal, or, maybe they're not very nice themselves.
Another great article! I love reading banter, though I don't write it often because it doesn't really suit the dynamics of my two main characters. (In real life, I am very bad at it, lol. It takes me a week to think of a good reply to a conversation that the other person probably forgot by then.)
A lot of "banter" I've read is meanness wrapped up in a "everyone's okay with it though, so it's fine," thing, and I just find that annoying. Thank you for not writing that way. I like reading well-written banter but I don't think I write it very often.
Yeah, I don't like it when there's meanness behind it either. Marx isn't good at witty comebacks. Lowan can, but doesn't when he's with Marx. The closest I get to writing banter is with Fritz Gallop. Some of that might sound like insults, but it's more like rivalry than actual meanness. They don't like each other and they're not friends, but they don't wish each other any real harm and they still help each other when it counts.
I think I put it in at least one review that I found Lowan's sarcasm toward Fritz Gallop very satisfying. 😆 It is great how they help each other when it counts.
I love reading banter too, I'm trying to become better at writing it. I think the characters on the book I'm writing will use it often... But I'm also very bad at it in real life 😅
I love writing banter between my characters. It's a lot of fun! Showing personality through dialogue comes easy to me because I've also studied writing scripts.
The one spot where I get stuck, though, especially given the prose format, is how to include banter without the story having too much dialogue... I've noticed it leads to chapters feeling bloated or white-roomy. What's the best way to find a balance?
Studying scripts is actually a really good tip. Sometimes I struggle with dialogue… BUT your question gave me an idea for a possible article, thanks :)
Banter is absolutely a skill. Some authors write good banter naturally, and others don't. But even if you're not naturally good at it, you can certainly practice and improve. Like cooking. 😉
I also like to write correctly, but this feels unnecessarily pedantic. Banter is a tool in the writer's toolbox, and I completely understood the shorthand of "[writing good] x is a skill". It's not at all an unheard of construction. I just don't see the point of such a harsh critique for an entirely understandable form you don't like instead of actually engaging with the ideas in the post. 🙂
I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on my article. As Angie explained, I'm using "skill" in the broader sense of something you develop over time. And thank you, I really like the name of my newsletter, it took me some time to come up with it!
In my current book there's a lot of banter between the MC and her sister. So fun to write! Nice article, Jesse!
Thanks Janks! Oh, I love banter between sisters, I'm reading Little Women, right now. You should share a passage only if you're okay with it.
I also love writing banter... I'm not good at it in real life, but writing I can do!
Ahhh, banter is one of my favorite things! 😍 Having grown up with seven siblings, I'm not usually fast enough to be in the thick of it, but I've been so steeped in it that it naturally works its way into my writing. (Although I do have the advantage of being able to take several hours to figure out the line that my character snaps off in half a second.) 😄
In my superhero serial, Dash and Car are the absolute masters of snarky banter, but if you broaden it out to dialogue that conveys history and relationship, there are so many more! Here's another favorite example from a pair of enemies turned reluctant brothers-in-law:
“Can’t be helped.” He threaded trembling fingers through his hair. “If we hadn’t met that scouting party—they’ll report back. The army will be on its way at daybreak. There’s no time.” He rested a hand against the wall and paused to gather his strength, but a moan from the pallet pulled my gaze around to see Rolfe struggling to a sitting position, his face like chalk in the lamplight. Eben growled. “Lie down. You’re under orders.”
“So are you.” Rolfe hissed the words through gritted teeth, his utter stillness a clear indication of the pain pulsing through his head and likely churning his stomach. “If you can defy her, so can I.”
“One of us has to make it back.” There was a barely concealed quiver in Eben’s voice, and Rolfe swallowed hard.
“Let it be you then. The army needs you more. Only a handful of people even care if I live or die.”
“That handful counts more than all the rest, and you know it.”
“Eben.” Rolfe forced his eyes open, and fire sparked in them beneath the pain. “This was my mission first. Don’t expect me to lie here if you won’t.”
This is beautiful :)
They're "reluctant brothers-in-law" and they supposedly don't care, or well, they try to hide it but we can see they clearly do. This is one of my favorites dynamics in fiction. Thanks for sharing!
I also, feel like I'm terrible at banter when talking to people but in writing I can manage.
I love the back and forth, especially with how you convey the emotion.
Thanks! 🥰
Banter is so fun! Bad banter is the worst though. I write craft essays like this sometimes, can I link to you?
Thank you Evie! And yes, absolutely. I'd love that
Great article. And great examples. Banter is the dialogue to deliver the unsaid truths, the elements that you only get by reading between the lines. 👌
Thanks for reading Martyn. Yes, it's all about the unsaid truths and reading between the line. That gives it so much texture!
I have to keep telling myself, ‘trust your readers’ but when I do it’s a better book.🙂👌
The restraint is real😂. But that's true.
Thank you for another informative article! I find banter fun to read when it's not meanness getting labeled as banter. I've read stories with meanness presented as banter, so I appreciate how you draw a distinction between the two. I also appreciate your noting that banter isn't just for romance stories. I think banter between siblings or friends (as long as it stays friendly) can be fun. Definitely depends on whether banter really fits a character's dynamic, though, like what S. E. commented. I think some of my characters banter, but it depends on the story because some have more of a bent toward it, and some of them don't.
Thanks for reading Li! It definitely depends on the characters. Banter may not always fit for other stories and that's okay. I'm glad the meanness distinction resonated with you. I don't understand why some people like the bullying trope 😅
Thanks for writing! And I don't understand it either! Sometimes I wonder if people like it because they think they have to, they've had that kind of meanness directed at them and think it's normal, or, maybe they're not very nice themselves.
Another great article! I love reading banter, though I don't write it often because it doesn't really suit the dynamics of my two main characters. (In real life, I am very bad at it, lol. It takes me a week to think of a good reply to a conversation that the other person probably forgot by then.)
A lot of "banter" I've read is meanness wrapped up in a "everyone's okay with it though, so it's fine," thing, and I just find that annoying. Thank you for not writing that way. I like reading well-written banter but I don't think I write it very often.
Yeah, I don't like it when there's meanness behind it either. Marx isn't good at witty comebacks. Lowan can, but doesn't when he's with Marx. The closest I get to writing banter is with Fritz Gallop. Some of that might sound like insults, but it's more like rivalry than actual meanness. They don't like each other and they're not friends, but they don't wish each other any real harm and they still help each other when it counts.
I think I put it in at least one review that I found Lowan's sarcasm toward Fritz Gallop very satisfying. 😆 It is great how they help each other when it counts.
🤣
Thanks :)
I love reading banter too, I'm trying to become better at writing it. I think the characters on the book I'm writing will use it often... But I'm also very bad at it in real life 😅
I love writing banter between my characters. It's a lot of fun! Showing personality through dialogue comes easy to me because I've also studied writing scripts.
The one spot where I get stuck, though, especially given the prose format, is how to include banter without the story having too much dialogue... I've noticed it leads to chapters feeling bloated or white-roomy. What's the best way to find a balance?
Studying scripts is actually a really good tip. Sometimes I struggle with dialogue… BUT your question gave me an idea for a possible article, thanks :)
Let me look into this and I’ll update you.
I’m glad I ended up helping somehow lol
Dialogue is definitely tough. Scripts helped me a lot, but it’s still something I’m working on.
Banter is absolutely a skill. Some authors write good banter naturally, and others don't. But even if you're not naturally good at it, you can certainly practice and improve. Like cooking. 😉
I also like to write correctly, but this feels unnecessarily pedantic. Banter is a tool in the writer's toolbox, and I completely understood the shorthand of "[writing good] x is a skill". It's not at all an unheard of construction. I just don't see the point of such a harsh critique for an entirely understandable form you don't like instead of actually engaging with the ideas in the post. 🙂
Thank you for this Angie. You explained what I meant better than I could've in the moment. I really appreciate it you!
I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment on my article. As Angie explained, I'm using "skill" in the broader sense of something you develop over time. And thank you, I really like the name of my newsletter, it took me some time to come up with it!