Dialogheavy

Dialogheavy, sometimes written as dialog-heavy, is an adjective used to describe literary, cinematic, or dramatic works that rely predominantly on dialogue to convey plot, character, and information, with relatively little descriptive narration or exposition. In dialog-heavy works, much of what the audience learns about setting, motivation, and conflict comes from spoken exchanges between characters. The term is commonly applied to plays, screenplays, novels, radio dramas, and video games, though its presence can vary within a work.

Characteristics include a high proportion of dialogue per page, rapid exchanges, subtext and implied meaning, scene-by-scene pacing driven by conversations, and frequent use of dialogue tags and stage directions to indicate action or emotion. Writers employ beat structures, interruptions, silences, and nonverbal cues integrated into dialogue to convey subtext. The approach often emphasizes character voice and relationships, and can create a cinematic or theatrical rhythm.

Advantages include immediacy, clarity of character dynamics, and accessible pacing; it can heighten tension through real-time exchange and make dialogue a primary engine of storytelling. Limitations involve risks of excessive exposition in dialogue, potential neglect of world-building or inner monologue, and the challenge of maintaining variety in tone and syntax. It can also feel artificial if it relies on proxy conversations to perform functions usually served by description.

Notable examples: stage plays by William Shakespeare or George Bernard Shaw; novels by Jane Austen; screenplays by Aaron Sorkin; radio dramas and television series that rely on fast-paced conversations. See also dialogue, show-don’t-tell, and subtext.