> [!cite]- Metadata > 2025-05-13 22:12 > Status: > Tags: [[5 - Atlas/Tags/Character]] [[Fiction]] [[5 - Atlas/Tags/Voice]] [[Technique]] [[Language]] `Read Time: 1m 42s` **Subvocalization and Dialogue** - When readers encounter dialogue, they often _subvocalize_-that is, they “hear” the voices of characters in their heads as they read[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subvocalization)[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[8](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/1691/is-sub-vocalization-when-reading-and-writing-merely-a-symptom-of-lack-of-fluency). This internal speech is a natural part of reading, helping readers process the rhythm, tone, and emotion of the words. - Testing dialogue by reading it aloud is a practical technique for writers. It helps ensure lines sound natural and perform well, since dialogue on the page is ultimately “performed” in the reader’s mind[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[5](https://irisreading.com/speed-reading-tips-5-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization/). **Conventional Realism vs. Verbatim Speech** - Effective dialogue in fiction does not mimic real speech verbatim. Everyday conversation is full of filler words (“um,” “uh”), incomplete thoughts, and repetition, which can bog down written dialogue. - Instead, writers aim for _conventional realism_: capturing recognizable patterns of speech-register, interruptions, subtext, and rhythm-while omitting excess verbiage[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[5](https://irisreading.com/speed-reading-tips-5-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization/). - This approach prioritizes clarity, pacing, and character voice, ensuring dialogue feels authentic without sacrificing readability or narrative drive. **Supporting Sources** - Subvocalization is the process by which readers silently pronounce words as they read, creating an “inner voice” that brings dialogue to life[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subvocalization)[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[8](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/1691/is-sub-vocalization-when-reading-and-writing-merely-a-symptom-of-lack-of-fluency). - Reading dialogue aloud (or subvocalizing it) can help writers refine lines for flow and believability, much like actors memorizing scripts for performance[5](https://irisreading.com/speed-reading-tips-5-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization/). - Overly literal transcription of real speech can hinder narrative momentum; instead, effective dialogue distills the essence of spoken language[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[5](https://irisreading.com/speed-reading-tips-5-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization/). ### Key Takeaways - Readers “hear” dialogue internally through subvocalization, making dialogue a kind of performance in the mind[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subvocalization)[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[8](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/1691/is-sub-vocalization-when-reading-and-writing-merely-a-symptom-of-lack-of-fluency). - Writers should test dialogue by speaking it aloud to ensure it sounds natural and performs well. - Aim for recognizable speech patterns and subtext, not a verbatim record of real conversation[3](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/)[5](https://irisreading.com/speed-reading-tips-5-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization/). --- ### **References** [Subvocalization - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subvocalization) [What exactly is "subvocalization"? : r/books](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/vdxda5/what_exactly_is_subvocalization/) [Subvocalization: What is it and how to avoid it while reading](https://blog.superhuman.com/subvocalization/) [Subvocalization - Train Your Brain To Speak Fluent English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yLPmMmPNZ8&ab_channel=ShivangiGupta) [Speed Reading Tips: 9 Ways to Minimize Subvocalization - Iris Reading](https://irisreading.com/speed-reading-tips-5-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization/) [Speed Reading Tips: 11 Ways To Minimize Subvocalization](https://learninggenius.com/speed-reading-tips-11-ways-to-minimize-subvocalization-2/) [Subvocalization - 6 Tips To Stop It | Speed Reading Lounge](https://www.speedreadinglounge.com/subvocalization) [language - Is sub-vocalization when reading and writing merely a symptom of lack of fluency? - Psychology & Neuroscience Stack Exchange](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/1691/is-sub-vocalization-when-reading-and-writing-merely-a-symptom-of-lack-of-fluency) [[The Engines of Fiction]] [[The Three Collisions That Give Stories Their Tension]] [[Building a Character Onion]] [[Sculpting Voice with Register & Syntax]] [[Writing Vivid Description & Animism]] [[Narrative Shape and the Tension Graph]] [(3) Meet Pulitzer Prize-Winning Stanford Professor – Richard Powers - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUDlpMN-f5w&ab_channel=DavidPerell)