How Do I Integrate Dialogue In My Essay

What are some tips for writing dialogue without using narrative?

There's nothing wrong with narrative per se. In your example, one problem I see is that the modifier "eagerly" is unnecessary. The exclamation mark makes it clear that John is eager. Of course, preceding events could give John's statement and its energy a whole 'nuther meaning. But absent some meaning-warping context, you can simply drop "eagerly."So you've already demonstrated one way to write with less narrative: Write the dialogue so that the narrative is unnecessary. Then cut the narrative.Alternatively: Cut the narrative, and ask yourself whether you lose anything by cutting. If you lose something, adjust the dialogue to convey whatever was lost. That's not always easy, and perhaps not always possible. It's usually worth trying.Another potential problem with "said eagerly" is that it gives the narrator's conclusion about John's state of mind, rather than trusting us to interpret events for ourselves. That's a fine thing to do if the narrator is a character, and if you're trying to demonstrate the narrator's tendency to summarize. If that's not what you're trying to do, then it's a kind of authorial intrusion.There's another way to make narrative unnecessary: In earlier scenes, demonstrate his attitude toward whatever it is that "sounds great." This will give us enough insight that we can reasonably gauge his state of mind here. If we already know that John is hopelessly in love with Bertha, then when Bertha says, "hey, let's get some dinner," we'll know that he's eager, and you won't have to tell us.One way to demonstrate his attitude is to write earlier scenes in which you show how he reacts to Bertha. Another way, if we're in John's POV, is to make us privy to his thoughts about her. A little goes a long way here. As a last resort, you can show his thoughts here.If we're not in John's POV, there's another tactic: Ask yourself, "If I were in the room, how would I know that John was eager? What would I see and hear that would lead me to believe that he is eager?" One trick is to imagine the scene as a silent movie. What would you see? Or imagine John is speaking some language you don't understand. What would you hear?Then: Show us those things, and we will draw our own conclusions.

What is the best advice you've learned for how to write good dialogue?

If it sounds like a real conversation, you’re doing it wrong.Probably one of the best things my English teacher taught me.Think about it. Real dialogue is messy; it's filled with “um” and pauses and tangents and lengthy sentences. Most of what people say is fluff. Watch yourself next time you talk. How often do you say things that are meaningful and matter? I don't even finish half of my sentences because I get interrupted. How boring would that be to read?Here's an example of my thrilling conversations with my friends today:Me: “Have you started the EEI [extended experimental investigation]?”Friend 1: “No.”Me: “Oh thank god. I haven't either. I don't even know-”Friend 1: “-what hard water is? Me too!”Friend 2: “ICE. IT’S ICE.”Me: “Doesn't it have calcium carbonate in it? My friend - you know Serene, right? - we were talking this morning and she was explaining it.”Friend 3: “Are you guys talking about the chemistry assignment?”Friend 1: “Nooooo. How were your holidays?”Friend 3: “I haven't started either. They were-”Friend 2: “Have you guys ever, what's the word…”See how boring that is? People talking over the top of each other, plain conversation, and there isn't really a lot to go around. All we've established is that we don't know what hard water is, and we're screwed for this assignment. How riveting.Written dialogue should be concise. Many verbal and behavioural cues can be left out; in stories, people can understand things from an impatient shake of the head or a look in someone's eye. It can be shortened almost until you get to the point of limited sentences, and dialogue should always convey something.People talk in everyday life to fill time. We talk about work, and school, and who’s dating who, and if you’re going to training this afternoon. Is any of that really important? Work is irrelevant, school is irrelevant, who cares, and you’ll figure out if they're at training then and there. None of it is necessary. Written dialogue should be necessary; it needs to advance the plot in some way. If it's there simply fill up space, delete it. If the story makes sense without it, delete it. If it's absolutely vital that there is dialogue there, make it more concise.But, most importantly: if it sounds like a plausible conversation, you're doing it wrong. You're going to lose your readers. Stories aren't realistic; we know that. Make the dialogue follow suit.