Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How do you write a character's accent or dialect on the page — without it feeling like a caricature, slowing your reader down, or misrepresenting a culture that isn't yours?
In this video, we break down four methods writers use to put accent and dialect on the page: full phonetic spelling, light eye dialect, describing the voice in narration, and controlling vocabulary, syntax, and rhythm. We look at how writers from Mark Twain to Irvine Welsh to Toni Morrison have handled it — what worked, what didn't, and what modern writers can learn from each approach.
By the end, you'll know which method (or combination) is right for your characters — and three questions to ask yourself before you make that call.
🔗 More on writing dialogue → reedsy.com/blog/guide/how-to-write-dialogue
CHAPTERS
0:00 The question writers keep asking
2:00 Method 1: Full phonetic spelling
6:18 Method 2: Light eye dialect
7:49 Method 3: Just describe how they sound
9:08 Method 4: Vocabulary, syntax & rhythm
11:52 Three questions to ask before you choose
How do you write a character's accent or dialect on the page — without it feeling like a caricature, slowing your reader down, or misrepresenting a culture that isn't yours?
In this video, we break down four methods writers use to put accent and dialect on the page: full phonetic spelling, light eye dialect, describing the voice in narration, and controlling vocabulary, syntax, and rhythm. We look at how writers from Mark Twain to Irvine Welsh to Toni Morrison have handled it — what worked, what didn't, and what modern writers can learn from each approach.
By the end, you'll know which method (or combination) is right for your characters — and three questions to ask yourself before you make that call.
🔗 More on writing dialogue → reedsy.com/blog/guide/how-to-write-dialogue
CHAPTERS
0:00 The question writers keep asking
2:00 Method 1: Full phonetic spelling
6:18 Method 2: Light eye dialect
7:49 Method 3: Just describe how they sound
9:08 Method 4: Vocabulary, syntax & rhythm
11:52 Three questions to ask before you choose
