Writing dialogue can often feel daunting. When faced with everything it is said to achieve—advance the plot, build character, create tension, add atmosphere-- it can begin to feel like a juggling act. When is it doing one thing rather than another? Or is it meant to be doing them all at once? It’s no surprise that many developing writers try to avoid it altogether, hoping their characters will make do with weighty silences and meaningful looks. Part of the anxiety stems from