How to Use Em-dashes in Dialogue

The other day, I wrote about how em-dashes differ from commas and last week, I wrote about the distinction between em-dashes, en-dashes, and hyphens.

Today, let’s talk about how to use em-dashes in dialogue.

If you're new to writing or just looking to refine your skills, this little punctuation mark can add dramatic emphasis to your characters' conversations.

Interruptions and Cut-offs

One of the most common uses for em-dashes in dialogue is to indicate interruptions or cut-offs. It shows that a character’s speech is abruptly stopped by someone else or by an event.

• “I don’t think you should —”

• “No, you listen to me!”

Notice that’s not a hyphen (-), and, in this case, the em-dash clearly shows that the first character was cut off mid-sentence.

Sudden Changes in Thought

Em-dashes are also great for showing a character’s sudden change in thought or self-interruption. This can make your dialogue feel more natural and spontaneous. For instance:

• “I was just thinking — oh, never mind. It’s not important.”

Here, the em-dash adds a realistic pause, giving the impression of a natural, off-the-cuff conversation.

Adding Afterthoughts or Clarifications

An em-dash can introduce an afterthought or clarification, making the dialogue feel more natural and spontaneous:

• “He’s my brother — my half-brother, actually.”

Adding Emphasis

Sometimes, a character might want to emphasize a point or add an afterthought. An em-dash can help you achieve this:

• “I swear I saw it — a ghost, right there in the hallway!”

The em-dash highlights the dramatic reveal, adding a punch to the dialogue.

Creating Suspense

An em-dash can be used to create suspense by cutting off a character’s speech right before an important reveal:

• “I know who the killer is — it’s —”

Introducing a Sudden Realization

Use an em-dash to show when a character suddenly realizes something mid-sentence:

• “We could always — wait, did you hear that noise?”

Correcting Oneself

When a character starts to say something and then corrects themselves, an em-dash can help illustrate this shift:

• “We should meet at the — no, wait, let’s go to the café instead.”

Emotional Outbursts

We can use an em-dash to denote surprise and heightened emotional states:

• “I can’t believe you did that — how could you betray me like this?”

Give it a try. Experiment with em-dashes in your dialogue. They can add a lot of depth and realism to your characters’ conversations.

R

#WritingTips #DialogueMagic #NewAuthors