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I work with beginning writers.
You are asking a lot of the right questions, some of which never occur to new writers.
http://www.zharmae.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=116
This link will take you to a collection of articles written by editors for writers, and written because so many of the manuscripts that are submitted to us don't ask, and really really fail to answer those and other questions of basic writing and story-telling skills. You may find them useful in working with dialogue and characterization--which, yes, does take some concentration and time, but gets to be quite a lot of fun, really.
posted by
Ciel
on November 14, 2011 at 10:05 AM
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Dunno Thomas
I don't write fiction. Sounds like you're thinking about it the right way though
posted by
jollyjeff
on November 6, 2011 at 12:44 PM
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Play the movie in your head
What I do sometimes when writing dialogue is to pick a well-known person ( actor, singer, orator, etc. ) with a distinct speaking voice and style, and then imagine them saying these words. Sometimes it fits, sometimes it doesn't. But it does help to establish if some of the words, sentences and thoughts sound like something someone would say in reality. And, like I'm sure you've read or heard before, write what you know! Just like any other type of "artist," as writers, we shouldn't be shackled with specific rules of interpretation. For example, my publisher once told me that you should always write "he and she," "him and her," "his and hers." But guess what? I never do! Why? Because I personally see nothing wrong with writing "they" or "their." This is just example of a "shackle" that I broke myself. Do your own "breaking!" 
posted by
JimmyA
on November 6, 2011 at 12:07 PM
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Like you when I write fiction I try to imagine how it would occur in real life.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on November 5, 2011 at 12:26 PM
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