SHHHH…..

“And DON’T underestimate the importance of BODY language! HA!”

—Ursula the Sea Witch (The Little Mermaid)

Psychologist Albert Mehrabian has found that “the verbal component of a face-to-face conversation is less than 35% and that over 65% of communication is done non-verbally.”

This is a great fact to remember when working with dialog. By adding those nonverbal elements, you keep your writing real.

So, steeple those fingers, check the time, and cross those arms — ditch the words.

Well, at least 65% of them.

“Yes, words are useless! Gobble-gobble-gobble-gobble-gobble! Too much of it, darling, too much! That is why I show you…”

—Edna Mode (The Incredibles)

PROMPT: Take it from Edna and “Show Don’t Tell.” Give your creative muscles a workout by writing up an entire conversation without using spoken words.