TreizeV, you make me blush using a clip from my Persian AAR, but I must say I was very pleased with what I was able to do with dialogue in that. I'm not sure exactly how others developed whatever skill they have in writing dialogue, but for me much of it comes from training as an actor. I have read and performed countless plays and thus my mind easily sees a conversation flow back and forth. In fact, my weak point is writing action. I find much of my work starts with establishing the scene and then quickly moves into a running dialogue that can last for three or four pages. Both are something, as Amric has rightly suggested, you must work on over time.
I think Amric is correct to also suggest that you must care about your characters, and in many ways fully understand them as well. They may still move off in a strange direction after some time (and that's part of the fun of writing), but once you know them, you have a pretty good idea of how they might respond to that change. I think you have done a fine job of this in Vive L'Empereur.
Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, O'Neil, Miller, Chekov, Brian Friel - great writers that use great dialogue without the "he said" "she said" dynamic. Get a feel for how they move from sentence to sentence, and emotion to emotion, and you will most likely begin to develop a good sense for it yourself. As well, speak your dialogue out loud. Does it sound right? Are there any strange cuts, or beat* changes within what is said? Are there any contrived phrases? Questions like these help me check over what I have written after the fact.
*The term "beat", in this context, is a theatrical term to describe a change of action/motivation on the actor's part. Often times, any one sentence may have more than one beat in it. This idea can be used for dialogue as well, as the speaker may change his avenue of thought, or argument for whatever reason.
I think Amric is correct to also suggest that you must care about your characters, and in many ways fully understand them as well. They may still move off in a strange direction after some time (and that's part of the fun of writing), but once you know them, you have a pretty good idea of how they might respond to that change. I think you have done a fine job of this in Vive L'Empereur.
Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, O'Neil, Miller, Chekov, Brian Friel - great writers that use great dialogue without the "he said" "she said" dynamic. Get a feel for how they move from sentence to sentence, and emotion to emotion, and you will most likely begin to develop a good sense for it yourself. As well, speak your dialogue out loud. Does it sound right? Are there any strange cuts, or beat* changes within what is said? Are there any contrived phrases? Questions like these help me check over what I have written after the fact.
*The term "beat", in this context, is a theatrical term to describe a change of action/motivation on the actor's part. Often times, any one sentence may have more than one beat in it. This idea can be used for dialogue as well, as the speaker may change his avenue of thought, or argument for whatever reason.