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I once talked to someone who was wondering if they should make their dialogue into a script format. But have the story be normal. I didn't really say much after that because I didn't know what to think, or how to describe my thoughts.
But the more I sat on the idea, the more it kind of messed with me. Mainly because this person is going to lose a lot of readers as the format is rare and not professional.
See, if you're going to create a book with a script format for dialogue, it's not the right way to go. Unless you're only using it for text messages. But otherwise, if you're going for the format, you should just make the entire thing a script instead.
Because the actual way to use dialogue in a book is so much different. I've never seen a book with a screenplay dialogue but was called a novel. Have you? As every other book out there has the normal way.
Like what I've read, if you want to be detailed, you make a novel. If you don't, you make a script.
Scripts actually aren't that different. True, there are different ways to create it, but you'll find that most of them anyway are the same format. Such as the picture below:
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Screenplays are written in third person, present tense. Dialogue is centered with the name in CAPS, and the narration begins on the left side, not indented. There is no thoughts added in (as the audience watching the film cannot hear their mind), but you do describe their expressions, their reactions. Most of the narration will be either that or describing the scenery or other actions. It's more from an observing position.
Some people end up doing this for the dialogue:
May: Can I speak to you?
David: No. I don't wanna.
May: Why?
David: Because I just don't.
This isn't necessarily wrong, but in the screenplay world, it's a bit rare from what I've seen.
For novels, if you're doing this and your book isn't a script, then... you should rethink on rewriting it. If a reader goes to your book, thinking it's an actual novel, they're expecting your dialogue scenes to be like:
"Can I speak to you?" May held the cell phone to her left ear, switching as her right arm was getting tired. She sat on the couch, slouching, wanting to talk to Dave. It had been a long time since they actually spoke.
"No. I don't wanna," he said, sounding angry.
With a confused expression, she asked, "Why?"
"Because I just don't." The line cut off.
But if they don't see something like this, then you'll probably lose readers as doing the screenplay dialogue is not professional for the novels.
