Dialogue
Dialogue-to-Narration Ratio
Flags scenes that are heavily skewed toward either dialogue or narration.
What It Does
Computes the ratio of dialogue-containing lines to total lines. Flags when dialogue exceeds 85% (screenplay-like) or drops below 2% with 20+ lines (essay-like).
Why It Matters
A healthy scene balances dialogue with narration, action beats, and setting details. Scenes that are 95% dialogue feel disembodied; scenes with zero dialogue can feel like a lecture.
What Gets Flagged
| Severity | Example | Why | Suggested Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information | 90% of lines contain dialogue | Reads like a screenplay | Add action beats, setting details, and internal thought between exchanges |
| Information | 0% dialogue in 25+ lines | Reads like an essay | Let characters speak to bring the scene to life |
Configuration
No configuration options. Requires minimum 10 lines to analyze.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Document-level
- Method: Line-based dialogue detection (quotation marks) + ratio computation