Dialectologists, those who study dialects, have discovered that the writing errors that tend to irritate readers the most are what the experts call “dialect difference.” Four out of five readers report that reading representations of heavy dialect is extremely bothersome. But almost all readers report that they want characters to sound individual-unique and specific-not like cardboard cutouts.

We can’t just stick to the “King’s English” and call it good, but we cannot lapse into heavy dialect if we want to keep our readers reading. Since people tend to speak differently in so many places and situations, and also because fiction is best when it conjures up verisimilitude, using dialect in your writing can lend color, accuracy, and liveliness. Use of proper dialect helps to vividly express a character’s identity and to spark readers’ interest in both narrative and characterization. At the same time, writers must pay careful attention to the words they put in characters’ mouths and the way that dialogue sounds and reads.

The Uses and Abuses of Dialect: Y’all Be Sayin’ Wha’?