novel - Dialogue writing practices?

First time novelist, long time writer here. I'm looking for creative writing exercises to help with my dialogue. Any ideas?

Answer

Get a video recorder and a few friends.

Explain to your friends what the scene is about, and what you want to have happen. (Eliot and Alec walk into a bar and order a drink. They start talking about inconsequential stuff. Their friend Nate walks in and asks Eliot for the $50 Eliot owes him. Eliot says he already paid Nate. Discussion/dispute/argument ensues.)

Have everyone ad-lib until you finish the scene.

Play back the recording. Listen to it. Listen to the rhythm of human speech. Listen to the ums, the ers, the pauses, the stuttering. Listen to how people talk over each other and interrupt. Listen to how a drunk guy repeats himself and slurs his words.

Then watch it. Watch body language. Watch what happens in the silences. Watch facial expressions. Watch how the bartender reacts when Eliot gets a beer and Alec orders a gin and tonic.

Now transcribe what you heard and saw. Write down every um, every glare, every snort and gesture. Have your friends read over it and confirm or edit what you wrote.

You may or may not use exactly what you ad-libbed for the book, but it will give you an idea of how actual people speak to one another and how they move and react when they're talking.

You could do this off TV as well, but sometimes actors are working too hard at acting, and ad-libbing is more of a guarantee that you'll get spontaneous reactions.