In her book "I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes, Diana Gabaldon explores the complexities of dialogue in storytelling. She emphasizes that dialogue is heavily influenced by its context and does not operate independently from the surrounding narrative. This interconnectedness means that how characters interact can significantly affect the pacing of a story.

Gabaldon highlights the paradoxical nature of dialogue, noting that it can either enhance the momentum of a scene or alter its rhythm by slowing it down. The way characters communicate reveals not just information but also their emotions and tensions, which can shift the reader's engagement with the story.