Support for Indie Authors discussion

What's the best way to ensure your writing, especially dialogue, is culturally authentic, e.g. American/Australian/British usage?

I'd say the best way might be the simplest one: consult a native speaker. Possibly have one as a beta reader or editor.
You can look up lists of differences between the variants but those are often aimed at spelling, more so than at idioms or phrases used in common speech.

I agree. There's no substitute for a native speaker.

I will say using a language that is mostly gone is tricky though. Finding native speakers of Lakota was not easy.

Spend years reading books by authors from the culture you're not familiar with, and/or watch years of their TV and movies.

That is, if you can understand their language already. Otherwise ... maybe rethink the use of that other language/culture? He he. When in doubt, chicken out.

I set all my serious writing in Iowa. Nothing beats actually being a native and living in a place for over fifty years to make you feel like enough of an expert to write about it.

When it comes to humorous writing, I don't worry so much if I have the cultures and language exactly right.

Dwayne - did you attend the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop in Iowa City?

Car & Driver is my "go to" on this subject. Over the years, the masthead has been graced by great writers (William Jeanes, LJK Setright, PJ O'Rourke) who happened to be car guys. Their linguistic roots shone through in their writing. The publisher, DE Davis Jr, encouraged the use of idioms that might identify the writers accent, along with occasional use of phonetic spelling to give statements and passages the punch required.
For example describe WWII as "that nasty bit with the Huns" in the distinct non-accent of whoever is reading the CBS Evening News, and you got bupkis. It would sound silly, actually. Say the same thing in Colin Firth's accent, or David Attenborough's or even Sean Connery's, and it's actually imbued with meaning. To a true Brit, or Scot, a catastrophe would be a tea or whisky shortage. Horrendous, maybe. Even unthinkable. But, a years-long war that resulted in massive destruction, years of misery and privation, and the loss of thousands of lives? Well, that might be thought of as a "nasty bit."
All that's a roundabout way of saying there are various ways of building the right voice into a character. I happen to like using the odd phonetic spelling along with a smattering of key words and phrases. My Canadian characters actually say "eh."
Hope that helps, eh.

Bill wrote: "Car & Driver is my "go to" on this subject. Over the years, the masthead has been graced by great writers (William Jeanes, LJK Setright, PJ O'Rourke) who happened to be car guys. Their linguistic r..."

Good summing up of British understatement, Bill. Long may we keep it.

Bill wrote: "Car & Driver is my "go to" on this subject. Over the years, the masthead has been graced by great writers (William Jeanes, LJK Setright, PJ O'Rourke) who happened to be car guys. Their linguistic r..."

yup, Canadian do use the 'eh'... from time to time ;)

If at all possible I'd suggest listening to dialogue between native speakers. Obviously not everyone speaks the same and people of different social groups even within a larger culture will speak slightly differently. Of course beta readers from that language group will be able to help you know what's natural and what may seem stilted to a native, so they'll be your best help, but research into language variation within that culture will also help you grasp what's more natural and how to distinguish better between characters within your work.

Reading works from authors of that region could also be helpful, especially if they write in the accent the people use. Of course, writing is always different from speaking, so writing what sounds natural is going to be different that speaking naturally and native authors could give examples of how to do that well.

Micah wrote: "Spend years reading books by authors from the culture you're not familiar with, and/or watch years of their TV and movies.

That is, if you can understand their language already. Otherwise ... mayb..."

My current WIP is set in Australia. So, I've begun watching several Australian TV series. My book is a comedy, so I can get away with going a little over the top. Eventually, I'll push it to beta readers from Australia.