Place characters in the space

[Massimo]

Did you ever come across dialogues floating like the bubble thoughts of cartoon characters?

It's when the dialogue starts on a page without narrating where the characters are. As if in a theater the director had decided to keep the hall in the dark and only voices can be heard.
You can't visualise what's going on, and having readers visualise is the most important feature of a good story telling.

You don't want your readers to 'listen' to a chat, and how can you give depth to your characters if they are only voices in the dark?

I visualize the location where the dialogue takes place, without the characters making their appearance in my mind, yet. I explore the place and note down if there are important details, those things that might be 'used' by the characters while discussing, or enter in their body-talk motions.
One sentence or two usually suffice.

Characters location can be done subtly, having them entering the space and sit, or watch out of the window, or resting against a piece of furniture before they start to talk.

You don't need to be explicit, one can hint to a possible location (office, shop, living room, outdoor) by showing the characters interacting with the space but refrain from having words told by characters within an impenetrable fog patch.

[Erik]

I agree with you that there are many "dialogues floating around like bubbles," and I think there are many great stories that could have been much better if the author had found his/her author voice for “that” particular story.

If I - the reader - have to visualize too much of the scene and setting having to use my own imagination then I get bored whenever I read.

A perfect example of this is actually from a famous best seller; Stephanie Mayer's, "The Host." It's a real sleeper with almost only thoughts and dialogues and hardly any settings at all - a great disappointment from a great author.

Meyer proved herself with her author voice in the Twilight saga - however, if “The Host” had been her first book then I doubt that we would have ever known her name.

[Massimo]

Erik wrote: "Meyer proved herself with her author voice in the Twilight saga - however, if “The Host” had been her first book then I doubt that we would have ever known her name..."

I agree.