Having served as an editor for nearly a dozen different publishers over the past ten years or so, I've read all kinds of dialogue and scenes—the good and the, um, bad. (And the really, really bad, but that's another story.) One technique that many writers don't take advantage of is using interesting physical beats in scenes.  In a perfect world, a beat will enhance any conflict in the scene, help to show scene setting as the character interacts with the immediate area, and help break up the dialogue into more manageable pieces. They can help to reveal character, show a scene, and describe the setting in a way that flows smoothly and organically between the dialogue. 

Definitions

Beat- a physical beat is action by a character on the page, usually interspersed with dialogue. Also known as an action tag. If it’s a sequence of physical actions, then it becomes an action scene. Beats, by their very nature, are interspersed with dialogue to give readers some breathing room.  

Dialogue tag: the "he said, she said" and its variations that identify the speaker and how the dialogue is spoken. (Growled, whispered, hissed.) 

Here's an example: 

      Maya gave him a tight glance. “Sorry, Mr. Lettig, but this is what the caterer has available. Perhaps we can stop on the way back and get—“

      “Just get me some water then.” Shane turned away from her and walked on. The two little girls looked on—his daughters I guessed; they had his facial structure and skin tone—their eyes moving from Maya to him and back.

      The group swirled around her as Maya stood in the barn’s aisle, the orange juice leaking out onto the concrete walkway, puddling around her shoes. I grabbed a watering hose.

      “I’m sorry,” Maya said, her eyes brown and soft looking in the barn’s dim light.

      “Wasn’t you that threw it. Looks to me like he’s a pain in the you-know-what.”

      “I don’t usually get these assignments; I’m usually in the Miami office … Never mind.” Maya bent down and snagged the carton.

      “You might want to move,” I said. I held up the hose nozzle.

      “Sure. Um, trash can?”

      “I’ll take it. We’re careful about anything that attracts flies. Go on.”

      Maya tottered off and I felt sorry for her.

The beats here help to show where this is taking place (a barn), has the characters moving around and taking some action (picking up the OJ, grabbing a hose), and provide a bit of concrete detail (Maya's brown eyes and the orange juice carton). They don't reveal character, but in this case, with a minor walk-on like Maya, that's not needed.  
 
Some general tips: 

1- You don’t want to write characters that go on and on, paragraph after paragraph when speaking. Dialogue is a dialogue, not a monologue. The whole purpose of dialogue is to have some interaction on the page, not a character giving a lecture. Using beats offers readers some breathing room and rhythm.  

2- Dialogue that has no beats or action in between can feel too rushed or relentless. There are times, of course, when relentless is exactly what you want in dialogue—for scenes of tension, conflict, and quick action. But for more everyday types of discussions, using physical beats can help show each character’s personality, appearance, and how they interact with the setting.   

3- Using too many physical beats is just as wearing for the reader; you’ll tire them out and force them to start jumping ahead to get to more interesting action. Strive for a balance between beats that enhance a scene and beats that show character. In general, not every line of dialogue needs a beat or even a tag.  

4- Physical beats should be specific to the character, not generic. It's boring to read about characters that constantly sigh, comb back their hair or light up cigarettes. None of these actions are especially revealing or compelling to the reader. But, a character who fidgets with an eyebrow piercing or who limps from having been bucked off a horse is a character with a little something extra on the page.  

5- Don't use beats from Character A in the middle of dialogue from Character B. It's confusing and makes readers have to stop and think too much. Having Jack say "blah blah blah" and Stan react with "beat beat beat" is poor writing. Who said what and who is doing what? Which goes along with…. 

6- As much as possible keep beats and tags to the end of dialogue lines. It's all right to intersperse one in the middle, especially if it's an interesting or dramatic beat, but don't do it too often. Quite often I read about characters that Pause Dramatically in the middle of dialogue ("He paused." And that's the whole beat. I had one author do it 92 times in one book.) It's boring and done too often irritates your readers. 

7- Beats for an activity that’s unusual (scuba diving or tuning up a tractor) can be more extensive than everyday activities such as driving a car or putting on make-up. Because some of the action has to be explained (gently) it can go on a little longer than common actions.  

8- The way your character performs the actions is just as important as the actions themselves. Read that again; it's important. A man who is packing up his grandmother's china collection by first gently swooshing the plates in warm water and drying them with careful strokes clearly has different emotions than a man who snatches the plates from the shelf and half-heartedly wraps them in newspaper before tossing them into a box. Let your beats do some of the work for you. Let them show the reader the subtext of the story's action. 
 
Here’s an example of beats used poorly: 

      There was so much confusion with his father’s estate, the eminent domain purchase, and the store’s debts.

      “Is this okay to sign?” Felipe finally asked. “You been to college. What does this mean?”

      Monique sat back." It's what we talked about on the phone." She glared at him. "The store’s only worth about ninety thousand now because the new highway is coming through that part of town. The state is taking the whole block.” She leaned forward, looking annoyed.

      “And the check from the state?” Felipe asked.

      “Is in my name because I’m a legal heir, too, and anything in your name is something that guy can attach later if he ever decides to sue you. Reggie says it’s best if you don’t have any assets until the statute of limitations runs out on his case.” Monique reached for her cigarettes.

      “Which is when?” Felipe asked.

      “2012. Six years for a civil suit.” Monique leaned forward.

      Felipe had to ask for a pen from the guard. He bent over the forms and signed his name with his face carefully set—neutral.

This reveals almost nothing about these characters, there are too many beats, the beats are boring, and they don’t show the setting clearly.  
 

And here's the published version: 
 

      There was so much confusion with his father’s estate, the eminent domain purchase, and the store’s debts.

      “Is this okay to sign?” he finally asked. “You been to college. What does this mean?”

      Monique blew her bangs off her forehead with an angry puff. Through the thick glass her face looked distorted, ugly. “It’s what we talked about on the phone. The store’s only worth about ninety thousand now because the new highway is coming through that part of town. The state is taking the whole block.”

      “And the check from the state?”

      “Is in my name because I’m a legal heir, too, and anything in your name is something that guy can attach later if he ever decides to sue you. Reggie says it’s best if you don’t have any assets until the statute of limitations runs out on his case.”

      “Which is when?”

      “2012. Six years for a civil suit.”

      Felipe had to ask for a pen from the guard. He bent over the forms and signed his name with his face carefully set—neutral.  (From "Shepherd", published in Love in a Lock-Up from StarBooks Press, and Rough Cut from Lethe Press.) 
 

If you're having a hard time coming up with physical beats consider using a THAD, a Talking Heads Avoidance Device. This comes from character and has to relate to the person you’re writing about. It can range from saddling up a horse to cooking a homemade stew to adjusting a trolley on a garage door opener.  
 

First, think of an activity your character(s) would do and that would fit into your storyline smoothly. It might be a hobby or part of their work life.

Second, list all the actions and verbs associated with that activity.  

Third, list the items/props for the activity. 

Weave the action and props into the dialogue smoothly.  
 

There you have it. Put your beats to work for you. Let them show the readers not only what your characters are doing but how they're feeling. Used correctly, physical beats enhance a scene and let's readers imagine it clearly and specifically for themselves. 

So, go ahead and beat em 'up—the right way.