We need to talk—join this Sunday?
Quick dialogue prompt to get your ear attuned
“Thanks for coming,” I begin with a warm smile.
You reply, “Glad to be here,” or something similar.
I ask, “Are you ready for this?”
“Ready for what?”
“For some words,” I say, “that you definitely need to hear.”
“Well don’t leave me hanging,” you press. “What are we talking about?”
Dialogue can make or break a scene. It can advance the action, distract from the action, plant seeds of doubt & conflict, and ratchet up the narrative tension through power dynamics, emotional triggers, and/or comedy (e.g. Ships In The Night miscommunication conversations).
More importantly dialogue can reveal so much about the characters—
what’s said
what’s not said
how it’s said
how it’s replied (or not)
So this weekend with The Write Stuff group we’re gonna have some fun making images speak (like the warmup prompt below), and practice writing dialogue together.
Write with us Sunday (1/25) at 1pm MTN – sign up now!
📝 The Shipping Box dialogue prompt:
Set a timer for 7-10 minutes.
Minimize narrative in favor of dialogue.
Write a conversation from the image (aim for climax & resolution):
After the timer, read your dialogue aloud & edit accordingly (optional).
Example:
"Did you order something?" "Nope, not me. Who's it addressed to?" "Just says Management." "Should we open it?" "No wait—what if it's a bomb? Or anthrax?" "Anthrax? Hey checking in from 2026..." "So maybe a bomb?" "Who would be bombing us?" "Well I'm not opening it. Call security." "More likely it's from some secret whistleblower." "Who would be whistleblowing us?" "Only one way to find out..." The sound of tape ripping off cardboard fills the small office and
⌛️
When to use it
Dialogue warm up
Explore character interaction
Practice brief conflict arcs
Any time, with or without the image