Here are 32 dialogue prompts for practising conversations in fiction: arguments, secrets, funny exchanges and scenes where what's said isn't what's meant. Before you start, one formatting rule makes every dialogue easier to read: begin a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.
Dialogue is where a lot of stories come alive or fall flat. Good dialogue reveals character, moves the plot and hides as much as it shows. Bad dialogue explains things the characters already know ('As you know, Bob, we've been married ten years'). These prompts give you two characters and a situation with tension built in, so you can practise the craft without worrying about the rest of a story, and each set focuses on a different skill.
The rules that make dialogue readable
The Chicago Manual of Style says it's traditional to start a new paragraph with each new speaker, which makes it clear who's talking and removes the need to write 'she said' every time. High school writing standards treat dialogue as a core technique too: the Common Core's narrative standard for grades 9 and 10 lists dialogue alongside pacing, description, reflection and multiple plot lines.
| Rule | Why it helps | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| New speaker, new paragraph | Readers always know who's talking | Two people's lines in one paragraph |
| Use tags sparingly | Clean paragraphs mean fewer 'he said' tags | A tag on every single line |
| Keep 'said' as your default tag | It disappears; fancy tags distract | 'She exclaimed vehemently' |
| Let subtext do the work | Characters rarely say exactly what they mean | Characters explaining their feelings in full |
Argument dialogue prompts
Two people who want different things. Let neither be completely right.
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Two siblings argue over who gets their late grandmother's ring.
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A teenager tries to convince a parent to let them go to a festival.
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Two flatmates argue about a dirty kitchen, but it's really about something else.
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A chef and a restaurant critic meet after a terrible review.
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Two friends argue about whether to tell a third friend a painful truth.
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A coach and a star player disagree about who should captain the team.
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A couple argue in whispers at a wedding so nobody notices.
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Two neighbours dispute a tree that's blocking one of their views.
Secret and subtext dialogue prompts
Something important goes unsaid. Practise letting the reader feel it.
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A woman meets her ex for coffee to return his things; neither mentions why they broke up.
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A father and son talk about football the night before the son leaves for the army.
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Two old friends meet at a school reunion; one is hiding that they've lost their job.
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A nurse chats to a patient who doesn't yet know the results of their tests.
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A detective interviews a witness who's lying, politely.
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Two people on a first date both realise they've met before, but won't say it.
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A child asks a grandparent a question the grandparent doesn't want to answer.
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A boss gives an employee 'good news' that's really bad news.
Funny dialogue prompts
Comic timing lives in short lines. Keep each speech brief.
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A customer tries to return a pet goldfish to a shop that's never sold fish.
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Two aliens try to work out what humans mean by 'fine'.
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A ghost tries to scare a family who keep offering it tea.
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A very polite burglar is caught by an even politer homeowner.
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A satnav and a driver have a breakdown in their relationship.
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A job interview where the interviewer is clearly more nervous than the candidate.
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Two pigeons discuss the humans feeding them in the park.
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A wizard tries to explain magic to a sceptical accountant.
Dialogue-only story prompts
Tell a whole story using nothing but dialogue. No tags, no description.
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A phone call between two people who haven't spoken in ten years.
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A conversation between a pilot and air traffic control during an emergency.
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Two strangers stuck in a lift for an hour.
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A child explaining to a parent why the living room is covered in flour.
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Two people on a park bench who slowly realise they're related.
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A conversation between the last two people in an office on Christmas Eve.
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A radio call-in show where the caller has a very strange problem.
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A goodbye at a station that nobody wants to say.
A quick before and after
Here's a flat exchange. 'I'm angry that you forgot my birthday,' said Sam. 'I'm sorry, I've been very busy at work,' said Jo. Everything is stated, nothing is felt. Now try it with subtext. 'Nice flowers,' Sam said, nodding at the bunch on Jo's desk. 'From a client.' 'Lucky client.' 'Sam, I...' 'It's fine. I'm going to bed.' Nobody mentions the birthday, yet the reader knows exactly what's wrong, and the scene has tension instead of explanation. Notice too that each new speaker starts a new line, so the tags can almost vanish.
How to get better dialogue
- Start a new paragraph for each speaker, as the Chicago Manual of Style advises.
- Read it aloud. If it doesn't sound like speech, it isn't.
- Cut greetings and small talk unless they reveal something about the characters.
- Give each character a distinct voice: word choice, sentence length, habits.
- Let characters interrupt, dodge questions and change the subject. Real people do it all the time, especially when they're upset.
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My advice for writing dialogue
Pick a subtext prompt first, because it teaches the most important skill: making readers understand what characters won't say. Write the scene, then cut every line where a character explains their feelings directly. What's left will be tighter, more natural and far more powerful.
Frequently asked questions
What are dialogue prompts?
Writing prompts that give you two or more characters and a situation, so you can practise writing conversation.
How do you format dialogue?
The Chicago Manual of Style says it's traditional to start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.
Should I use 'said' in dialogue?
Usually yes. 'Said' is nearly invisible to readers, while fancy tags can distract from the conversation.
What is subtext in dialogue?
The meaning underneath what characters say. Good dialogue often leaves the most important thing unsaid.
How much dialogue should a story have?
There's no fixed amount. Use dialogue when characters are in conflict or revealing something, and summarise routine conversations in narration so the story keeps moving.
How can I make dialogue sound natural?
Read it aloud, cut small talk, give each character a distinct voice and let them interrupt or dodge questions.
