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30 Dialogue Exercises to Light Up Your Fiction

If you want practice writing some dialogue, these exercises will stretch your creative writing muscles.

More importantly, you’ll learn techniques that you can apply to all your future dialogue writing.

If you want to see examples of dialogue, please visit my post on 50 Examples of Dialogue Writing .

Otherwise, please read on and make sure to try out at least one of these exercises (seriously: don’t read these all and then avoid trying a single one).

Write a scene of dialogue between teenagers arguing about whether to shoplift a designer jacket. One has done it before, while the other one has never stolen anything. Halfway through the conversation, reverse their positions, and have them start arguing for the opposite course of action. This is what’s known as a dialogue twist, and it will help you create surprising reversals in your dialogue.

Write an argument between a mother and a daughter where every single line of dialogue is accompanied by an action, a thought, or a description. You should have zero standalone lines of dialogue, until the very last line. For the very last line, which should involve a big decision or statement by one of the characters, have that line be dialogue alone.

This is a great way to learn how to use structure for emphasis – the standalone dialogue is more important, so you’re using formatting to set it apart.

Write a sex scene where one partner becomes frustrated and it turns into a conversation between the two instead. Use the physical body language to accentuate the dialogue (one tries to touch the other, and is rebuffed both physically and verbally). By the end, resolve the disagreement and have them start romantic intimacy once more.

Amy comes home and notices that John has spent a lot of money on several items, even though they’re on a strict budget and he recently lost his job. But she doesn’t say anything directly to John about what he bought. The dialogue should be critical of John, but not for anything to do with the budget, money, or what he bought. Give the reader access to Amy’s head – her thoughts should stand in strong contrast with what she actually says out loud.

This is a contrast exercise where you learn how to oppose thoughts and dialogue in a way that gives maximum pleasure to the reader.

It’s important to write one-sided dialogue, in order to get the feeling of extended speaking. For this exercise, you’ll write what a mother or father would say to their infant. The adult is going to work on an oil rig and won’t see them for a year or more. What do they want to tell their child?

Write an argument between two people as a third person yells from off-stage: “C’mon, we gotta go!” This is yelled with increasing urgency each time, until the fourth time when the speakers finally stop the conversation and leave. This is an excellent way to give dialogue a sense of escalation and climax. It comes from an external force, not from the conversation itself.

Take dialogue that you’ve already written in a short story and novel, and do a word count. Now try to compress it by cutting at least 50% of the words. Focus on cutting the dialogue itself rather than the thoughts/actions surrounding the dialogue. When you’re doing, read both the uncompressed version and compressed version out loud – which one sounds better? Which one sounds more natural? Which one sounds punchier?

This dialogue exercise is one in artificial limitation: You’re only allowed to write five words per line of dialogue. That’s right – each character only gets to speak five words max before the other character speaks. The result should be sharp and staccato sounding, and rip off the tongue quickly.

Create a conversation between two classes of people: one rich, highbrow and well educated, and the other poor, lowbrow, and working class. They are arguing over the how to save a dog that’s fallen in a deep pit. Use slang and formality to help the reader distinguish between the two.

Print out this comic page and write your own dialogue for what the characters could be saying. Bonus points for creating sharp contrasts in how each character speaks.

It’s very important to have your characters talking TOWARD something. Here is the last line of a dialogue between two people: “Fine, I’ll do it.” Now write a page of dialogue between these people ending in that line.

What inspired this exercise was a quote from William Sloane, who said, “Know what the scene is supposed to accomplish and have your characters write toward it, not in circles.”

When our audience is different, we change how we speak. Have a character explain why she left her parents and sought emancipation from the court when she was only sixteen (she’s older now). Have her explain this to four different types of people:

Her five-year-old child
A police officer
A friend from high school
An older woman in a bar

For this exercise, you’re going to practice making different characters sound different. This is your standard line: “I’d like you to stop doing that.” Now write that line the way a vast array of characters might say it:

Harvard Graduate
Valley girl
European snob
Computer Geek

Take 3 lines of dialogue from each of your two main characters and put the lines in a separate file. Does the dialogue look different? Sound different? Could someone who hasn’t read the book tell these characters apart?

Write dialogue between two characters who are about to be executed. Don’t let them talk about their impending death at all, but only about their favorite foods. Make sure their discussion of their favorite food has an underlying meaning of their last hours.

Write a one page scene where each of the characters refuse to respond to what the other one is saying. Give them both separate agendas that they want to discuss, and neither gives in to the other person’s topic.

For this dialogue exercise, a husband comes home from work and his wife has just learned that he cheated on her. What would she say to him without revealing that she knows about his infidelity?

Exercise: Try writing dialogue where one character keeps repeating the exact same phrase throughout the whole conversation. Try one of these three phrases, no matter what the other person says.

Are you sure about that?
I don’t believe you.
But I’m the greatest.

Kibitizing is a chess term for when people are watching a chess game and talking about it. It’s very annoying for the people who are playing the game – it’s like real-time gossip, or a backseat driver.

For this writing exercise, you’ll have two characters who are talking about a third character who is playing a tabletop boardgame. The third is not in the conversation, but he/she can hear everything the two characters say. How does their conversation change if they realize halfway through that the third person can hear them?

Try to write a conversation between five separate characters, and figure out how to make the reader remember who is who. Use all the techniques in How to Write Dialogue to make each character seem distinct and unique.

A mother and father are driving somewhere and their five-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son are in the back seat. Make the parents discuss a very sensitive topic (divorce, miscarriage, drug use, etc) by speaking elliptically, hinting at the topic so the children won’t understand what they’re saying. This is a great way to learn how to write dialogue that isn’t so direct and punches the reader in the face with its obviousness.

In the Psalms of the Bible, there are some Psalms that call down fire and brimstone upon the enemies of the Israelites. These are called Imprecatory Psalms.

You’re going to write some Imprecatory dialogue. Although most of the time, characters hold back from saying what they think, you’re going to have a character break and pour out a diatribe against someone or something they despise.

Build the scene with very polite dialogue, and then a tipping point followed by the angry rant.

Write a scene of dialogue a father and his teenage son. The son has gotten in trouble in school, and his father is reprimanding him. In the first half, make the dialogue extremely quick (reference the “Pacing” section of How to Write Dialogue if you want more instruction on how to do this). In the second half, slow down the dialogue between both characters.

Watch two television shows and pick out a random line of dialogue from each. Then put the dialogue back to back and make a conversation out of it between two characters. It will appear as a non-sequitur (obviously) and that’s excellent – people often talk in non-sequiturs. You want to have them talk at cross-purposes, each refusing to each with what the other one is saying and asking, almost as if they are each having their own little separate conversation.

In J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zoey, there is a character who prays “the Jesus Prayer” as a kind of mantra. Give your character a mantra that they repeat again and again as another character is interrogating them.

The Ouroboros Exercise: Go to a public place and eavesdrop on a conversation. Pick out a single line of dialogue (a short one) that strikes you as memorable and contains a hint of conflict. Start a dialogue between two fictional characters beginning with that line of dialogue, and by the end, have one of the characters repeat that exact same first line.

Start with two characters having a conversation: one is talkative and the other one says very little. The one who says very little should communicate mostly through:

Body language
Actions (holding up a knife? Or report card?)
Facial expressions
Non-verbal noises (snorts).

This exercise will strengthen your ability to add physicality to your dialogue, and prevent you from relying too heavily on dialogue alone in a scene.

Two characters are angry about something, but they refuse to argue directly about it. Instead, make them argue about an ancillary topic.

Write an argument between two characters. One character will have to use the words:

The other character must use these words:

Pick a dialect (southern, Australian, etc.). Now put this character in a scene where they are misunderstood because of their dialect. What do they say in response?

Try to write a dialogue with five or more characters, and try to make it easy for the reader to keep them all separate by these methods:

Make them speak differently
Give them mantras or frequent phrases
Give them personality and attitude

Dialogue Exercises : 40 Writing Prompts To Get You Going

Dialogue exercises are a great way to strengthen your ability to listen to your characters. When you’re working on dialogue exercises, you’re not worrying about plot or where the scene’s headed. You’re not distracted by furniture or waiters or sunsets. In essence, you’re closing your eyes and giving your complete attention to the subtext of the conversation.

ebro, nature, landscape, dialogue exercises

Sometimes, looking at a photo or an art object can help you get started with a story. In Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” a man and girl are waiting in Ebro for the train. Here are the hills above the Ebro River. What do you think? Do they look like white elephants? Image from Pixabay via ProyectoINDI

In my post on “Dialogue and Tension: Bringing Scenes to Life,” I introduced a man and a girl waiting for a train. In this post I’m bringing them onstage again, but stripping out the “he saids” and “she saids.”

“They look like white elephants.” “I’ve never seen one.” “No, you wouldn’t have.” “I might have. Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.”

As you read this excerpt from Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” does the dialogue pull you along? Are you reading to find out what’s up? Of course, you are!

Now, here’s your chance to try your hand.

Forty Dialogue Exercises

Below are forty dialogue exercises. Pick one and start writing. You don’t have to know who the characters are, where they are, or why they’re at odds. Dialogue is one of the best ways to learn more about your characters. Maybe one of these exercises will even lead to a new story.

“I thought you were supposed to call me.”
“I never, ever want to hear you say that again.”
“Don’t just stand there looking at me.”
“Do you like my country?”
“My back’s killing me.”
“How much longer till we’re there?”
“You have to tell her. It wouldn’t be right not to.”
“It doesn’t do any good to get worked up.”
“How much does he want?”
“I know it’s a little expensive.”
“Home is where they have to take you in. Am I right?”
“Your mother wants us to come down for Christmas.”
“I caught your cold.”
“Finish what you’re doing. We have to talk.”
“Could you not walk ten steps in front of me for a change?”
“How much longer is lobster season going to last?”
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate the thought.”
“Give me the remote.”
“Could you please not use that tone of voice?”
“Little pitchers have big ears.”
“Hey, there. Are you in the witness protection program, or what?”
“Set me up.”
“When was the last time we had a real conversation.”
“You’re big and strong.”
“I’m so sick of all this gloom and doom. Why can’t people just be happy?”
“Look. There’s a place to park.”
“In my next life, I want to come back as a butterfly.”
“Do you know what today is?”
“I been thinking we should move to Alaska.”
“Ten bucks for this piece of crap!”
“You first.”
“I’m not cold in the least.”
“What’s your problem?”
“You’d be late for your own funeral.”
“You’re not my mother.”
“You know you’re wrong.”
“He’s a moocher, all right.”
“Why do you have that look on your face?”
“You should have seen it coming.”
“You’re going in there right now and apologize.

I picked one of these dialogue exercises, and I discovered a new story that’s waiting to be fleshed out. Good luck with the exercise you choose.

Please share this!

One response to “dialogue exercises : 40 writing prompts to get you going”.

Thanks dear it’s a perfect idea, am going to try it.

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Dialogue Writing Exercises – Master the Art of Compelling Conversations

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Dialogue Writing Exercises – Master the Art of Compelling Conversations

Introduction to Dialogue Writing Exercises

Key elements of compelling⁤ conversations, understanding characterization through dialogue, creating realistic dialogue: tips ⁢and techniques, exploring subtext: adding depth to conversations, mastering⁤ dialogue tags and punctuation, tips for dialogue ⁤tags:, punctuation guidelines:, enhance your dialogue skills with natural conversational exercises, conclusion: enhancing your writing with engaging conversations, frequently asked ‍questions, the way forward.

Welcome to the world ⁤of dialogue writing exercises! Dialogue writing is a crucial skill for any aspiring⁢ writer or storyteller. It⁤ allows you to bring characters to life, create engaging conversations, ‍and add depth to your narratives. Whether you ⁤are interested ⁢in writing fiction, ⁢plays, screenplays, or ‍even improving your everyday conversation skills, these exercises will provide you with a solid foundation. ⁢

⁣ In this section, we will explore various ⁢dialogue writing exercises that will help you understand the‌ intricacies of effective communication through ⁤written ⁣conversations. You will learn how to develop ‍distinct character voices, create natural and engaging dialogues, and master the⁣ art of subtext. These exercises will also enhance your understanding of pacing, tone, and the use ‍of gestures and⁣ facial expressions to convey emotions. ⁢

⁢ ‍So, if you are ready to embark on this exciting journey, grab‌ your pen and ⁢notebook, and let’s dive into the world‌ of dialogue writing exercises! Each exercise will provide you with a prompt ‍or scenario to stimulate your creativity. Feel free to⁢ take your time, experiment, and have fun along the‍ way. Let’s‌ unlock the power of words and bring your characters to life like never before!

Key Elements of Compelling Conversations

1. Active Listening: One of the is active listening. This⁤ involves not just hearing the words being spoken, but truly understanding and empathizing with the speaker. Active listening requires giving your full attention to the person speaking, maintaining eye contact , and providing verbal and non-verbal cues such as nodding and⁢ acknowledging their points.⁤ By actively listening, you demonstrate respect and create a ⁢safe space for‍ open and meaningful discussions.

2. Asking Thought-Provoking Questions: ⁤Another important element is the ability to ask thought-provoking questions . Instead of simply asking generic questions, try to ‌dive ‌deeper and explore various perspectives. Open-ended questions encourage others to share their‍ thoughts and feelings, leading to more‍ engaging conversations. By asking thought-provoking questions, you can encourage critical ⁢thinking , challenge ⁣assumptions, and stimulate intellectual discussions that leave a lasting impact.

Understanding Characterization through Dialogue

Dialogue is a powerful tool⁤ in literature that allows⁢ readers to gain insight into a character’s personality, beliefs,⁣ and values. Through the conversations between characters, ⁤authors can ‌paint a vivid picture of who these⁣ individuals are, creating a deeper understanding of their motivations and actions. By analyzing the use of dialogue in ‍a story, readers can uncover important details that shape a character’s identity ‍and contribute to the overall development of the narrative.

The Importance of Verbal Expression:

Dialogue provides direct access to a character’s thoughts ‍and⁣ emotions. It allows readers to hear their authentic voice, whether it is revealing their insecurities or expressing their desires.
Speech patterns and word choices in⁤ dialogue can reveal a character’s education,‍ social background, ‍or cultural heritage. For instance, a character who uses‌ formal language and sophisticated vocabulary might be seen as more educated and upper-class compared to someone who speaks in slang or⁣ colloquial terms.
The tone and mood of a character’s speech can provide valuable information about their state of mind. Whether they speak with enthusiasm,⁤ sarcasm, or sadness, these linguistic cues can help readers understand ‍their emotional journey.

The ⁤Function of Subtext:

Dialogue often includes subtext, which ‌refers‌ to the‌ underlying meaning beneath the words spoken. Subtext allows authors to incorporate subtle clues and suggestions about a character’s true intentions, feelings, or hidden agendas.
Nonverbal cues within dialogue, such as pauses, ⁤gestures or facial expressions, can convey important information. These actions can hint⁤ at a character’s true emotions, even when⁢ their words might say otherwise.
Conflicts or disagreements between characters can be revealed through‌ dialogue, ‌showcasing their contrasting viewpoints and creating tension within the story. These ‌interactions can shed light on a character’s beliefs and values.

By paying close‌ attention to ⁤the dialogue in a ‌story, readers‍ can unlock the complexities of a character’s personality, gain insight into⁢ their relationships with others, and better understand their role in the broader narrative.

Creating Realistic Dialogue: Tips ⁤and Techniques

Developing believable dialogue is an essential skill for any writer. It allows readers to connect with characters and adds⁤ depth to the narrative. To create realistic dialogue, here are some valuable tips⁤ and techniques:

Eavesdrop on conversations: Listening to real-life conversations can⁤ provide valuable insights into ‌how people⁣ speak and interact. Pay ‍attention to the flow, expressions, ⁢and natural pauses⁤ in dialogue. This will help‌ you capture the authenticity of conversation in your writing.
Show, don’t tell: Instead of explicitly stating emotions or background information, let your characters’ dialogue reveal⁢ it naturally. Subtle phrases, pauses,⁤ and unspoken words can convey a wealth ‍of meaning and make your dialogue⁢ more lifelike.
Add interruptions⁤ and hesitations: In ⁣real conversations, interruptions, hesitations, and even errors occur frequently. Incorporate these elements in your dialogue to make it feel genuine and dynamic. It will also add a layer of realism to your characters and their interactions.
Vary speech patterns and vocabulary: Each character should have a distinct voice, with unique word choices, sentence structures, and vocabulary. Consider factors⁣ such as age, education level,⁤ and background‍ to give your characters realistic speech patterns. This diversity will enhance the credibility of your dialogue.
Avoid excessive exposition: Dialogue should feel natural and not solely exist to⁢ relay information to the reader. Balancing exposition with the ebb and flow of ⁣conversation is crucial. Inserting exposition subtly and organically within the dialogue helps maintain authenticity and prevents it from feeling ‍forced.
Revise and refine: Dialogue, like ‍any other aspect of writing, requires revision. Read your dialogue⁣ out ⁣loud, paying attention to its ⁣rhythm and believability. Eliminate unnecessary phrases,‌ adjust pacing, and refine the tone until ⁢it feels authentic and engaging.

Mastering the ‍art of creating realistic dialogue takes time and practice. By incorporating these tips and‍ techniques, you’ll⁤ be well on⁣ your way to crafting compelling conversations that resonate with your readers.

Exploring Subtext: Adding Depth to Conversations

When engaging ⁣in conversations, understanding the subtext can ‌often lead to a richer and more meaningful interaction. Subtext refers to the underlying message or implied meaning that ‍is not explicitly stated in a conversation. By recognizing and exploring subtext, we can uncover hidden emotions, motivations,⁢ and intentions, allowing ‌for ‌a⁣ deeper⁢ understanding of each other.

One effective way to delve into subtext⁤ is through active listening. Pay close attention not only to the words being⁤ spoken but ‌also⁢ to‍ the tone, ⁤body language, and facial expressions of the person you’re conversing⁣ with. These non-verbal cues often convey emotions and thoughts that might ⁢contradict or enhance the explicit message. By interpreting these cues, you can gain insights into the subtext and respond more empathetically and appropriately.

Here‍ are some techniques to‍ help you explore subtext and add depth to your⁤ conversations:

Reflective Listening: Encourage the speaker to elaborate by paraphrasing their words and reflecting their emotions. This shows that you are actively engaged and interested in understanding their underlying message.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Move beyond simple yes-or-no inquiries and encourage thoughtful responses. Open-ended questions invite the speaker to expand on their thoughts, allowing you⁤ to uncover⁢ deeper meanings.
Observe Non-Verbal Cues: Focus ‌on body language, gestures, and facial expressions.‍ These indications ‌can reveal unspoken emotions,⁢ hesitations, or conflicting thoughts that shed light on the subtext.

By adopting these ‌strategies, you’ll create an environment that nurtures genuine connections and promotes more authentic communication. Exploring subtext adds layers of understanding to conversations, fostering empathy and cultivating stronger relationships.

Understanding Dialogue Tags and Punctuation

When‌ it comes⁣ to writing dialogue, mastering the usage of dialogue tags and punctuation is crucial for creating engaging and realistic conversations between your characters. Dialogue⁢ tags help attribute spoken words to specific characters,‍ providing clarity⁣ and allowing readers to follow the flow of the conversation. Additionally, proper punctuation ensures⁤ that the dialogue is correctly formatted and enhances the overall⁢ readability of‍ your writing.‍ Below, we’ll delve ⁣into some essential tips and guidelines to help you navigate the world⁤ of dialogue tags ⁤and punctuation seamlessly.

Keep⁣ it simple: Use common tags like “said” or‍ “asked” instead of extravagant ⁣alternatives. This allows ⁢the dialogue to⁢ take center stage without distracting the reader.
Be mindful of overuse: While dialogue tags⁤ are important ⁣for clarity, avoid using them excessively. Instead, opt for action beats or descriptive narrative to ⁢attribute dialogue when possible.
Vary your tags: To avoid monotony, consider swapping out common tags with alternatives like “whispered,” “muttered,”⁤ or “exclaimed” to inject variation and add depth to your character’s voice.
Quotation marks: Always enclose spoken words within double quotation marks (” “) to distinguish dialogue from narrative text.
New‍ lines for new speakers: Start a new paragraph and indent whenever a different character speaks, aiding in clarity ⁣and ensuring⁣ smooth transitions between speakers.
Commas and periods: Place commas and⁢ periods inside the quotation marks, even if they are not part of the spoken words, to maintain proper punctuation structure.
Punctuation in action tags: Ensure the⁤ proper placement of punctuation when an action tag follows dialogue. ⁢If‍ the tag is connected to the spoken‌ words, use a comma. Otherwise, use a period or question mark,‌ and start the action tag with a lowercase letter, unless it’s a proper noun.

Exercises to ⁤Improve Dialogue Skills

Engaging in effective dialogue is essential for building strong relationships and improving communication. ⁢To help you become ⁢a conversation maestro, here are ⁢some engaging exercises that will polish your dialogue skills and make your interactions more meaningful:

Reflective Listening: Practicing reflective listening helps ⁣you stay fully present in a conversation and shows respect for the speaker. Try paraphrasing what the other person has said,‌ ensuring you understand their perspective. ⁣This‌ exercise strengthens your ⁤ability to truly listen, fostering empathy and understanding.
Role Reversal: This‍ exercise is fantastic ⁣for developing empathy and seeing conversations from different perspectives. Choose a controversial topic and assign the roles of two individuals ⁤with opposite viewpoints. Each person should hold a conversation defending the side they disagree with, allowing them to gain insight into the other person’s mindset.

Remember, dialogue ⁢skills are like any other skill – they require practice to improve. Embrace these exercises and use them regularly to unlock⁢ the power⁢ of effective communication. As you continue honing your skills, you’ll become a master of engaging conversations!

Conclusion: Enhancing your Writing with⁣ Engaging ‌Conversations

In conclusion, incorporating engaging conversations into your writing can take ‌your ⁤content to the next level. By utilizing this technique, you can captivate your readers, spark their interest, and establish a strong connection with them. Here are some key takeaways to enhance your writing:

Expressive ⁤dialogue: ‌Injecting conversations into your writing allows your characters or subject⁤ to come alive. It adds depth and authenticity, helping your readers immerse themselves in your content.
Show, don’t tell: Engaging conversations provide an excellent opportunity to ⁢show rather than tell your story. Through dialogue, you can reveal emotions, intentions, and conflicts in a powerful and relatable way.
Interactive storytelling: Incorporating conversations can turn your writing into an interactive experience. Engage‍ your readers by allowing‌ them to participate in the narrative, by sharing their thoughts or ⁤responding to prompts within your content.

Remember, the key to successful engagement is to ensure your conversations flow naturally,⁤ avoiding forced or ‌contrived dialogue. It’s also important⁢ to strike a balance, incorporating conversations seamlessly‍ without overwhelming your writing. So, go ahead, experiment with engaging conversations, and watch your writing flourish!

Q: What are‌ dialogue writing exercises? A: Dialogue writing exercises‌ are activities or prompts designed to help writers practice and enhance their skills in ⁣the art of writing compelling conversations.

Q: ⁢Why are dialogue writing exercises important ‌for‍ writers? ⁢ A: Dialogue ⁤is a fundamental element in storytelling, and writers who can effectively ⁤produce realistic and engaging ⁤conversations can bring ⁤their characters to life and keep readers invested in their narratives. Dialogue exercises allow writers to develop‌ and ⁢refine their abilities in this crucial aspect of writing.

Q: What are some examples of dialogue writing exercises? A: Dialogue writing exercises can take various forms, such as writing a conversation between two fictional characters, ‌recreating a⁤ real-life‌ conversation with added elements, or even transcribing and analyzing dialogues from movies or books. These exercises encourage writers to experiment with different styles,⁢ tones, and character dynamics.

Q: How can dialogue writing⁣ exercises improve writing skills? A: By engaging in dialogue exercises, ⁣writers can practice crafting authentic dialogue that reflects each character’s⁣ unique voice and personality. These exercises also help enhance skills in pacing, subtext, and⁤ creating tension or conflict within conversations. Through repetition and experimentation, writers can become more adept at writing compelling and believable dialogue.

Q: How⁣ can writers make the most of dialogue writing exercises? A: To maximize the benefits of dialogue writing exercises, it’s essential to approach them with an open mind and willingness to experiment. Writers ⁤can pay ‌attention to the rhythms and flow of natural conversations, observe how real people speak, and incorporate these observations into their fictional dialogues. Feedback ‌from trusted peers or mentors can also provide valuable insights‍ for improvement.

Q: What are the potential challenges in dialogue writing exercises? A: ⁣One of the common challenges ⁣in dialogue writing exercises is ensuring that each character’s dialogue is distinct and consistent throughout the story. Writers must also avoid excessive use of dialogue tags and exposition to maintain a natural and engaging conversation. Balancing dialogue with action and description is another‍ aspect that writers may need to‍ focus on during these exercises.

Q: Can dialogue writing exercises ⁣be beneficial for writers of different genres? A:⁢ Absolutely! Whether you ⁣are writing a romance, a mystery, or even a sci-fi novel,⁤ compelling dialogue is⁣ essential. Engaging in dialogue ‌writing exercises allows writers to hone their skills regardless of the genre they specialize in, as it contributes to ‌creating relatable characters ‌and advancing the plot effectively through conversations.

Q: Are there any resources‍ available to assist writers with dialogue writing exercises? A: ⁤Yes, there ‌are numerous resources available to writers seeking ‍assistance with dialogue writing exercises. Writing workshops, online⁣ forums, books ‌on⁣ the craft of writing, and even⁢ dedicated writing software often provide guidance, prompts, and examples to help ‍writers master the art of compelling conversations.

Q: How often should writers engage‌ in dialogue‌ writing exercises? A: The frequency of dialogue writing exercises may vary for each writer, depending on their goals and availability. However, incorporating regular practice sessions into one’s ⁢writing routine is advisable. By dedicating specific time to work on dialogue, writers ‍can refine their skills, eventually ⁤making it a‌ natural ⁣and seamless part of their storytelling process.

Q: Any final tips for writers looking to improve their dialogue writing skills through exercises? A: Remember to⁢ observe real-life conversations and pay attention‌ to how⁣ people naturally speak. Practice⁤ writing dialogue that reveals⁣ character traits, advances the plot, and⁤ builds ‌conflict or tension. Be open to ⁢constructive feedback, and ⁤don’t⁢ be afraid to rewrite and⁣ revise your dialogue. With consistent practice and a⁢ willingness to learn, writers can master the art of compelling‌ conversations and enrich their storytelling abilities.

In conclusion, dialogue writing exercises are a valuable tool for improving your storytelling skills ⁤and ⁤creating engaging conversations. Practice, explore ‌different characters, and‌ master the art of⁣ compelling dialogue to bring your stories to life.

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At Creative Writing Prompts, we believe in the power of words to shape worlds. Our platform is a sanctuary for aspiring writers, seasoned wordsmiths, and everyone. Here, storytelling finds its home, and your creative journey begins its captivating voyage.

Writing Dialogue: A Storytelling Exercise

by Melissa Donovan | Apr 18, 2023 | Fiction Writing Exercises | 4 comments

A storytelling exercise in writing dialogue.

Today’s fiction writing exercise is excerpted from Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises , which includes lessons and exercises that help beginning to intermediate storytellers study and practice the craft of storytelling. This exercise, which is from a chapter on narrative, focuses on dialogue. Enjoy!

Dialogue is one of the most compelling elements of any narrative. It can be used to advance the plot, establish relationships between the characters, reveal key information about the characters, describe the setting, and set the theme.

“Hey, Joe.” “Hi, Sue.” “How are you?” “Not bad. How are you?” “Pretty good. Just waiting for summer so I can take my kids camping.” “I hear you. As soon as the sun comes out, I’m heading to the beach.” “Sounds awesome. Say, I wanted to talk to you about a murder case we worked on a few years ago.”

The characters speak over six lines of dialogue before they get to the good stuff. It feels like a long slog. But this is what a real conversation would look like, transcribed to the page. We writers use our storytelling magic to tighten it up into a more riveting conversation:

“Joe, I need to talk to you about the Watershed case.” Joe almost lurched out of his chair. He hadn’t heard Sue approaching his desk from behind.

Record a real conversation, and then transcribe one to three pages of it. Approach this exercise ethically—you are not advised to tape people without their knowledge or consent. As an alternative, simply listen carefully during a conversation—notice the ums and ahs , the small talk, the filler that we stuff into our real-life dialogue. You can also search online for conversations that have been recorded or transcribed.

Write a scene that is composed mostly (if not entirely) of dialogue between two or three characters. The conversation should reveal the following: what a character wants (goals), an inner struggle, a character’s strengths, a character’s weaknesses, and at least one clue about each character’s personality.

Why does real human conversation translate poorly to the page? How can dialogue be used to help readers gain deeper understanding of the characters? Why is dialogue one of the most important elements of storytelling?

This article has helped expanciate further since the intermediate writing class I attended sometime ago,and will go a long in the drive towards creative writing basics understanding for prospective writers, thanks melissa!

You’re welcome!

Hello Melissa,

Great article, thank you!

I have some thoughts on why human conversations translate so poorly into dialogue. When we speak to each other face to face there are certain pleasantries or other cultural “requirements”, if you will, that we engage in. Most of these are filtered out or at least passed over in our consciousness. Yes, we hear them and respond, but almost automatically. It is the meat – the heart – of what we came to talk about that gets and holds our attention. Those things are the real subject of our conversation. Thus, when we read dialogue in a story we also filter out most of the pleasantries and the cultural expectations. Only if these things go to further character development or help set the scene are we really interested in them. Perhaps that is why written dialogue needs to “cut to the chase” so to speak.

Dialogue helps us gain a deeper understanding of characters by letting us hear their voices. Idioms, expressions, pronunciations, emotional responses to situations, all of these can be heard in their voices which can tell us many things about the person speaking. We might hear them use idioms that help us figure out their background: Jake pushed the weathered straw hat back on his head, squinting into the sun, “We’ve had to ride herd on ’em pretty hard.” Jake’s got to be some sort of cowpoke, right? Seems that way from how he talks.

Dialogue is one of the most important elements in storytelling because it’s the characters directly telling us what we really want to know. Yes, the author can fill us in with information. But we want to know what Jake thinks, what he feels, what he has to say about those people he’s had to watch so closely. We can learn this information by just having the author relate it to us. But isn’t it better to get it directly from Jake?

Hi Michael. I agree with everything you’ve said about dialogue. Very astute observations!

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101 Of The Most Clever Dialogue Writing Prompts

Sometimes the best way to get a story started is with a stirring piece of dialogue. I’m talking about the kind of conversation that draw us right in and make us wonder what’s going on .

Welcome to Authority Pub’s own collection of interesting dialogue ideas.

Think of them as the first line in a conversation you can take in whatever direction you like.

Think of the possibilities as you read through the 101 dialogue prompts below. Imagine what your readers might expect. Then surprise them.

Funny Dialogue Prompts

Angst dialogue prompts, dialogue prompts for romance, sad dialogue prompts, use these dialogue prompts to create fascinating book characters., 101 dialogue writing prompts.

These dialogue starters will grab your readers’ attention and make them want to read the next line. From there, it’s up to you to get their jaws dropping and keep their eyes glued to the page.

“Put the gun down, dearest. I have news!”

“I have a lot going for me, but humility is not one of them.”

“Oh, dang! What have you done to yourself?”

“Don’t eat that! I made it ‘specially for our guest.”

“Is that seriously your password?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t been arrested yet. Wait, no, I’m not.”

“You promised to call me if you didn’t know what to wear.”

“So, you broke my favorite mug… and you’re breaking up with me?”

“Mommy, I’m not s’posed to tell you this, but Aunt Brenda says the vaccine’ll prob’ly turn me into a vegetable.”

“I’m afraid the king is indisposed. And the castle is out of sorts right now, what with the chef being executed last minute.”

“Sir, the pony rides are for children only.”

woman writing on notebook clever writing prompts

“Who on earth put this in my pocket? It doesn’t even work!”

“Oh, good, you’re here! Hold this.”

“You don’t know what this means to me. You’re my first willing human subject, and we… are going to make history!”

“On a scale of one to ten, how do you feel about nachos right now?”

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate your coming here. I just… didn’t think you’d come wearing… that. ”

“Oh, wow, you weren’t kidding.”

“Dude. We talked about this. Boundaries!”

“Hieeee! I’m calling about your ad for a peppy office clerk?”

“Now, don’t be mad, but…”

“Well, thanks to you, that’s another Taco Bell that’s banned us for life.”

“I didn’t change my name to sound more badass. I changed it because my parents named me Lulubellerina.”

“So you know, I haven’t had my coffee yet. And your voice is putting me to sleep.”

“Please tell me you didn’t eat that.”

“So, wait… I died… and came back. And I still don’t have superpowers?”

“How could you do this to me? You knew!”

“You told me he was my dad.”

“Trust me, you want to be in the friend zone.”

“I know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but… you need to know something.”

“For someone who doesn’t like to feel things, you sure feel a lot of it out loud.”

“You’re allowed to need help sometimes. And I know I haven’t been what you needed. But I’m here, and I wanna help.”

“I know you’re new here, but we do things a little differently at this school.”

“Why do you want to help me? I just broke your brother’s nose.”

“What have you done with my diary?”

“You’re the worst. And you’re all I’ve got.”

“I’m not moody, I’m thinking. Don’t interrupt.”

“If I wanted to get better, I wouldn’t be dating you. ”

.ugb-746569f .ugb-blockquote__item{background-color:#785d91 !important;border-radius:50px !important}.ugb-746569f .ugb-blockquote__item:before{background-color:#785d91 !important}.ugb-746569f .ugb-blockquote__quote{fill:#0693e3 !important;width:70px !important;height:70px !important}.ugb-746569f .ugb-blockquote__text{color:#ffffff}.ugb-746569f .ugb-inner-block{text-align:center} How can you stand this place? It’s biggest claim to fame is that a touring singer’s dog died in the motel pool.”

“You think I don’t know you’re only here because he sent you?”

“If you’re here to tell me what happened last night, someone beat you to it.”

“No, I don’t hate you . We’re not there, yet.”

“It’s not that I don’t like my life. It’s that I don’t have the energy to enjoy it.”

“Hey. Look what came in the mail. Wanna tell me what’s going on with your grades?”

“Did you find him?”

“Talk to me, okay? I need to know what’s going on.”

“Where did you get that book? Who gave it to you?”

“I know it’s not perfect, but I did follow the recipe this time. And I added hot dogs for extra protein.”

5 Essential Exercises For Writing Dialogue

We are posting a series of Essential Writing Exercises to help you tell your stories. This post includes five essential exercises for writing dialogue .

We’re living in interesting times and many of us have more time on our hands. To help us get through it, I am posting a series of Essential Writing Exercises to help you tell your stories.

We’ve included exercises about creating characters , dialogue , viewpoint , plotting , setting , beginnings , and pacing . (If you want a downloadable, advert-free workbook that includes all these exercises, please buy The Novel Writing Exercises Workbook .)

On our course, Writers Write ONLINE , we spend time creating characters, plotting, learning to write dialogue, learning how to pace, and learning how to show and not tell. We teach you about viewpoint, setting, description, and scenes, and much, much more. In my series, I am going to concentrate on a few of these areas.

My first post will be for writers who are trying to write better dialogue. I have included five essential exercises for writing dialogue.

TOP TIP: Learn to write better dialogue with The Dialogue Workbook

When we teach Writers Write ONLINE , we find that dialogue intimidates beginner writers.

Remember that great dialogue in fiction does the following four things:

Dialogue allows us to show conflict .
Dialogue creates tension.
Dialogue advances the story.
Dialogue reveals character. ( indirect characterisation )

Try to make every piece of dialogue achieve one or more of these requirements.

Exercise 1: Just For Fun

Write a dialogue-only scene between two inanimate objects that are normally used or found together. Examples : pen and paper; laptop and desktop; TV show and Reality TV show; bacteria and antibiotic.

This exercise will reveal tension and conflict between the two. It will also show you how to create a dialogue-only sequence in your story. It will show you that you need to choose characters that have something to talk about.

Laptop vs Desktop Example:

Laptop : You don’t know how lucky you are to just sit there all day, updating and scanning. Desktop : Easy for you to say. I never get to go anywhere and I have to do the bulk of the work in this household. He keeps on adding memory as if I don’t have enough to think about. Laptop : You won’t believe the disgusting places he put me down today. On a coffee shop floor. It was gross. And on his colleague’s lap – you know Dave? The one I always tell you about. OMG. It was so uncomfortable. Desktop : Stop complaining, LT. At least you get to see things. I wonder if Dave will ever come visit? Laptop : Believe me, you don’t want Dave here with his sticky hands and his icky breath. And he always leans in too close to the screen. It’s obscene. Desktop : I hope he disinfected you before he put you down next to me.

Exercise 2: A Tense Situation

Write a scene between a protagonist and their love interest. Show how the love interest complicates the protagonist’s story goal in some way. Examples : a detective who needs to get to a murder scene and his wife who wants to talk to him; a princess who needs to save her kingdom and her love interest who wants to go on a quest; a journalist wants to get to an important interview and their love interest goes into labour.

Name the people.
Use dialogue, body language , and the internal thoughts of the viewpoint character.
Show the setting through their interaction with it.

This exercise will reveal your characters’ personalities and show them as three-dimensional people. It will also allow for conflict and tension. Love interests are perfect for sub-plots in stories.

Must-read: 10 Ways To Introduce Conflict In Dialogue

Exercise 3: Three Of Us

Write a one-page scene with three characters in it. Show how the three people all speak differently – the words they use and their speech patterns should not be the same. Examples : The banker, the politician, and the mistress; The robot, the robot’s creator, and the creator’s mother; The personal trainer, the actor, and the actor’s agent.

This exercise will show the characters: how old they are, how they see the world, and how they treat other people. It will also show the relationship dynamics.

Exercise 4: Eavesdrop

‘I was kind of excited about going to jail the first time and I learnt some great dialogue.’ ~ Quentin Tarantino

You don’t have to go to jail, but you need to listen in on a conversation for this exercise. Tape it if you can. Then write down exactly what the people said.

This exercise will show you that dialogue in fiction cannot be like dialogue in real life. Real life conversations are often vague and of no consequence. People often don’t even listen to one another.

Rewrite the dialogue as if it were a novel. Introduce a conflict and show the characters.

Must-read: 10 Dialogue Errors Writers Should Avoid At All Costs

Exercise 5: An important Conversation

Write a pivotal scene in a story, one where an important decision is made. This scene will propel your protagonist to their story goal. Examples : a woman tells her husband that she is leaving him; a detective interviews a suspect and discovers something odd; a knight captures an enemy and discovers that all is not what it might seem.

This exercise will show you how to use dialogue to move a story forward. It will show you how the things you conceal and reveal in conversations change stories.

The Last Word

Use these five essential exercises for writing dialogue.to practise incorporating dialogue into all of your scenes. The more you write conversations, the better your dialogue will become.

Look out for our next post: 5 Essential Exercises For Creating Characters

(If you want a downloadable, advert-free workbook that includes all the ‘essential exercises series’, please buy The Novel Writing Exercises Workbook .)

If you enjoyed this blogger’s writing, read:

How To Finish Writing Your Book
Thriller Book Title Generator
The Almost Moment Is The Secret To Successful Romance Writing
What Is Direct And Indirect Characterisation? And Which One Should I Use?
5 Steps To Creativity In Writing
How To Write Your Novel From The Middle Like James Scott Bell
5 Ways To Choose A Pseudonym

Dialogue , Exercises , Featured Post , Writing Tips from Amanda Patterson

1 thought on “5 Essential Exercises For Writing Dialogue”

Thank-you so much for the clear, concise, explanation!

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Check Out Our Creative Screenwriting Exercises, Character, and Dialogue Prompts

Writing exercises for screenwriters can kickstart your creativity..

Sometimes sitting in front of your computer is not enough to make writing happen. We've talked about writer's block in the past, and my summation of how to beat it was just to write on or write something different.

But how do you do that?

The short answer is: try some creative writing practice exercises. These are tools that you can use to really jumpstart your brain's battery. They can be worksheets or prompts or just exercises that get you thinking outside of the box.

The "science" behind them is simple. When you shake your mind out of the mundane and the ordinary, you can find solutions to your problems. The best writing exercises are not procrastination but ways to get you back to doing your best work.

These aren't just writing exercises for aspiring writers, but things season professionals use to unlock their best ideas.

So today, I want to go over some of these strategies and how they can apply to you.

Let's get started.

Screenplay writing worksheets.

Treatments

Creative writing prompts

Character prompts, character archetypes.

Character development
Character arcs

Screenplay ideas and screenwriting prompts

Scene prompts, dialogue writing prompts, drama writing exercises.

Comedy writing exercises

Creative Screenwriting Exercises, Character, and Dialogue Prompts

There's going to be a lot of information dumped into this post—feel free to scroll to what is relevant to you. We hope this helps you get your story back on track and leads to your most productive days working ever.

One of the things I've tried to do here at No Film School is democratize screenwriting for the masses. That meant building a ton of worksheets to help guide people through the process of writing a script. We have the book, which you should download ( free screenwriting eBook ), but we have a lot of screenplay writing worksheets, too.

Check out some of the ones below.

Treatments

A treatment is a multi-page document written in prose that tells the story that happens in your screenplay. It is a synopsis, with action and sparse dialogue, and works as a roadmap for the reader, producer, and writer.

A screenplay outline helps you organize your thoughts and the beats of the story. It's a way to also entice yourself and the reader of the outline.

A beat sheet is a list of emotional moments in a feature film screenplay that helps a writer outline their story.

In general, screenwriting and creative writing share a lot of the same theories behind them. All writing is about communicating to an audience.

Most of the ones I find to be most effective come from a place of emotional vulnerability. If you begin writing from a place where you are vulnerable, you might share things with an audience that make them connect to your story and characters.

Some examples of creative writing prompts are:

What does it feel like not to be loved back?
Have you ever been alone in the wilderness?
What's it like to make eye contact with someone special for the first time?
Describe a near-death experience.
Have you ever been lost on backroads?
What form would your personal demons take?
Write a passionate letter to your nemesis.
Have you ever lost a fight?

Check out 700+ creative writing prompts here .

Crafting interesting and unique characters takes a lot of effort. You need to think about people you know, people you'd like to meet, and get inside actors' minds to make sure someone wants to play these creations.

None of this is easy to do, but hopefully, our character prompts help guide the way.

What are character archetypes ? T hey're broad-stroke headings that refer to the kinds of characters in stories or screenplays.

I love using these molds to help me learn about expected outcomes or tropes. But also, I like to lean into certain qualities presented to format parts of the story I'm working on telling. I think they are useful tools to help inspire and breathe life into the people on your pages.

Character development

Character development comes in two parts: internal and external.

You can think of internal character development as your character's fundamental goals and motivations for their actions. And external development as the struggles and scarring or transformative experiences that make them who they are on the outside.

Character arcs

A character arc is an emotional and physical transformation that a character undergoes throughout a film, TV episode, TV season, or TV series. The character arc depends on the person's physical and emotional response to events in the story.

Now that you have the basic worksheets on how to write a screenplay, let's look at some prompts to get you out of the tough binds you'll get into on the page.

One of the hardest things to do when you're writing is just to get through a hard scene. One of the things I like to do is to insert a new genre into the movie or TV show. Like, when I am writing horror, I try to write a romcom scene into it. Does it fit, will it advance a storyline?

Another tip I would push is to make it rain.

Changing the weather in a scene can add drama or comedy. It can also spark more nuance and add tension.

So what are some generic scene prompts to get you started beyond that?

A stalk and kill murder
A hunting trip
Losing your pill case
Someone is poisoned
A character with allergies visits a buffet
A chase on bikes
You're out at dinner, and your ex arrives
Your best friend is the villain
A text break up
A 911 call
Your grandparent makes a confession
A door-to-door salesman offers something unusual
Astronauts locked out of their shuttle
A domestic dispute between a cat and a dog
Coal miners find a nugget of gold

We have 75 more writing prompts that will supercharge your scenes, and if that's not enough, you can check out 100 Scene-Writing Prompts here.

When your scene is going well, bad dialogue can derail it.

We have some tips for writing dialogue, but you should think about the prompts. What do your characters believe in, where have they been in their lives? Is this a conversation where they are giving or getting advice? Are they talking about one thing but mean another? Maybe they see something in the street or hear a song come on the radio.

When it comes to writing dialogue, try to make it feel like a natural conversation.

As we know from our drama genre article , t hese film and TV series portray realistic characters in conflict with either themselves, others, or forces of nature. They usually focus on character and how these people arc over time.

When it comes to the exercises at the center of this genre, you have to think about the root of every scene... conflict!

Some drama writing exercises can be:

Siblings fighting over their mother's vase
A couple trying to convince each other to rent a different movie
Two people trying to get in the same cab
Someone is not being allowed into a party because they aren't on the list
There's one bullet left, and each hitman needs it for their job
Someone refuses to put their hands up during a robbery
You stop for directions, and the person at the gas station doesn't want you to get where you are going

As you can see, any of these situations involve squaring two or more people off against each other. The center of the drama is conflict. Let this stuff get weird and wild, and see where these stories can take you.

Check out 100+ more here .

Comedy writing exercises

The comedy genre covers any work in film or television whose general purpose is to create humor and intentional laughs for the audience. It has its origins in ancient Greek plays and oral tradition. People love engaging in comedy. It puts them in a good mood and can be incredibly good at keeping their mind off bad things.

To make your comedy writing pop, you need to workshop different punchlines, setups, and situations.

Some comedy writing exercises can be:

A traveler comes to the future and is confused
What goes on inside your pet's mind
A billionaire becomes poor overnight
An alternate universe where no one can lie
Ghosts who like to tease people
Escalating pranks lead to a school assembly
A beekeeper loses its but needs honey right away
A marble factory explodes and sends the balls all over town
A queen from a foreign country comes to find romance in America

Most comedy prompts are just experiences that would be a drama in any other light. They should be difficult for people, and we should see them go through hell. This will make sure the jokes all land, because we like to laugh at other people's misery.

Summing up creative screenwriting exercises, character, and dialogue prompts

Now that you've mastered all these scenes and prompts, you can get back into your own work and put them to good use. So much of writing is just about jarring you from the place of stasis and challenging you to be vulnerable with the audience.

The goal of all the exercises here is to make you better at understanding yourself, your characters, and the progression of your story.

Got more tips for us? Put them in the comments.

I can't wait to read what you write next.

Now get back to work.

Action Movie Prompt ›
Comedy Writing ›
Dual Protagonist ›
Drama Writing Prompts ›
The Gauntlet Script Coverage ›

Why Does Jesse Plemons Wear Those Red Sunglasses in 'Civil War'?

We talk sunglasses and dystopian militia wardrobe with civil war costume designer meghan kasperlik..

If you've seen A24's dystopian war epic Civil War , you surely noticed the unique costuming layered throughout the different militias and journalists throughout the film. Hawaiian T-shirts? Painted fingernails? Transparent red sunglasses? Pretty cool.

Civil War costume designer Meghan Kasperlik put a lot of time, research, and thought into how to flesh out director Alex Garland's dystopian United States. Working closely with Garland, she took inspiration from real life war journalists and considered what different militia members would realistically wear in this semi-fictitious (scarily possible) world.

She even made seven jackets out of a table cloth.

Read below for insights on Kasperlik's process, and her advice for aspiring costume designers at any level of experiance.

Editor's note: the following quotes from Meghan Kasperlik are edited for length and clarity.

Number One Rule of Costume Design? Research

Kirstin Dunst in Civil War

Courtesy of A24

"I do a tremendous amount of research, and I'm really interested in getting into the character's head and what they do—what they do for a job, where did they go to college, or did they go to college? What do they eat? I go the full gamut and try to learn as much as possible.

For Lee's character ( Kirsten Dunst ) in Civil War , I read a book by Lynsey Addario, a very famous female war photographer. As I was reading this book, I thought, oh, wow, the beginning stages of Lindsay's book are kind of where Jesse ( Cailee Spaeny ) is. As she gets more professional, it's like, oh, this is later in life, this is the stage where Lee is.

By no means are either of them Lynsey Addario, but I took inspiration from that, and then I started taking inspiration from other war journalists for Joel ( Wagner Moura ), and also Sammy ( Stephen McKinley Henderson ). So it's really important for me to do the research and [get to know where characters are] from, and then I kind of go from there."

What's Up With Jesse's Red Sunglasses?

"Jesse [Plemons] actually brought them to the fitting, and I mean, it was just so cool because most of the time the costume or the prop department will have a lot of those things. It was cool because Jesse really thought about how to take his character in a different direction.

At first I was very hesitant, because I was like, well, we haven't really done anything in the film like this yet. And we had the other two guys that had paint in their hair and fake nails, we haven't done this, and where did these come from? Who did they take them from? Did he kill the person?

All these things were going through my head, and I was very concerned if the audience would take this seriously, because his dialogue was very serious.

But then I was like, this is Jesse Plemons, of course this is going to work out. So we took it to Alex [Garland] and we asked Alex about it, and he was like, oh, yeah, that's cool. So I can't take full credit for Jesse's glasses because he brought them to the table.

How I made it work in our scenario is I wanted to make sure that sometimes we would break up the the military uniform, sometimes it would be like a T-shirt—the military issued T-shirt with pants, and I was like, we need to have everything uniform, so your focus is on his face and you're not looking at anything else.

So that's how I worked that out with the sunglasses."

Working With Alex Garland for 'Civil War'

"I worked very closely with Alex. I showed him all of my research, and then I put together with the script, like, okay, this is what's happening in this scene.

I imagined that we are on the road trip from New York to DC. These are the Americans that would truly live in these places, and these are the people that I think that are there now. And then I would pitch how I thought each of those groups would dressed.

That's where the Hawaiian shirts came in, and then the shootout, they were in uniform, but they had the painted nails and hair dye on them. And then also when we were in the football field, and it was basically all the people that were refugees. And when you're a refugee and basically living out of a tent, living out of your car, you only have your belongings. How many ways can you make that work for you?

So it was definitely, each area was a hundred percent thought out and discussed, and discussed, not only with Alex, but the production designer and props to make it flow."

How To Personalize Characters Through Costume

Wagner Moura in Civil War

"With the main four characters it was about making sure that each one of them had individuality to them and made sure that the audience could see that.

Kirsten's character, Kaylee Bogner and Steven, they're all based off of inspiration from real reporters and war journalists. So I was taking the research that I had from them and how to incorporate it.

Joel's character is kind of based off a multitude of things. Yes, he's in America and he's an American journalist, but in America your average guy now is wearing a Rock t-shirt or a sports team or a flannel or something. So he doesn't stand out. He's definitely blending into that world in the way of your stereotypical guy. So that was very important to me because I didn't want him to stand out so much or any of these characters.

The whole idea is that they kind of blended into the environment, because as journalists, you can't stand out too much because you have to go in and work with everyone.

And then as far as the military uniforms, one thing that Alex and I talked about was that when I first interviewed, I was like, oh, and I will make this fictitious uniform. And he's like, no, this is almost like reality. It's a dystopian world, but I want it to hit home with the reality of what these uniforms really are. So basically, I wanted to make sure that they were the real uniforms, but how could we individualize each person?

We had a military advisor named Free Mendoza, and he said, when you're in the field, you don't just get a new uniform when you blow out the pants or when something happens that it tears. You have to sew up your own pants, or you have to like, oh, the jacket's ripped apart the bit, so I have to throw that to the side and just wear the T-shirt. So it's kind of like what you have on your back."

How to Make a Jacket Out of a Table Cloth

Kirstin Dunst and Cailee Spaeny in Civil War

"Kirsten's jacket that she wears for Lee, it's kind of like a brownish mustard tone. I knew she needed a jacket. We were filming in Atlanta, and it was still cold.

So I couldn't find what I was looking for, and I needed the multiples. I was randomly in Target, and I saw these place mats sitting on a table, and there was a whole bunch of them. So I was like, oh, well, this would be great. We could make a jacket out of this.

So I picked up the place mats and I took it to my age Dyer, and he dyed them. So the base of the jacket is made out of a tablecloth, and the sleeves and the back yolk is made out of table runners, and they were all dyed and pieced together by my tailor, Jared. And I was like, great, let's make more, because we liked it and everything. And when I went to go get more, they didn't have any more in the store because there was a box of them that were set out that they found from Covid.

It was a discontinued style, but it was perfect. So it's like we were looking at eBay and Etsy, and my aunt was hunting them down in Chicago, and so we ended up making seven."

Advice For Aspiring Costume Designers

"I'm on an advisory board for school and I always tell people if you have the opportunity, jump on any film set, jump on any commercial TV series, anything that you can start and pay attention to what other departments are doing, because so many departments are so collaborative and we work together.

If you can't get a job in the costume department and you want to be a costume designer, but you can get a job in production or the art department, having that in to see what happens is really great.

I really love unconventional fabrics and ideas, so a placement, or I've made a costume out of a jacket or scraps the fabric so you can make anything out of anything. So just keep an open mind. It's really good to be trained in patterning and costume making, but it doesn't hinder you from actually being able to do it.

Just try to get in there. And a lot of states now have film incentives, so if you go to whatever state you live in, New York film.com or Georgia film.com or even Illinois, there is stuff that happens in Chicago and whatnot. Just go to Google filming, whatever's filming in your state, and there will be opportunities to PAs or people looking for extra help.

Even if it's for a day, you're giving yourself in there."

The Ending of 'Challengers' Explained

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82 Creative Writing Prompts and Writing Exercises for Screenwriters

C reative writing prompts are powerful tools that aid you to become a consistent writer. It’s easy to get inspired once, maybe twice about a project or story that means something to you. But if and when that light dims, or you finally finish that project, what’s next? Writer’s block isn’t much of an avenue. Excuses are for amateurs because professional writers write. Writing prompts and writing exercises, give you the momentum to keep going when the mind slows down, or if you’re anything like me, when doubt sets in.

Creative Writing Prompts

Character prompts work for every genre.

I’m going to start with some creative writing prompts that are universal across all writing mediums and all genres. These will be character driven exercises.

Why start with character?

Genre isn’t the seed of a good story, nor are high concepts.

High concept stories can be insightful, mind-bending, and just straight up entertaining, but they are not what makes a compelling narrative.

If you’re not sure who your characters are, or what it is they want, your story may fall apart some time in Act 2, halfway through the novel, or during the first 5 pages of your short. The point is, you may lose the point if your characters are unclear, because in any great story, character suggests plot.

Have you ever tried to write a screenplay, only to find your having a hard time “fitting in” certain details you wanted to have or saying to yourself that you just haven’t “figured it out” yet. When character intention is clear, the story unfolds.

And these upcoming character prompts can be applied to any genre you feel most comfortable writing, which is the best part about them.

But don’t worry, in later sections, I’ll make sure to separate fantasy writing prompts from horror or romance writing prompts for those that just need an extra boost for the genre specific piece they’re writing.

Character Driven Exercises and Prompts

Character writing exercises.

For all of these, try not to think too much. You can edit later. These responses should be purely intuitive. Give perfectionism a rest, and allow yourself to enter the world of your story, even if you’re not sure exactly what is looks like.

So let’s start with some direct questions to ask your character. Try these with every character, antagonists too. But let’s start answering as your protagonist:

What food would you take to a deserted island, and why?
Your house is burning. What three things do you save? Why?
If you could have had a different job, what would you have picked? Why?
What are you scared of losing?
First vivid memory of childhood?
When was the first time you were embarrassed? What happened?
Is there something you’re hiding from the world? What is it?
What do you like about yourself? What do you hate about yourself?
What do you want out of life?

Creating something from nothing isn’t easy. But there’s help!

Embrace your new world, and finish the next set of sentences as your protagonist:

My last thought before I fall asleep is…
I believe the reason I was put on this planet is to…
What breaks my heart is…
What makes me happy is…
Worst thing anyone has ever said to me was…
Nicest thing someone has ever said to me was…
Most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me, or I, them was…
My attitude toward god is…
The person who understands me no matter what is…
My greatest achievement has been...

Knowing the flavor jam your character prefers, what kinds of flowers they like, or who their favorite band is, may or may not yield any helpful information. But fine, I get it.

Here are some prompts to get the useless information people love to write about. Maybe they actually are relevant and will help your story:

Zip up or pull over hoodies
Flannels or silk pajamas...birthday suit?
Chocolate cake, ice cream, or salty chips
Hair color, eye color, your other physical attributes?
What book are you reading?

Now for you as the writer. Answer as yourself:

Why this story? What is it about this story that makes you want to write it?
Are you scared to write about something? Why?
What do you want to express through your story?
Why should this be a screenplay and not a novel, short story, or take some other form?
Did you pick the right protagonist to properly express what it is what you want to show?
Mess around with loglines to distill what your character really wants. Learn to write loglines if you’re unfamiliar.
What do you think your characters might need?

**Take your characters to a party**

This is one of my favorite exercises because it can lead anywhere. Now that you have some more info about who these people are, throw them in the same room. See what happens.

Who gets along? Who doesn’t?

There can be dialogue, but there doesn’t have to be.

What kind of party is it? Why are they there?

Try these out with no intentions that it will lead to a finished product. Just have fun with it to see what else you can discover.

The Essentials to Writing a Great Screenplay →
12 Secrets to Great Exposition in Screenwriting →
Free Form: StudioBinder's Free Word Processor →

Dialogue Writing Prompts

Try just dialogue prompts .

Dialogue exercises are great because they help you understand your characters more. But they also provide a kind of creative spark for story ideas. Now while you’re actually writing them, it’s not good to let your story idea control the conversation. In fact, I wouldn’t think about story at all while you’re writing them. But later, when you go back to take a look at them, you might find some hidden gems that spark more ideas.

Here are a list of dialogue prompts. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know who the characters are yet, or which character a certain line would be good for. Try not to think about how this could fit into your already existing story, or what scene this should belong in, just write:

“Why didn’t you answer before? I called you three times. Now you’re pretending like nothing happened.”
“I just have a lot of friends so…”
“You hate coffee?”
“It just doesn’t seem normal.”
“I’ve developed a kind of aversion to it. I don’t know, it made sense at the time.”
“Have you ever seen it in person?”
“It’s not that I love her…”
“How much do you need?”
“I don’t know! Don’t yell at me. I just found it on the street.”
“How do I know if you’re lying?”
“It would be easier if you’d just apologize.”
“It’s not much of a cause, really. Just a bunch of grown children who weren’t accepted anywhere else.”
“Why won’t this thing work?”
“I’m trying, I’m really actually trying.”
“It’s been weird without him.”
“It’s not that I’m against it…”
“I hear something, can you come over?”
“I guess it’s...art?
“Where did you go for 3 hours?”
“What’s wrong with your face?”

You can use these at the party, brainstorming a fantasy novel, rom-com script, or even just to work out that writing muscle.

Though actions sometimes speak a little louder than words...

**Now try writing a scene with NO dialogue. Only action.**

This is helpful if you already know a bit about your characters.

What do they want, what’s stopping them from getting it?

Writing Exercises

Fantasy writing prompts.

Fantasy prompts are weird. Not because they’re other worldly and actually strange, but because these prompts are usually plot ideas, which shifts us away from character a bit. But of course these can be equally as interesting.

So feel free to write your heart out and go off into some weird dimension with space warlocks, or flying dogs, but just remember to come back to character eventually. In fact, everything above, could of course be used in a fantasy script, novel, or short story. But again, plot ideas and premises, can really get the mind moving.

Let’s jump in:

In this town, if enough people start to believe something, it quickly becomes true. Except to you.
An animal has turned into a person.
An archaeologist is led to a dig in a major city. And what she finds changes the course of her life.
An archaeologist finds a fossil of something that couldn’t have ever existed.
A land has been praised with only sunlight. Nighttime no longer exists.
It’s the 1980s. You’re driving from St. Louis to California. You pull off the road to purchase a map. But the map you bought is a bit misleading. You end up in a city that doesn’t exist.
You sit down at a coffee shop at the window. Across the street you see a claymation couple walking down the street. No one else seems to notice, except for one man waiting for the bus. You both make eye contact.
You wake up in a world where you can purchase emotions.
You’re a child with no fear. You meet a dragon in the woods.
Every single leader, politician, or otherwise “high-up” government official dies.

More Creative Writing Exercises

Romance writing prompts.

Of course, the character writing prompts and dialogue prompts can work especially well for romance stories. But I want to give a few more options for what to consider when writing a love story.

And these prompts in of themselves, have been used forever. But the way to avoid cliches is in your specificity of character and uniqueness in story. The more specific you get, the more unique, and yet, universal your story will be.

A couple is vying for the same job opening.
Two people in an arranged marriage eventually fall in love.
A student graduates and he and his former teacher run into each other at a bar. It goes a little too well.
A doctor is falling in love with her recent fling. They decide to get serious and shortly after he is accused of murder.
A tourist travels to another country and falls in love with a local.
A toxic relationship kills a romance and pushes the protagonist away. The main character leaves and gets involved with someone new. But now she can’t stop treating them as her ex treated her.
Two friends who know everything about each other start dating. Was this a bad idea?
Two people in love can never make it work.
Opposing politicians hide their romance.
A psychic and a scientist meet on a blind date.

Prompts to Die For

Horror writing prompts.

Okay, now for the creepy stuff.

You wake up in a world where you’re a serial killer
Freelancers accept job offers online. They begin to disappear. One woman survives, but ends up somewhere she can’t seem to come back from.
A grown man discovers he wasn’t adopted, he was kidnapped. He goes abroad to find his real family but his trip turns into a horror show.
Mass shooters take over a city.
A doll equipped with artificial intelligence takes over one family’s home.
A group of senior citizens at a nursing home get bored and try to connect to their loved ones through a Ouiji board. Unfortunately, they connect to something else.
A group of friends go to an Escape Room party but only a few make it out.
A restaurateur slowly poisons his customers over several years, maintaining a seemingly normal life.
A medium begins to get attacked by those she’s connecting to. Can she escape?
A couple begins to have the same nightmares that escalate quickly.

Can you blend any of these with the fantasy prompts?

Be as creative with the prompts as you are in your writing.

Give yourself all the freedom you want, because once you start writing, you’ll have to make decisions.

“The real importance of reading is that it creates an ease and intimacy with the process of writing… Constant reading will pull you into a place where you can write eagerly and without self-consciousness. It also offers you a constantly growing knowledge of what has been done and what hasn’t, what is trite and what is fresh, what works and what just lies there dying (or dead) on the page. The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor.” — Stephen King

Daily Writing Practice

Wrapping up.

A good prompt can be anything. A line of dialogue, a character’s strongest desire, an object, a new kind of world, a seemingly stupid question. It doesn’t matter. Something will bode well with your imagination and it’ll just click. And depending on your story, characters, or even time in your life, different exercises may feel more natural.

Allow yourself the time and space for this brainstorm work.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, and it often comes fast. So even if you aren’t stuck on the treacherous writer’s block, train yourself to catch it when it comes, so stagnancy and complacency don’t become habitual. You may reap some pretty incredible short-term rewards, but you’ll also be laying a foundation for a potentially, fruitful and consistent career.

Brainstorm Short Film Ideas

So after you’ve worked with some of the above prompts, you may have that hunger. It’s time to start writing! What will you write? Maybe you already know. But considering writing a short film might be a good next step. Short films are great mediums because the turnaround time is much shorter than a feature. And finishing projects, especially early on, creates momentum. So let’s brainstorm some short film ideas!

Up Next: Get Short Film Ideas! →

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Samantha in Secondary

6 Dialogue Writing Activities for the Secondary ELA Classroom

April 18, 2022 by Samantha H.

Dialogue writing activities are always a mainstay in any of my narrative writing units. I love seeing the creative writing my students turn in, but I often see it lacks dialogue or uses it incorrectly. It’s a skill that needs to be refined, but is sometimes overlooked in the grand scheme of things. I like to set aside time for activities that help review the mechanics of proper dialogue writing, as well as unique dialogue writing activities that let students practice the skill themselves. Read on for creative dialogue writing activities for your secondary students.

1. Create a Scene

There are a lot of fun ways you can have students create scenes to practice writing dialogue. You can start with some premade options that you assign or students randomly select. You can also create Roll-a-Scene scenarios for your students (here’s my bundle of Roll a Story activities for inspo). In these activities, students use a dice and roll to receive story elements. In their story creation, have them create dialogue. This will allow your students to review the basic rules of dialogue and also let students practice creatively.

2. Write the Photo

Print a variety of photos for students to create the dialogue. You can go about this in a variety of ways. Print several options and use them as station activities or have everyone can write from the same photo as a bellringer. Find photos that have great facial expressions to help lead students who may struggle with writing, and use more ambiguous photos for more creative options where students must make inferences.

3. Use Mentor Texts

Pick from a lineup of strong mentor texts to use as examples. You can use from your current class readings, or select from top YA novels that your students already love. You can also have students select from their personal readings. Keep a variety of genres on hand so there’s always an example ready for students to use as a reference. You can use these for writing activities like having students continue a section, rewrite with different characters, update the language to something more contemporary or to fit in a new genre. If you need some ideas to add to your own classroom library, sign up for my email list to get a free list of 100 YA Novels to get you started.

[SPACE FOR OPT-IN]

4. Correct the Sample

Take either some mentor text examples or write your own for students to correct. This makes a great bellringer activity for quick reviews to keep it fresh in your students’ minds. Seeing how common mistakes can be corrected can help students visualize what needs done when they attempt their own writing. Consider working on some correction samples before students begin their own creative assignments. NoRedInk is another great option to allow students to practice correcting dialogue. Create a class, assign their pre-made dialogue writing activities, and you’re ready to go.

5. Turn Narrative into Dialogue

You can pull from mentor tasks again for this activity. Pull from your class reading, personal reading, popular novels, or just well-known scenes and have students write dialogue for sections of narrative. It can be an interesting take to see students write the same scene and compare their dialogue interpretations.

6. Learn from the Masters

If you’re looking for some more ideas there are a few more activity ideas here from Edutopia. The suggestions in the article are spot on and have great suggestions for dialogue activities to use with students.

If you’re looking for a great resource that combines many of the above activities already done for you, click here to grab the mini-lesson I use with my own students. The resource includes both print-and-go and digital versions, so you can use it however you may be teaching. My students love the creative dialogue writing activities included.

If you’re looking at your students’ writing and thinking it could use some more dialogue, or you know working with dialogue is a bit rusty – consider working in some daily practice or mini-lessons and activities to help solidify the skill.

Do you include dialogue writing activities in your own classroom? I’d love to hear about your favorites! Sound off in the comments below or follow me on IG or Facebook to join the discussion.

Happy teaching!

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Florida State University

FSU | Writing Resources

Writing Resources

The English Department

College Composition
“Are we still talking about the dishes?”

“I think I’ve heard this one before”

Don’t mind me, let me rephrase that, from screen to page, why don’t you tell me how you really feel, "are we still talking about the dishes”.

Purpose of Exercise: Students will practice writing dialogue that builds tension through subtext and disagreement while avoiding dialogue as exposition.

Description: Beginning writers often have difficulty writing dialogue that is tense but not overt about that tension or the factors contributing to it.

Suggested Time: 30 minutes

Procedure: Have students write a scene in which two characters almost have an argument but don’t quite. The ostensible argument should be about something unimportant—cleaning, television, dishes—while the larger, unstated tension is much more significant.

Additional Information: This activity may be used in class or as a homework assignment but should be introduced with a discussion of strategies for indicating subtext. It is easy to find examples of dialogue in television shows in which people speak what should be revealed indirectly—either because they are announcing their feelings and intentions or because they are explaining context. Practicing for this exercise might start with watching one of these scenes and rewriting it so that the tension/emotions are unstated. Any episode of Grey’s Anatomy provides countless examples of characters elaborately explaining their feelings and motivations.

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Purpose of Exercise: Students will practice managing large sections of dialogue in a single setting.

Description: Raymond Carver wrote several stories in which the action of the story is contained within a single setting and conversation. Though this model tends to prove difficult for beginning writers, practicing ways to create a story arc simply through what is said is often useful.

Procedure: Have students write a story in which one person tells another person a story. The listener should be reluctant to hear the story.

Additional Information: This activity may be used in class or as a homework assignment but should be introduced with a discussion of how conversation stories work. A good—and relatively short—example is Peter Orner’s “The Raft,” which was originally published in The Atlantic Monthly. Longer examples include Carver’s “Where I’m Calling From” and Charles Baxter’s “Poor Devil,” which is available online.

Purpose of Exercise: The purpose of this exercise is for students to develop their skills in writing dialogue that both reveals character and moves plot forward. Emphasis will be placed on diction and syntax.

Description: Have students eavesdrop on a conversation they are not part of. By listening in, encourage them to pay particularly attention not just to the conversation overall, but how the participants interact.

Procedure: For homework, have students listen in on a conversation on a bus, in a restaurant, before class. They don’t need to listen for long, just enough time to gain an idea of the speech patterns. Have them transcribe what they heard to the best of their abilities. What was the reason for the conversation, from what you can tell? Was their a conflict? How would you characterize each of the speakers? Consider word choice, word order, tone, and rate of speaking. How does dialogue contribute to our impressions of people? Students may wish to read aloud, and then open the floor to discussion.

Description: Students will write a conversation with a friend, and then revise it, retelling the same story to their grandmother. Attention will be placed on how we change our language based on our audience.

Suggested Time: class period

Procedure: Tell students to create a dialogue between themselves and their best friend at another university detailing a crazy night out. Encourage the students to appeal to all five senses in the dialogue with the friend. When students have completed the exercise, ask them to rewrite the “crazy night” as if they were talking to their grandmother. How was the evening revised? How did the tone, diction and syntax change? What does this suggest about dialogue? How does character change in the two dialogues?

Purpose of Exercise: The purpose of this exercise is for students to develop their skills of mixing dialogue with action.

Description: Communication is verbal and non-verbal. In this exercise, students will learn not only the value of dialogue, but of actions to characterize.

Procedure: In this exercise, have students watch a 30 second to 1 minute viral video, perhaps something funny and amusing. You may want to provide them with the dialogue. Have them watch the clip several times to get a sense of the nuances, particularly actions, props, and facial expressions. Have them add to the dialogue in way that indicates to the reader the tone and the subtler meaning the said words.

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Description: Communication is verbal and non-verbal. In this exercise, students will learn not only the value of dialogue, but of actions to characterize. They will take the passage below, and revise it, adding dialogue and sensory details.

Procedure: Give students the following passage.

I was happy. My girlfriend was sad. I was curious. She became annoyed. I was confused. She became angry. I became angry. She became terrifying. I was scared. I am content now.

Tell them to replace each of the emotions with actions and dialogue to show what is told. None of the adjectives—happy, sad, curious, annoyed, confused, angry, terrifying, scared, content—can be used in the final version. However, each of those emotions should be detectable through actions, body language, facial expressions, and dialogue. Have the students share, explaining how they adapted the paragraph to a more visually appeally, resonant narrative.

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✍️ 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

This curated directory of creative writing exercises was conceived thanks to a collaboration between the top writing blogs of 2024. Use the filters to find and practice specific techniques — and show that blank page who’s boss!

We found 119 exercises that match your search 🔦

The Hammer and the Hatchet

A stranger walks into the general store and buys a hammer, a hatchet, some rope, and an apple. What does he do with them?

Writer's Block

Picket fence.

Describe your house - or the dream house you hope to get some day.

Telephone Directory

It is commonly known that a telephone directory might be the most boring text in the entire world. Here is your challenge: write a page of a telephone directory and figure out SOME way to make it interesting.

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Pick a fiction book from your shelf. Go to page eight and find the eighth sentence on the page. Start with that sentence and write an eight-line poem that connects in some way to your work-in-progress. For instance, write from the POV of a character, or set the poem in a story setting. Don't worry about poetry forms. Just write eight lines of any length that flow and explore some aspect of character, setting, or theme.

Why are you grumpy? I have a hangover.
Why do you have a hangover? My friend was in a bad accident and I thought he might die?
Why did you think he might die? His girlfriend lied to me about how serious the accident was.
Why did she lie about that? She's jealous of our relationship.
Why? I think she's insecure and has trust issues.

Character Development

The ellen degeneres show.

A talk show is scripted to promote the guest and discuss topics with which the guest is comfortable. Imagine your protagonist on the Ellen Degeneres Show (or The Late Show With Stephen Colbert - whichever show you're familiar with). What questions would be asked of your protagonist? What funny anecdotes would your protagonist share? Write down the reactions of both your protagonist and the host.

You could say it began with a phone call."
Michael had watched them both for weeks."
She remembered the way it was the first time she saw the prison."
Midsummer, no time to be in New Orleans."
With the dawn came the light."

Thank you to all our contributors: Almost An Author, Alyssa Hollingsworth, Anne R. Allen, Bang2Write, Christopher Fielden, Darcy Pattinson, Elizabeth S. Craig, Flogging The Quill, Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips, Helping Writers Become Authors, Katie McCoach, Lauren Carter, Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Mandy Wallace, NaNoWriMo, Nail Your Novel, Novel Publicity, One Stop For Writers, Pro Writing Aid, PsychWriter, re:Fiction, The Journal, The Writer’s Workshop, Well-Storied, Women On Writing, writing.ie, Writing-World.com!

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Writing Activities

105 Creative Writing Exercises To Get You Writing Again

You know that feeling when you just don’t feel like writing? Sometimes you can’t even get a word down on paper. It’s the most frustrating thing ever to a writer, especially when you’re working towards a deadline. The good news is that we have a list of 105 creative writing exercises to help you get motivated and start writing again!

What are creative writing exercises?

Creative writing exercises are short writing activities (normally around 10 minutes) designed to get you writing. The goal of these exercises is to give you the motivation to put words onto a blank paper. These words don’t need to be logical or meaningful, neither do they need to be grammatically correct or spelt correctly. The whole idea is to just get you writing something, anything. The end result of these quick creative writing exercises is normally a series of notes, bullet points or ramblings that you can, later on, use as inspiration for a bigger piece of writing such as a story or a poem.

Good creative writing exercises are short, quick and easy to complete. You shouldn’t need to think too much about your style of writing or how imaginative your notes are. Just write anything that comes to mind, and you’ll be on the road to improving your creative writing skills and beating writer’s block .

Use the generator below to get a random creative writing exercise idea:

List of 105+ Creative Writing Exercises

Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again:

Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment.
Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour. For example, Orange, the colour of my favourite top.
Open a book or dictionary on a random page. Pick a random word. You can close your eyes and slowly move your finger across the page. Now, write a paragraph with this random word in it. You can even use an online dictionary to get random words:

Create your own alphabet picture book or list. It can be A to Z of animals, food, monsters or anything else you like!
Using only the sense of smell, describe where you are right now.
Take a snack break. While eating your snack write down the exact taste of that food. The goal of this creative writing exercise is to make your readers savour this food as well.
Pick a random object in your room and write a short paragraph from its point of view. For example, how does your pencil feel? What if your lamp had feelings?
Describe your dream house. Where would you live one day? Is it huge or tiny?
Pick two different TV shows, movies or books that you like. Now swap the main character. What if Supergirl was in Twilight? What if SpongeBob SquarePants was in The Flash? Write a short scene using this character swap as inspiration.
What’s your favourite video game? Write at least 10 tips for playing this game.
Pick your favourite hobby or sport. Now pretend an alien has just landed on Earth and you need to teach it this hobby or sport. Write at least ten tips on how you would teach this alien.
Use a random image generator and write a paragraph about the first picture you see.

Write a letter to your favourite celebrity or character. What inspires you most about them? Can you think of a memorable moment where this person’s life affected yours? We have this helpful guide on writing a letter to your best friend for extra inspiration.
Write down at least 10 benefits of writing. This can help motivate you and beat writer’s block.
Complete this sentence in 10 different ways: Patrick waited for the school bus and…
Pick up a random book from your bookshelf and go to page 9. Find the ninth sentence on that page. Use this sentence as a story starter.
Create a character profile based on all the traits that you hate. It might help to list down all the traits first and then work on describing the character.
What is the scariest or most dangerous situation you have ever been in? Why was this situation scary? How did you cope at that moment?
Pretend that you’re a chat show host and you’re interviewing your favourite celebrity. Write down the script for this conversation.
Using extreme detail, write down what you have been doing for the past one hour today. Think about your thoughts, feelings and actions during this time.
Make a list of potential character names for your next story. You can use a fantasy name generator to help you.
Describe a futuristic setting. What do you think the world would look like in 100 years time?
Think about a recent argument you had with someone. Would you change anything about it? How would you resolve an argument in the future?
Describe a fantasy world. What kind of creatures live in this world? What is the climate like? What everyday challenges would a typical citizen of this world face? You can use this fantasy world name generator for inspiration.
At the flip of a switch, you turn into a dragon. What kind of dragon would you be? Describe your appearance, special abilities, likes and dislikes. You can use a dragon name generator to give yourself a cool dragon name.
Pick your favourite book or a famous story. Now change the point of view. For example, you could rewrite the fairytale , Cinderella. This time around, Prince Charming could be the main character. What do you think Prince Charming was doing, while Cinderella was cleaning the floors and getting ready for the ball?
Pick a random writing prompt and use it to write a short story. Check out this collection of over 300 writing prompts for kids to inspire you.
Write a shopping list for a famous character in history. Imagine if you were Albert Einstein’s assistant, what kind of things would he shop for on a weekly basis?
Create a fake advertisement poster for a random object that is near you right now. Your goal is to convince the reader to buy this object from you.
What is the worst (or most annoying) sound that you can imagine? Describe this sound in great detail, so your reader can understand the pain you feel when hearing this sound.
What is your favourite song at the moment? Pick one line from this song and describe a moment in your life that relates to this line.
You’re hosting an imaginary dinner party at your house. Create a list of people you would invite, and some party invites. Think about the theme of the dinner party, the food you will serve and entertainment for the evening.
You are waiting to see your dentist in the waiting room. Write down every thought you are having at this moment in time.
Make a list of your greatest fears. Try to think of at least three fears. Now write a short story about a character who is forced to confront one of these fears.
Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for a famous villain of your choice. Think about the crimes they have committed, and the reward you will give for having them caught.
Imagine you are a journalist for the ‘Imagine Forest Times’ newspaper. Your task is to get an exclusive interview with the most famous villain of all time. Pick a villain of your choice and interview them for your newspaper article. What questions would you ask them, and what would their responses be?
In a school playground, you see the school bully hurting a new kid. Write three short stories, one from each perspective in this scenario (The bully, the witness and the kid getting bullied).
You just won $10 million dollars. What would you spend this money on?
Pick a random animal, and research at least five interesting facts about this animal. Write a short story centred around one of these interesting facts.
Pick a global issue that you are passionate about. This could be climate change, black lives matters, women’s rights etc. Now create a campaign poster for this global issue.
Write an acrostic poem about an object near you right now (or even your own name). You could use a poetry idea generator to inspire you.
Imagine you are the head chef of a 5-star restaurant. Recently the business has slowed down. Your task is to come up with a brand-new menu to excite customers. Watch this video prompt on YouTube to inspire you.
What is your favourite food of all time? Imagine if this piece of food was alive, what would it say to you?
If life was one big musical, what would you be singing about right now? Write the lyrics of your song.
Create and describe the most ultimate villain of all time. What would their traits be? What would their past look like? Will they have any positive traits?
Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: Every time I look out of the window, I…
You have just made it into the local newspaper, but what for? Write down at least five potential newspaper headlines . Here’s an example, Local Boy Survives a Deadly Illness.
If you were a witch or a wizard, what would your specialist area be and why? You might want to use a Harry Potter name generator or a witch name generator for inspiration.
What is your favourite thing to do on a Saturday night? Write a short story centred around this activity.
Your main character has just received the following items: A highlighter, a red cap, a teddy bear and a fork. What would your character do with these items? Can you write a story using these items?
Create a timeline of your own life, from birth to this current moment. Think about the key events in your life, such as birthdays, graduations, weddings and so on. After you have done this, you can pick one key event from your life to write a story about.
Think of a famous book or movie you like. Rewrite a scene from this book or movie, where the main character is an outsider. They watch the key events play out, but have no role in the story. What would their actions be? How would they react?
Three very different characters have just won the lottery. Write a script for each character, as they reveal the big news to their best friend.
Write a day in the life story of three different characters. How does each character start their day? What do they do throughout the day? And how does their day end?
Write about the worst experience in your life so far. Think about a time when you were most upset or angry and describe it.
Imagine you’ve found a time machine in your house. What year would you travel to and why?
Describe your own superhero. Think about their appearance, special abilities and their superhero name. Will they have a secret identity? Who is their number one enemy?
What is your favourite country in the world? Research five fun facts about this country and use one to write a short story.
Set yourself at least three writing goals. This could be a good way to motivate yourself to write every day. For example, one goal might be to write at least 150 words a day.
Create a character description based on the one fact, three fiction rule. Think about one fact or truth about yourself. And then add in three fictional or fantasy elements. For example, your character could be the same age as you in real life, this is your one fact. And the three fictional elements could be they have the ability to fly, talk in over 100 different languages and have green skin.
Describe the perfect person. What traits would they have? Think about their appearance, their interests and their dislikes.
Keep a daily journal or diary. This is a great way to keep writing every day. There are lots of things you can write about in your journal, such as you can write about the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of your day. Think about anything that inspired you or anything that upset you, or just write anything that comes to mind at the moment.
Write a book review or a movie review. If you’re lost for inspiration, just watch a random movie or read any book that you can find. Then write a critical review on it. Think about the best parts of the book/movie and the worst parts. How would you improve the book or movie?
Write down a conversation between yourself. You can imagine talking to your younger self or future self (i.e. in 10 years’ time). What would you tell them? Are there any lessons you learned or warnings you need to give? Maybe you could talk about what your life is like now and compare it to their life?
Try writing some quick flash fiction stories . Flash fiction is normally around 500 words long, so try to stay within this limit.
Write a six-word story about something that happened to you today or yesterday. A six-word story is basically an entire story told in just six words. Take for example: “Another football game ruined by me.” or “A dog’s painting sold for millions.” – Six-word stories are similar to writing newspaper headlines. The goal is to summarise your story in just six words.
The most common monsters or creatures used in stories include vampires, werewolves , dragons, the bigfoot, sirens and the loch-ness monster. In a battle of intelligence, who do you think will win and why?
Think about an important event in your life that has happened so far, such as a birthday or the birth of a new sibling. Now using the 5 W’s and 1 H technique describe this event in great detail. The 5 W’s include: What, Who, Where, Why, When and the 1 H is: How. Ask yourself questions about the event, such as what exactly happened on that day? Who was there? Why was this event important? When and where did it happen? And finally, how did it make you feel?
Pretend to be someone else. Think about someone important in your life. Now put yourself into their shoes, and write a day in the life story about being them. What do you think they do on a daily basis? What situations would they encounter? How would they feel?
Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: I remember…
Write about your dream holiday. Where would you go? Who would you go with? And what kind of activities would you do?
Which one item in your house do you use the most? Is it the television, computer, mobile phone, the sofa or the microwave? Now write a story of how this item was invented. You might want to do some research online and use these ideas to build up your story.
In exactly 100 words, describe your bedroom. Try not to go over or under this word limit.
Make a top ten list of your favourite animals. Based on this list create your own animal fact file, where you provide fun facts about each animal in your list.
What is your favourite scene from a book or a movie? Write down this scene. Now rewrite the scene in a different genre, such as horror, comedy, drama etc.
Change the main character of a story you recently read into a villain. For example, you could take a popular fairytale such as Jack and the Beanstalk, but this time re-write the story to make Jack the villain of the tale.
Complete the following sentence in at least 10 different ways: Do you ever wonder…
What does your name mean? Research the meaning of your own name, or a name that interests you. Then use this as inspiration for your next story. For example, the name ‘Marty’ means “Servant Of Mars, God Of War”. This could make a good concept for a sci-fi story.
Make a list of three different types of heroes (or main characters) for potential future stories.
If someone gave you $10 dollars, what would you spend it on and why?
Describe the world’s most boring character in at least 100 words.
What is the biggest problem in the world today, and how can you help fix this issue?
Create your own travel brochure for your hometown. Think about why tourists might want to visit your hometown. What is your town’s history? What kind of activities can you do? You could even research some interesting facts.
Make a list of all your favourite moments or memories in your life. Now pick one to write a short story about.
Describe the scariest and ugliest monster you can imagine. You could even draw a picture of this monster with your description.
Write seven haikus, one for each colour of the rainbow. That’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Imagine you are at the supermarket. Write down at least three funny scenarios that could happen to you at the supermarket. Use one for your next short story.
Imagine your main character is at home staring at a photograph. Write the saddest scene possible. Your goal is to make your reader cry when reading this scene.
What is happiness? In at least 150 words describe the feeling of happiness. You could use examples from your own life of when you felt happy.
Think of a recent nightmare you had and write down everything you can remember. Use this nightmare as inspiration for your next story.
Keep a dream journal. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning you can quickly jot down things that you remember from your dreams. These notes can then be used as inspiration for a short story.
Your main character is having a really bad day. Describe this bad day and the series of events they experience. What’s the worst thing that could happen to your character?
You find a box on your doorstep. You open this box and see the most amazing thing ever. Describe this amazing thing to your readers.
Make a list of at least five possible settings or locations for future stories. Remember to describe each setting in detail.
Think of something new you recently learned. Write this down. Now write a short story where your main character also learns the same thing.
Describe the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your whole life. Your goal is to amaze your readers with its beauty.
Make a list of things that make you happy or cheer you up. Try to think of at least five ideas. Now imagine living in a world where all these things were banned or against the law. Use this as inspiration for your next story.
Would you rather be rich and alone or poor and very popular? Write a story based on the lives of these two characters.
Imagine your main character is a Librarian. Write down at least three dark secrets they might have. Remember, the best secrets are always unexpected.
There’s a history behind everything. Describe the history of your house. How and when was your house built? Think about the land it was built on and the people that may have lived here long before you.
Imagine that you are the king or queen of a beautiful kingdom. Describe your kingdom in great detail. What kind of rules would you have? Would you be a kind ruler or an evil ruler of the kingdom?
Make a wish list of at least three objects you wish you owned right now. Now use these three items in your next story. At least one of them must be the main prop in the story.
Using nothing but the sense of taste, describe a nice Sunday afternoon at your house. Remember you can’t use your other senses (i.e see, hear, smell or touch) in this description.
What’s the worst pain you felt in your life? Describe this pain in great detail, so your readers can also feel it.
If you were lost on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere, what three must-have things would you pack and why?
Particpate in online writing challenges or contests. Here at Imagine Forest, we offer daily writing challenges with a new prompt added every day to inspire you. Check out our challenges section in the menu.

Do you have any more fun creative writing exercises to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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Dialogue Writing Exercises
Hundreds of Dialogue creative writing exercises you'll actually want to try! Filter through them by writer's block, plot development, character development, setting, outlining, worldbuilding, and dialogue. ... Part of writing great dialogue is ensuring each character has a unique voice. Pretend three of your characters have won the lottery.
30 Dialogue Exercises to Light Up Your Fiction
If you want practice writing some dialogue, these exercises will stretch your creative writing muscles. More importantly, you'll learn techniques that you can apply to all your future dialogue writing. If you want to see examples of dialogue, please visit my post on 50 Examples of Dialogue Writing. Otherwise, please read on and make sure […]
100 Dialogue Exercises (With Examples)
As with the example above in writing natural dialogue, this is best done in a two-step process: Step 1 - write the dialogue without worrying about the "true end.". Step 2 - as you review your dialogue, ask yourself where you should cut if off (it's most likely going to be somewhere before the last sentence you wrote).
How to Write Fabulous Dialogue [9 Tips + Examples]
These beats are a commonly used technique so you can find plenty of examples — here's one from Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro . 4. Use 'said' as a dialogue tag. If there's one golden rule in writing dialogue, it's this: 'said' is your friend. Yes, 'said' is nothing new.
Dialogue Exercises : 40 Writing Prompts To Get You Going
Forty Dialogue Exercises. Below are forty dialogue exercises. Pick one and start writing. You don't have to know who the characters are, where they are, or why they're at odds. Dialogue is one of the best ways to learn more about your characters. Maybe one of these exercises will even lead to a new story. "I thought you were supposed to ...
Dialogue Prompts To Kickstart Your Creativity
Dialogue prompts, and writing exercises in general, ... Using Dialogue Writing Prompts . Creative dialogue writing prompts are a great way to jumpstart your story ideas and your writing. They can help you get out of a rut and start writing, push through writer's block, or provide a new challenge to keep your creative writing fresh. ...
15 Examples of Great Dialogue (And Why They Work So Well)
Enroll now. 4. Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go. Here, friends Tommy and Kathy have a conversation after Tommy has had a meltdown. After being bullied by a group of boys, he has been stomping around in the mud, the precise reaction they were hoping to evoke from him. "Tommy," I said, quite sternly.
Dialogue Writing Exercises
A: Dialogue writing exercises can take various forms, such as writing a conversation between two fictional characters, ‌recreating a⁤ real-life‌ conversation with added elements, or even transcribing and analyzing dialogues from movies or books.
Writing Dialogue: A Storytelling Exercise
A storytelling exercise in writing dialogue. Today's fiction writing exercise is excerpted from Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises, which includes lessons and exercises that help beginning to intermediate storytellers study and practice the craft of storytelling. This exercise, which is from a chapter on narrative, focuses on dialogue.
How to Improve Your Dialogue: Techniques & Exercises
Try to reduce your lines of dialogue by half while still maintaining their essence. This exercise forces conciseness, demanding the most value from the fewest words, and often reveals a dialogue's true potential. 3. Contextual trim. Examine dialogue in the context of the surrounding narrative and visuals.
How to Write Dialogue Like a Pro
6) Trim the fat. Real-life conversation contains a lot of filler, false starts, repetition, polite blah-blah-blah. If you include all of this in your written dialogue, it can get boring. Instead, you can include just enough to give the flavor of real life, then cut the rest. 7) Don't pile on distracting dialogue tags.
101 Clever Dialogue Writing Prompts
You knew!". "You told me he was my dad.". "Trust me, you want to be in the friend zone.". "I know you don't have any reason to trust me, but… you need to know something.". "For someone who doesn't like to feel things, you sure feel a lot of it out loud.". "You're allowed to need help sometimes.
5 Essential Exercises For Writing Dialogue
Exercise 1: Just For Fun. Write a dialogue-only scene between two inanimate objects that are normally used or found together. Examples: pen and paper; laptop and desktop; TV show and Reality TV show; bacteria and antibiotic. This exercise will reveal tension and conflict between the two.
Check Out Our Creative Screenwriting Exercises, Character, and Dialogue
The short answer is: try some creative writing practice exercises. These are tools that you can use to really jumpstart your brain's battery. They can be worksheets or prompts or just exercises that get you thinking outside of the box. The "science" behind them is simple. When you shake your mind out of the mundane and the ordinary, you can ...
5 Easy Exercises To Help You Write Believable Dialogue
Here's where you can find silent films to use in this writing exercise. You can also simply turn off the sound on any movie and write your own dialogue for the scenes. Rewrite A Narrative Scene Using Only Dialogue. Take a scene in your story that's currently narrative and recreate it with dialogue only. Screenwriters excel at this practice ...
82 Creative Writing Prompts and Writing Exercises for Screenwriters
More Creative Writing Exercises Romance writing prompts. Of course, the character writing prompts and dialogue prompts can work especially well for romance stories. But I want to give a few more options for what to consider when writing a love story. And these prompts in of themselves, have been used forever.
6 Dialogue Writing Activities for the Secondary ELA Classroom
Read on for creative dialogue writing activities for your secondary students. 1. Create a Scene. There are a lot of fun ways you can have students create scenes to practice writing dialogue. You can start with some premade options that you assign or students randomly select. You can also create Roll-a-Scene scenarios for your students (here's ...
Dialogue
Purpose of Exercise: Students will practice writing dialogue that builds tension through subtext and disagreement while avoiding dialogue as exposition. Description: Beginning writers often have difficulty writing dialogue that is tense but not overt about that tension or the factors contributing to it. Suggested Time: 30 minutes.
️ 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors
Eight. Pick a fiction book from your shelf. Go to page eight and find the eighth sentence on the page. Start with that sentence and write an eight-line poem that connects in some way to your work-in-progress. For instance, write from the POV of a character, or set the poem in a story setting. Don't worry about poetry forms.
Teaching Students to Write Dialogue: A Cooperative Lesson Plan
Anticipatory Activity. The dialogue writing lesson begins with an activity that gives students immediate insight into the purpose and use of dialogue. Find two short pieces of text, one that does not include dialogue and one that does. You can use a passage from a student novel or children's book. Simply remove or add dialogue to meet your needs.
9 Character Development Exercises for Writing Complex Characters
9 Character Development Exercises for Writing Complex Characters. Before you start your first draft, you should spend some time crafting believable characters and making sure you understand their backstories in addition to their wants and needs. Whether you are working on your sixth novel or screenwriting in your spare time, taking the time to ...
105 Creative Writing Exercises: 10 Min Writing Exercises
Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again: Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment. Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour.

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5 Essential Exercises For Writing Dialogue

Exercise 1: Just For Fun

Laptop vs Desktop Example:

Exercise 2: A Tense Situation

Exercise 3: Three Of Us

Exercise 4: Eavesdrop

Exercise 5: An important Conversation

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Check Out Our Creative Screenwriting Exercises, Character, and Dialogue Prompts

Table of Contents

Creative writing prompts

Screenplay ideas and screenwriting prompts

Creative Screenwriting Exercises, Character, and Dialogue Prompts

Treatments

Character development

Character arcs

Comedy writing exercises

Summing up creative screenwriting exercises, character, and dialogue prompts

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6 Dialogue Writing Activities for the Secondary ELA Classroom

1. Create a Scene

2. Write the Photo

3. Use Mentor Texts

4. Correct the Sample

5. Turn Narrative into Dialogue

6. Learn from the Masters

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