100 Dialogue Prompts for Fiction, Screenplays, and More | various word balloons

Hey friends! I created this list of dialogue prompts mostly with novelists and short story writers in mind, but they would also be helpful for script writing, for creative writing teachers, and even for improv coaches. I’ve tried to include both funny dialogue prompts, more serious ones, and some that are really open-ended.

No matter what you’re working on, the way you use these writing prompts is basically the same: you pick a line of dialogue and you write a conversation or a scene that includes it. Most of these are geared toward contemporary fiction and screenwriting, but I’ve thrown in a few that go more in the direction of other fiction genres.

Depending on your project, you might also want to check out my lists of romance plot ideas and fantasy story ideas.

It took a long time to come up with these dialogue writing prompts, but it was also pretty fun. If one of them winds up in your finished work, that’s just fine with me. Pin or bookmark it for future use!

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100 Dialogue Prompts for Fiction, Screenplays, and More | 3D dialogue balloons/bubbles

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  1. ā€œMaā€™am, is this your dog?ā€

  1. ā€œNo, itā€™s really not that complicated. Heā€™s a bad person.ā€

  1. ā€œHey… whatā€™s wrong with your face?ā€

  1. ā€œThe king is missing.ā€

  1. ā€œAh yes, come in. Close the door behind you.ā€

  1. ā€œHow could you do this to me?ā€

  1. ā€œUm, sorry. That oneā€™s not for sale.ā€

  1. ā€œYouā€™ve got thirty seconds to explain to me what youā€™re doing here.ā€

  1. ā€œAinā€™t nobody ever told you who your real daddy is?ā€

  1. ā€œI know this may be hard to believe, but Iā€™m on your side.ā€

  1. ā€œNever heard of that being used as a murder weapon before.ā€

  1. ā€œJust sit around and cry, then. I donā€™t have that luxury.ā€

  1. ā€œIā€™m sorry. I thought you were someone else.ā€

  1. ā€œThatā€™s the nice thing about telling the truth. You donā€™t have nearly as much to keep track of.ā€

  1. ā€œOf course weā€™re best friends. No one else would put up with our shenanigans.ā€

  1. ā€œThatā€™s the least of your worries.ā€

  1. ā€œYou look a lot different from your profile picture.ā€

  1. ā€œDo you trust me?ā€

  1. ā€œYou found it on the beach? You know, when most people take a walk on the beach, they pick up seashells.ā€

  1. ā€œSir. This is for children only.ā€

  1. ā€œI havenā€™t tried this on a human yet, but it should be very similar.ā€

  1. ā€œWhat? I meant it as a compliment.ā€

  1. ā€œWho put this in my coat pocket?ā€

  2. ā€œI canā€™t do this any more.ā€

  1. ā€œYou think youā€™re so good-looking, but deep down, youā€™re the kind of ugly that PhotoShop canā€™t fix.ā€

  1. ā€œI know you did your best, but it just wasnā€™t enough.ā€

  1. ā€œEven if I could stop it, I wouldnā€™t.ā€

  1. ā€œYou have got to see this.ā€

  1. ā€œGuess who made the evening news?ā€

  1. ā€œI donā€™t really think of myself as a thief…ā€

  1. ā€œAre you just going to keep walking by my house or are you going to come in?ā€

  1. ā€œWe do things a little differently in the 21st century.ā€

  1. ā€œPlease return to your assigned seat.ā€

  1. ā€œDude. Itā€™s 3 in the morning.ā€

  1. ā€œI canā€™t believe I used to think he was attractive.ā€

  1. ā€œActually, you are speaking to the manager.ā€

  1. ā€œWhere are your clothes?ā€

  1. ā€œWell, this contest isnā€™t going to rig itself.ā€

  1. ā€œHi, Iā€™m calling about your ad?ā€

  1. ā€œI canā€™t believe Iā€™m telling you this.ā€

  1. ā€œI should have told you this a long time ago.ā€

  1. ā€œI am only telling the truth when I say that you have not behaved completely as a gentleman in this matter.ā€

  1. ā€œI thought we were friends!ā€

  1. ā€œThatā€™s not a good look.ā€

  1. ā€œItā€™s a genetic trait, but itā€™s exceptionally rare.ā€

  1. ā€œI love you, but I donā€™t even think I know who you really are.ā€

  1. ā€œSheā€™s evil, but she does have a point there.ā€

  1. ā€œI didnā€™t know you could talk.ā€

  1. ā€œSweetie, what were you thinking?ā€

  1. ā€œWhat makes you think it was an accident?ā€

  1. ā€œSorry. Youā€™re the first person Iā€™ve spoken to in ten years.ā€

  1. ā€œI donā€™t suppose youā€™ve got a blowtorch around here?ā€

  1. ā€œI know youā€™re here. You may as well show yourself.ā€

  1. ā€œGet a job!ā€

  1. ā€œThis isnā€™t going to be a typical best man speech.ā€

  1. ā€œAccording to this, you owe them eighty thousand dollars.ā€

  1. ā€œWe thought at first that it was part of the performance.ā€

  1. ā€œItā€™s been a while since Iā€™ve seen yā€™all in church.ā€

  1. ā€œI would break his thumbs right now if I could.ā€

  1. ā€œWhy are you helping me?ā€

  1. ā€œThatā€™s the worst reason Iā€™ve ever heard to have a baby.ā€

  1. ā€œI didnā€™t even recognize you!ā€

  1. ā€œIs it worth breaking your vows over?ā€

  1. ā€œI told you not to read that.ā€

  1. ā€œPut the turkey down.ā€

  1. ā€œI didnā€™t ask to be abducted.ā€

  1. ā€œThatā€™s the most disgusting thing Iā€™ve ever heard.ā€

  1. ā€œWhere did you learn how to do that?ā€

  1. ā€œAre you banned from all Taco Bells, or just that Taco Bell?ā€

  1. ā€œI thought you had him!ā€

  1. ā€œHumility is not one of my many virtues.ā€

  1. ā€œHow can you stand living here?ā€

  1. ā€œSheā€™s young, fertile, and from a good family. What more do you need to know?ā€

  1. ā€œSometimes being a total geek pays off.ā€

  1. ā€œYou donā€™t have the correct paperwork.ā€

  1. ā€œCareful not to break theā€”oh.ā€

  1. ā€œI wasnā€™t going to say anything, but yeah.ā€

  1. ā€œIā€™d love to help, but I want to keep all of my money in case I want to spend it on other things.ā€

  1. ā€œWell arenā€™t you the cutest little thing?ā€

  1. ā€œWhy is that your password?ā€

  1. ā€œPlease donā€™t use sarcasm. It confuses me.ā€

  1. ā€œAfter we lost you, things just werenā€™t the same.ā€

  1. ā€œIf you were logical you wouldā€™ve killed me already.ā€

  1. ā€œWell, that couldā€™ve gone better.ā€

  1. ā€œSometimes I feel like sheā€™s still at my side.ā€

  1. ā€œWeā€™ve been waiting two hours.ā€

  1. ā€œYour services are no longer required.ā€

  1. ā€œI feel like weā€™ve met before…ā€

  1. ā€œDoes he hit you?ā€

  1. ā€œYes, itā€™s a questionable line of work, but Iā€™m good at it.ā€

  1. ā€œSheā€™s in the building.ā€

  1. ā€œWow! Itā€™s an honor to meet you.ā€

  1. ā€œYou were in a crash. Can you tell me your name?ā€

  1. ā€œThis used to be a great country, but people like you are destroying it.ā€

  1. ā€œIā€™m cured. I swear.ā€

  1. ā€œMy chances of living to a ripe old age are unfortunately excellent.ā€

  1. ā€œLetā€™s face it, you donā€™t exactly blend in.ā€

  1. ā€œForgive me if Iā€™m misreading things, but do you want to make out?ā€

  1. ā€œThe next time you shoot a guy, donā€™t do it on national television.ā€

  1. ā€œWeā€™ll need to take a blood sample to be sure.ā€
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100 Dialogue Prompts for Fiction, Screenplays, and More | two overlapping dialogue bubbles

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I hope you liked this post! If you don’t want to miss any posts like this for writers, follow the blog if you aren’t already doing so — there’s a place you can sign up below.

Please also check out my big book of writing prompts. Whether you’re starting a new story or trying to figure out where a story goes next, it can give you fresh inspiration.

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5,000 WRITING PROMPTS: A Master List of Plot Ideas, Creative Exercises, and More | BRYN DONOVAN |

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Thanks for stopping by, and happy writing!

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