50 Awesome Dialogue Writing Prompts

Writing something effectively isn’t always as easy as most people think it is. That is especially true when you’re trying to write dialogue for a story, screenplay or virtually anything else where two people need to converse with one another. Sometimes, it’s hard to find a way to effectively weave this dialogue into the story.

At other times, you have absolutely no idea what you want your characters to say and you end up getting hung up on trying to think of something engaging while you stare at a cursor on a blank page as if they were mocking you.

Fortunately, you don’t have to let that stop you. If creating effective dialogue has been serving as a roadblock to your writing success, consider these 50 dialogue writing prompts.

Regardless of the type of story you’re trying to tell, there is something on this list that will help you either get started or reignite all of the ideas going through your head so you can get over a rough spot and keep writing.

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50. “Why are you calling me at two in the morning?”

Imagine the phone ringing at two in the morning. You recognize the number, but you can’t figure out why this person is calling you at such a ridiculous hour. They must have some kind of a story and you’re about to find out what it is.

49. “Shut the door, now!”

This opens up all kinds of possibilities. What is on the other side of that door that you’re trying so hard to keep from getting in? On the other hand, maybe there’s something that you’re trying to keep from getting out.

48. “I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a long time.”

This might be something profoundly good or something that’s about to shake you to your core. That’s part of the fun of it all. You can go either direction with your characters. At any rate, there has to be some reason that the person speaking has chosen to be silent for so long. Were they simply waiting for the right time or is the news so devastating that they were hoping they’d never have to deliver it?

47. “I don’t see anything so hard about it.”

Imagine being in this situation. What would you do if you were talking to someone, both of you faced with something that you’d really rather not do? All the while, they’re pressuring you to jump right in because according to them, there’s nothing complicated about it. How is your character going to react?

46. “I’ve been waiting and watching for years.”

This could potentially be taken as a kind message from someone who has been protecting someone else from afar. On the other hand, it could be something completely creepy that suggests that one of your characters has been totally infatuated with the other, watching them at every turn without their knowledge.

45. “How do you feel about spending the night in jail?”

You can bet if someone is asking this question, you’re both probably about to embark on something that isn’t going to go well. It definitely makes for an interesting story and you can take that story in any direction you choose.

44. “I knew this was a bad idea.”

You’ve probably been in this situation in real life, at least a time or two. When you do something and you know it’s a bad idea to do it anyway, it usually ends up worse than you thought. Add that element into your story and make it part of the dialogue.

43. “Who left you in charge?”

You can go one of two ways with this. You can be asking that question in an indignant manner because you’re not terribly fond of the other person you’re talking to. Conversely, someone can be asking you this question as if they’re shocked that anyone would even think of leaving you in charge of something.

42. “You know we could get in big trouble for this, right?”

Imagine two people who go off on an adventure together. In that adventure, they end up doing some things that would probably get them in a lot of trouble if anyone found out.

41. “It’ll be fine, trust me.”

When is the last time you heard someone say this to you in real life? You can almost bet, anytime someone says these words, it’s going to be anything but fine. It makes the perfect beginning dialog for a story. The true beauty of it is that you can fit into any situation you choose, so it leaves the story itself wide open.

40. “Don’t worry about it, it’s probably fine.”

This one is similar to the dialogue above, but it’s a little bit more refined. Imagine having already done something that didn’t go according to plan. The person you’re talking to is telling you that everything will probably be okay, but then again, maybe not so much. Oh well, it’s fine either way.

39. “I don’t see why you’re getting so upset, it’ll clear up in a few days.”

You may not know what “it” is that’s going to clear up in a few days, but you can almost bet that this dialogue is going to both grab the reader’s attention and make them chuckle.

38. “Our plan is to not get caught.”

You might think back to the two individuals on an adventure. What exactly are they doing together? When you hatch a plan with the idea of not getting caught, there is automatically an element of suspense. It also sets the reader on edge because they’re expecting the possibility that something could happen.

37. “You’re still alive?”

It doesn’t matter if you were writing a serious story or one with more of a comedic element, this is a line that works either way. It can easily fit into something that’s quite dramatic in order to ratchet up the seriousness of that particular dialogue. At the same time, it can be absolutely hilarious if said in the right context and at the right time.

36. “Maybe I should’ve mentioned this sooner…”

You can almost bet that whatever wasn’t mentioned sooner is quite relevant to what’s about to happen. Perhaps that’s exactly why it was never mentioned in the first place.

35. “Well, that didn’t go the way I thought it would.”

Think about two people who have gone on some type of haphazard mission, only to have everything about it blow up in their faces. This would be a great way to start that dialogue and get the attention of the reader at the same time.

34. “Remind me again, what exactly are we doing?”

Perhaps none of the characters involved know what they’re actually doing. Sometimes that’s the fun of a story, when everyone seems to be just a bit clueless while bumbling through whatever they’re doing anyway.

33. “I love you! There, I said it.”

The cat is out of the bag now. Whether this is something that was said intentionally or in the heat of the moment, there’s no taking that statement back. It also provides an opportunity to take the story in an entirely new direction without going back and rewriting everything that happened before this moment.

32. “It’s okay. Just feel what you’re feeling.”

This is great dialogue for two characters that are trying to work through something tragic that has happened. If you have a character in your story that’s capable of allowing someone else to simply feel their feelings without telling them how to feel or what to do about it, you’ve already got a well-developed character. This dialogue only serves to demonstrate that fact.

31. “You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

This dialogue might go perfectly with the one listed directly above. Someone who is afraid to truly embrace their feelings might be that way because they think they have to be strong for everyone else. Imagine the power in a conversation like this.

30. “There, there. I’ve got you. It’s gonna be okay.”

Sometimes, you just need a hug. Everyone needs someone else to tell them it’s going to be okay from time to time. Why not capitalize on that universal feeling and incorporate it into your dialogue?

29. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

When someone reads this line, they know they’re about to get into something that’s good and juicy. In short, you have effectively hooked your reader and you’ve given yourself a chance to tell the story that you’ve probably been wanting to tell for some time.

28. “How much do you trust me?”

If someone is asking this question, you can almost bet that there are going to be some Shenanigans to follow.

27. “This isn’t what it looks like…”

If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where you were actually using this exact same line to explain something in real life, you know it can be rather comical. It’s a great way to ratchet up the comedy or keep a small amount of levity in a serious story so that you don’t end up drowning your reader in emotions.

26. “How are we going to explain this?”

As soon as someone reads this line, they’re going to start wondering exactly what has been done that needs to be explained. It’s a perfect piece of dialogue to keep the reader interested and move the story forward.

25. “I don’t think you’re doing that right.”

Again, this is a dialogue that can be used effectively in a variety of different situations. It might be something that’s really funny or it could be used in a different context where the person saying it is completely irritated with someone else.

24. “Is it supposed to make that sound?”

Imagine breaking something that’s really expensive and hoping that the owner will never find out. You think you going to get out of this unscathed until it starts making some otherwordly noise. You suddenly feel like you should start running in order to keep from witnessing its complete and total demise, not to mention escaping the owner’s ire.

23. “You didn’t see me and I wasn’t here, okay?”

You’re just minding your own business and suddenly, your best friend runs into the room, breathless. They say this line to you and then take off. What exactly were they doing and why is it so important that no one finds out they were even there?

22. “Just calm yourself and you’ll know the truth.”

Imagine having a character that has some type of special ability, but only when she can keep her emotions from getting in her way. Another person that is there to guide her has to get her to learn how to be calm in order for her to use her abilities effectively.

21. “I need to talk to you about something. Can we sit?”

No one ever wants to hear this. If someone asks you if you can sit and then tells you they need to talk, you can bet it’s going to be a real doozy.

20. “Let’s get our stories straight for when they ask us later.”

This dialogue just conjures up images of two people who got into some trouble that they’d rather not have anyone find out about. They’re trying to make sure that when they are undoubtedly questioned about it, they don’t end up giving each other away.

19. “You can’t run anymore.”

That’s a powerful statement. Where do you want to take the story from here?

18. “I really think we should get out of here- now!”

Clearly, something isn’t going right. What is it?

17. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but…”

This one can be reserved for something that completely alters the arch of the story. Perhaps it’s best reserved for the death of a beloved character or something similar.

16. “Hey, everything would’ve been fine if the dog hadn’t run through the paint!”

Who wouldn’t want to read a story that starts out like this?

15. “Speaking of dogs, where is ours?”

Dog lovers of the world, relax. This doesn’t have to be too serious, nor does it need to end badly. In fact, it can be quite funny.

14. “That’s gonna leave a scar. You know that, right?”

Imagine someone trying to climb out of a shaky second-story window and someone strolls by, calmly making this observation without stopping.

13. “Everything was fine when we left.”

This sounds like the story of someone who knows exactly what isn’t fine. Perhaps they are trying to cover their tracks.

12. “Well, that wasn’t very nice.”

Don’t you want to know what was said or done that was less than polite?

11. “Why did this seem like a good idea?”

Uh-oh, it seems like something has gone astray here. What could it be?

10. “That’s never happened before…”

This is another good one for a couple of adventure seekers who don’t always have the easiest time of things. What happened and how are they going to deal with it?

9. “Well, shoot.”

Sure, you could mean literally shooting a gun. On the other hand, you might be using dialogue to introduce something that hasn’t gone so well.

8. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have good news.”

This is another one that can alter the course of your story. Imagine bringing your best friend, your soulmate, into the hospital and then hearing the doctor say this to you. Tissues, anyone?

7. “We’ve done everything we can do. It’s up to him now.”

What if you want to create some serious angst, yet you’re not ready to say goodbye to a major character? Here is some dialogue to create that type of scenario.

6. “You didn’t really think I’d let a little thing like death come between us, did you?”

This can be completely heartfelt or hysterically funny. It’s all up to you.

5. “Oh darn, I’m dead.”

What happens if you wake up and realize you’re actually dead? What exactly are you going to do with that knowledge?

4. “You know you’re not supposed to be here.”

You can use this dialogue in a protective manner or in sheer hostility. It depends a great deal on the story you want to create.

3. “Maybe I had a little too much confidence.”

For these last three, imagine the two friends on an adventure once again. One of them is just a bit too confident in what they can realistically achieve.

2. “Maybe I had a little too much to drink.”

Perhaps the other wasn’t able to stop them from their overconfidence because they really tied one on last night.

1. “Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

Whatever happened, it probably wasn’t a good idea. However, there is every chance it seemed perfectly logical at the time. Now what?

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