Dialogue - Blog Posts

ofkcden​.​

Kaden’s eyes lifted away from the beer in front of him at the words, his eyebrow raising as he looked in the direction of the couple in question, letting out a laugh at the sight. He’d seen plenty of arguments, but they made decent enough entertainment most of the time. “Double says he keeps talking once she does and she smashes the rest of his food into his face.” 

The Mikaelson heir chuckled at the words, he knew that technically he would be losing money if it was to happen, but it would be worth it. ❝ We’re on. ❞ He raised his glass in a way to make the bet official. ❝ Fuck. This place really needs some real entertainment, doesn’t it? ❞ He shook his head, still grinning. It was the downside of magical borders.

noble-stag-mikaelson​.

Elijah was seated in his library, one leg crossed over the other as he flipped a yellowing page in the book he was reading. One elbow was propped on the arm of the chair, his index finger gently pressed to his upper lip. The Original turned his head when he heard a knock at the door, waiting a beat, wondering if someone else would answer it. When the knock came again he sighed and closed his book, standing and walking over to it. He opened it, “Can I help you?”

@newbornfallsstarter​

“What? Can’t a nephew stop by to visit his beloved uncle?” He questioned in place of an answer, a cheeky grin on his features. “But okay, I was actually wondering if you had any family grimoires laying around that I could borrow. You know, for research and general betterment.”

wilyfoxmikaelscn​.​

Kol didn’t even bother to look up toward the couple or toward August as he drink his beer, “I won’t take that bet because I can hear everything they’re saying.”

❝ Well, that takes the fun out of it, doesn’t it? ❞ He quipped, the glass already half way to his lips. ❝ Is the conversation at least remotely interesting? ❞ 

ordinarylcxa​.​

Trying to be out of her comfort zone, Alexa had her head down at the bar where she was reading a book with a plate of fries still left on her plate as she picked at them, the drink still untouched that someone bought her as she looked up to the voice, “What?” She asked as she looked between the boy and the couple.

❝ Just trying to have a little wager here. ❞ At last, the girl had taken her eyes from the book for long enough to give him the attention he always craved. ❝ It must be a really interesting read if you’d rather do that at a bar than — you know, actually drinking, ❞ he pointed out with a playful smirk. ❝ I do think my company is more interesting, though. ❞

huntrcssadonovan​.​

Cocking her head to the side, Alaska chugged back the rest of her drink before looking toward the couple, “I’d put fifty bucks on that she would. Guy looks like a fuckin’ idiot.”

August’s attention peaked at the words, always a pleasure to see someone willing to join in his games. ❝ We can’t both win, what would be the fun in that? — I must agree, though, dude’s an idiot. ❞

blcndebarbie​.​

“And why would I bet on that? If anything she would slap him and just walk out.” She spoke as she used her vampire hearing to listen into the conversation and could hear it in the girls voice that she was getting upset.

❝ The word fun comes to mind, ❞ he replied mirthfully. ❝ And you can always put your money in that, if you’d prefer, ❞ he added and smirked. ❝ But you can use privileged information, no eavesdropping. ❞ He couldn’t be sure the woman was doing that, but it was always a safe bet with super-hearing. 

hcreticleader​.​

Kai has a bit too much to drink as he leaned forwards on the bar looking over toward the couple in the far corner. “I’ll take on that bet. She’ll end up leaving with him tonight.”

August pondered the words for only a couple of seconds before shrugging.  ❝ Guess we’ll know how low a self-esteem can go and the power of daddy issues. ❞ He picked his drink and raised the glass, sealing the bet.

warricrprinccss​.​

“Yeah… I’m not taking that bet.” Elena looked toward the underaged boy about the couple as it wasn’t something she would bet on, but she couldn’t be mad about him drinking because she did it herself and it wasn’t her child.

❝ Come on — nothing wrong in a little fun, ❞ he smirked. ❝ I’m sure you’ve got a twenty there just waiting to come to my pocket. ❞

mikaelsoncommaklaus​.

Klaus chuckled at his son and glanced up at the couple from his place behind the bar. “I’ll match your $20 and raise you $20 that they turn the tables on us and he throws his at her.”

Of course, his father wouldn’t disappoint. August smirked and stole another glance at the couple that had just turned into the most interesting thing in the bar. ❝ Seems to me like you’re going to be a few dollars poorer, old man. ❞ Yes, he liked his odds. ❝ But while we wait — another bourbon? ❞

rcyalcrescent​.​

“Oh no way am I taking that bet because she 100% will be throwing her drink in his face.” Skylar laughed, “Watch… Give it 10 seconds.”

Laughter erupted at his cousin’s words, August couldn’t even be too disappointed. ❝ I kind of want to know what the hell the idiot did. A little background on our characters, ❞ he joked. 

littlestwclf​.​

“Seriously?” Hope questioned as she looked to August, “I’m not in the mood for betting today.”

He quirked an eyebrow at his older sister’s reaction; you didn’t need to be a psychic to know that the woman was in a mood. ❝ Someone’s a little cranky, ❞ he commented while he sipped on his drink. ❝ What got you ready for blood, anyway? ❞

geminiwclf​.​

“Hmm? But that’s so mean, noo, I don’t think she would do that.” Riley quickly looked between the couple and August as she shook her head.

August sighed in sheer disappointment. ❝ It’s not mean if he deserved. ❞ And from what he’d gathered, the guy certainly did. ❝ And, more importantly, it would be fun for us. ❞

August sat at the bar with a drink that he wasn’t technically old enough to order (not that his age had ever stopped the teenager) and eyes on a table on the far corner where two people seemed to be in the middle of an argument. ❝ Twenty bucks say she will throw her drink at the boyfriend, ❞ he commented to the other. 

@newbornfallsstarter​

geminisiphcn​.

“HOLD THAT THOUGHT. This is important territory.” Lizzie turned around raising an eyebrow at her company. In her hands she was holding two shirt options to wear for the Friday night. Feeling out of control mentally and with her magic getting worse, at least the one thing she could control in this world was her outfit. It was a welcomed distraction. “Which one, the blue or the red? I think the blue really makes my eyes pop, but the red goes spectacularly with the heels I’m planning to wear.”

@newbornfallsstarter​

He was being tortured and he didn’t even know what he could have done to deserve that. August released a long suffering sigh before focusing on the girl and the clothes she was holding. ❝ If I pick one will you release me from this nightmare? ❞ He questioned dramatically. Truth be told, he was less bothered by the whole thing than he was showing. ❝ Red. Can never go wrong with red. ❞

alexdono​.

“So, there’s there.. their.. and they’re… also affect and effect…” He sipped his coffee, a small smile on his face, “Everyone says that Japanese and Arabic are super hard to learn… I can only imagine people trying to learn the differences between there… their… and–” He paused for a moment, a bit of confusion in his voice, “… there.” 

@newbornfallsstarter​

August could have stopped the other sooner — should have, really —, but chose to keep listening just to see where this was going. ❝ Please, tell me you’re not using some basic grammar to try to prove English is harder to learn. Those don’t even sound alike or have similar meanings, ❞ he shook his head. Yes, he should have stopped the nonsense earlier. ❝ English doesn’t even compare to Romance languages and all their verb tenses, ❞ he finished with an eye roll. ❝ Then again, most Americans can’t even work their own language out, as proven. ❞

lostnicrosza​.

Nic had came to mystic grill for only one reason. He needed some food in his stomach. He was glad to not be working for once. He was tired of dealing with drunks. He did love his jobs most of the time. But lately people were annoying him. He did not mind the flirting with costumers . But sometimes it was just to much. He looked over at the person. “I am just here for food. Not work.” 

@newbornfallsstarter​

The unprompted explanation had the younger male raising a solitary eyebrow and a smirk appearing on his lips. ❝ Good for you, ❞ he commented easily. ❝ Are you at least going to invite me to join you? ❞ He questioned mirthfully. ❝ The lack of manners is outrageous. ❞

fionasfm​.

Ever since Fiona’s vampire gene was first triggered, she hasn’t been able to control her vampirism around blood. No matter how hard she tried, she always turned into her own worst enemy around blood, her sharp fangs forming at the slightest scent of blood. As she tried her best to control herself before she caused a scene in the town square, she held onto her forehead to try and get rid of the incoming headache that had come along with it. “I’m fine.” She reassured the first person that had offered their help, not wanting anyone else’s help with something she knew she had to learn how to do herself. “Can you just give me some space please?” She asked as she could slowly feel herself losing her humanity. @newbornfallsstarter​​

As soon as green hues focused on the red head, August knew there was something wrong with his cousin. A frown appeared as the young man made his way to the other. ❝ I’m having a hard time believing that one, ❞ he quipped at the blatant lie. He did take a couple steps back, arms raised in mock surrender, but still stayed close enough to talk to the girl. ❝ What’s wrong. ❞ 

erikmklsn​.

Erik was punching the bag when the noise of a door closing pulled him away from his thoughts. Stopping for a minute, he turned his head to look at who had walked in and sighed. “I’ll be leaving soon, then you’ll have it all for yourself.” He told the other with a nod. @newbornfallsstarter​

August walked closer to his cousin, leaning against the wall and shrugging casually. ❝ Don’t mind me.  Far from me to deprive you from the destruction of an innocent punching bag, ❞ the younger Mikaelson quipped. ❝ What has it done to piss you off, anyway? ❞

Words To Use Instead of Said (Advanced Version)

Part One: Dialogue Tags

Reminder to use these sparingly and not every line of dialogue needs a dialogue tag.

To Say Something Quietly:

whispered

murmured

breathed

sighed

simpered

hummed

mumbled

muttered

To Say Something Loudly:

exclaimed

cried

squealed

shrieked

shouted

bellowed

roared

declared

declared

proclaimed

hollered

To Say Something Angrily:

snapped

snarled

growled

barked

grumbled

complained

huffed

nagged

blustered

thundered

seethed

fumed

ranted

demanded

taunted

scoffed

cursed

grunted

insulted

hissed

badgered

sneered

To Say Something In An Amused Manner:

laughed

chuckled

giggled

joked

quipped

teased

cheered

crowed

To Say Something Unsurely // Nervously:

faltered

stammered

stuttered

hesitated

guessed

blurted

trembled

speculated

quivered

equivocated

denied

countered

babbled

slurred

squeaked

yelped

cautioned

gulped

squales

quavered

hesitated

trailed off

Part Two: Action Tags

The use of action tags will make your writing more interesting and creates variety in conversation-filled scenes. Make sure to add both in your writing and do your best not to over do it.

Reminder: When using action tags that aren’t one word, always use periods instead of commas. Example:

“Idiot,” Camille rolled her eyes out of annoyance, continuing to file her nails. Wrong.

“Idiot.” Camille rolled her eyes out of annoyance, continuing to file her nails. Correct.

Positive:

smiled

grinned

smirked

beamed

his eyes twinkled

flashed a chesire smile

looked pleased

her ears reddened

his cheeks flushed

the corner of her lips tugged up

Neutral:

crossed her arms

folded their arms

blew their hair out his their face

twirled her hair around her finger

massaged his temples

bit her lip

chewed the insides of her cheek

batted his eyes

angled her head

tousled his hair

nodded in agreement

feigned confusion

Negative:

clenched his fist

dug her nails into her palm

picked at his nails

glared

narrowed her gaze

withheld his anger

his head pounded with anger

You can mix and match, using a dialogue and an action tag as well. Example: Dialogue, Action.

“I don’t think I can,” she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Enemies to Lovers Energy

❥ "Get out of my way." – "Make me."

❥ "You’re bleeding." – "It’s just a scratch. Don’t get soft on me now."

❥ "I don’t need your help." – "Tough. You’ve got it anyway."

❥ "I hate you." – "Yeah? Then why are you still here?"

❥ "You think you're better than me?" – "No. Just smarter."

❥ "Stop looking at me like that." – "Like what?"

❥ "I’ve had worse partners. Slightly."

❥ "Try not to die, okay?" – "Touched by your concern."

❥ "If you betray me, I’ll kill you." – "That’s fair."

Spicy Dialogue Starters Pack

Slow Burn That’s About to Explode

"If you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to do something we’ll both regret."

"Say that again. Slower."

"You really like testing my patience, don’t you?"

"Back up. Closer. I want to see if you’ll actually do it."

"Do you realize how loud you were moaning my name last night?"

"You should probably stop touching me like that... unless you plan on finishing what you started."

"We’re not doing this here." – "Why not? Scared you’ll like it?"

"I dare you. No, seriously—I dare you."

"One bed. One night. You sure you can behave?"

"You think I won’t?" – "I know you will. That’s the problem."

Enemies to Lovers, but We’re Both Hot and Unhinged

"If I kiss you, it’s not because I like you. It’s because you won’t shut up."

"Do it. Touch me like you hate me."

"You’re infuriating." – "And you’re turned on."

"Careful. You’re starting to sound jealous."

"Admit it. You like it when we fight."

"You want me. You just don’t want to want me."

"If you’re going to stare, you might as well do something about it."

"Say it. Say you want me." – "Why? You’ll just use it against me."

"Keep talking like that and I’ll kiss you right here."

"Don’t tempt me." – "What if I want to?"

Post-Tension Intimacy (A.K.A. We Finally Snapped)

"You're shaking." – "So are you."

"This doesn’t mean anything." – "Then why are you holding me like that?"

"I’ve wanted this since the moment I met you."

"You're not getting any sleep tonight, just so you know."

"You're mine now. Say it."

"God, you feel so good." – "Yeah? Then shut up and keep going."

"You can hate me in the morning. Just… let me have this tonight."

"Is this what you wanted?" – "No. I wanted more."

"Don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop."

"I’m going to ruin you. And you’re going to thank me for it."

Teasing Touch, Dangerous Proximity

"You’re blushing." – "Shut up."

"That shirt’s doing you no favors. Take it off."

"If you wanted me to kiss you, you could’ve just said so."

"I like the way you say my name. Say it again."

"You’re standing really close." – "Yeah? You gonna move?"

"I can feel your heartbeat. Is that for me?"

"Your hands are shaking... here, let me help you."

"Careful. Someone might think you actually want me."

"You know exactly what you’re doing to me, don’t you?"

"We’re not supposed to do this." – "Since when has that ever stopped us?"

Voice Low, Words Barely Whispers

"Keep your voice down. Or don’t. Let them hear."

"Every time you talk, all I can think about is your mouth on mine."

"Say the word, and I’ll have you against that wall in five seconds."

"What do you think happens if I kiss you right now?"

"You smell like trouble." – "You taste like it."

"Look me in the eyes when you lie like that."

"One more step and I won’t be able to hold back."

"If you keep teasing me like that, I’m going to ruin you."

"Tell me to stop." – silence – "Didn’t think so."

"We’re alone now. You still pretending this is just tension?"

Hot-Headed, Argument-Laced, About to Snap

"Why do you always have to push my buttons?" – "Because I love watching you lose control."

"You think you’re in control here? That’s cute."

"You're not walking away from me. Not this time."

"God, you're impossible." – "You didn’t seem to mind last night."

"Say it louder. Maybe if you scream my name again, I’ll believe you."

"Keep pretending you don’t want me. I’ll keep proving you wrong."

"You're dangerous." – "Only if you ask nicely."

"Is this still an argument or are we just flirting with knives now?"

"Admit it. You love it when I get like this."

"Don’t act like you don’t want this too."

Exes to Lovers Masterpost

Dialogue Prompts

"I'm sorry for how it ended." "I'm sorry that it ended at all."

"Do you still have place for me in your life?"

"Three years was not enough to get over you."

"We'll always find our ways back to each other."

"I couldn't stop loving you, even if I tried. And I did try for some time. But it didn't work."

"Seeing you again brought everything back."

"It was a mistake to just go away. We should've fought more for what we wanted." "We are doing it now."

"Being back in your arms is everything I wished for since we broke up."

"I can't believe you would actually take me back."

"Do you have any idea how much I wished to take it back? To just go to your house and apologize?" "I would have waited for you. I did wait for you. Even if it took some time, you are here now."

"I shouldn't have ever let you go away. I need you by my side."

"The fight we had was so stupid and breaking up was irrational."

"We work much better as a team."

"I don't ever want to lose you again."

"It was the right thing at the time. We weren't ready for it." "Do you think we are now?" "Yes, absolutely."

"People called me crazy for letting you get away. And they were right."

"I will never let you go again."

"We were both so hurt that we didn't see how much the other one was hurting. I hope that we're now able to look past that and be able to heal together."

"Honestly? I never stopped loving you."

"Let's never break up again. Ok?"

Text Prompts

Having broken up, but still living in the same area they keep running into each other. At the park, the grocery store, the laundromat, … everywhere.

They are still in the same friend group and they want to make it work as friends. But hanging out all the time makes it hard to get over each other.

Person A moves to another apartment and finds some of Person B’s, their exes’ stuff while moving and the former lovers meet up for the first time since the break-up to exchange the goods.

While not having adopted it together, Person A’s pet becomes miserable after Person B stops being over, so finally they have to arrange for a meeting in a park, like two divorced parents.

They are still each other's emergency contact. Which becomes apparent when one of them ends up in the hospital.

Having their car breaking down by the side of the road is bad enough. Their ex being the one to come save them is even worse.

They had already booked everything for their friends' destination wedding before they broke up. To celebrate them and not lose their deposits they decide to still share the hotel room.

Person A’s family still invites Person B to all of their family events. And Person B actually goes.

They bought tickets for their favourite band’s concert one year in advance. It’s been a few months since their break-up and they believe the emotions have calmed down a bit, so they decide to still go together when the time comes. But maybe they don’t have calmed down that much, when their song comes on.

They know each other best. Even after their break-up their ex is still the first person they want to call when something good or bad happens.

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Things Real People Do in Dialogue (For Your Next Story)

Okay, let’s be real—dialogue can make or break a scene. You want your characters to sound natural, like actual humans talking, not robots reading a script. So, how do you write dialogue that feels real without it turning into a mess of awkward pauses and “ums”? Here’s a little cheat sheet of what real people actually do when they talk (and you can totally steal these for your next story):

1. People Interrupt Each Other All the Time In real conversations, nobody waits for the perfect moment to speak. We interrupt, cut each other off, and finish each other's sentences. Throw in some overlaps or interruptions in your dialogue to make it feel more dynamic and less like a rehearsed play.

2. They Don’t Always Say What They Mean Real people are masters of dodging. They’ll say one thing but mean something totally different (hello, passive-aggressive banter). Or they’ll just avoid the question entirely. Let your characters be vague, sarcastic, or just plain evasive sometimes—it makes their conversations feel more layered.

3. People Trail Off... We don’t always finish our sentences. Sometimes we just... stop talking because we assume the other person gets what we’re trying to say. Use that in your dialogue! Let a sentence trail off into nothing. It adds realism and shows the comfort (or awkwardness) between characters.

4. Repeating Words Is Normal In real life, people repeat words when they’re excited, nervous, or trying to make a point. It’s not a sign of bad writing—it’s how we talk. Let your characters get a little repetitive now and then. It adds a rhythm to their speech that feels more genuine.

5. Fillers Are Your Friends People say "um," "uh," "like," "you know," all the time. Not every character needs to sound polished or poetic. Sprinkle in some filler words where it makes sense, especially if the character is nervous or thinking on their feet.

6. Not Everyone Speaks in Complete Sentences Sometimes, people just throw out fragments instead of complete sentences, especially when emotions are high. Short, choppy dialogue can convey tension or excitement. Instead of saying “I really think we need to talk about this,” try “We need to talk. Now.”

7. Body Language Is Part of the Conversation Real people don’t just communicate with words; they use facial expressions, gestures, and body language. When your characters are talking, think about what they’re doing—are they fidgeting? Smiling? Crossing their arms? Those little actions can add a lot of subtext to the dialogue without needing extra words.

8. Awkward Silences Are Golden People don’t talk non-stop. Sometimes, they stop mid-conversation to think, or because things just got weird. Don’t be afraid to add a beat of awkward silence, a long pause, or a meaningful look between characters. It can say more than words.

9. People Talk Over Themselves When They're Nervous When we’re anxious, we tend to talk too fast, go back to rephrase what we just said, or add unnecessary details. If your character’s nervous, let them ramble a bit or correct themselves. It’s a great way to show their internal state through dialogue.

10. Inside Jokes and Shared History Real people have history. Sometimes they reference something that happened off-page, or they share an inside joke only they get. This makes your dialogue feel lived-in and shows that your characters have a life beyond the scene. Throw in a callback to something earlier, or a joke only two characters understand.

11. No One Explains Everything People leave stuff out. We assume the person we’re talking to knows what we’re talking about, so we skip over background details. Instead of having your character explain everything for the reader’s benefit, let some things go unsaid. It’ll feel more natural—and trust your reader to keep up!

12. Characters Have Different Voices Real people don’t all talk the same way. Your characters shouldn’t either! Pay attention to their unique quirks—does one character use slang? Does another speak more formally? Maybe someone’s always cutting people off while another is super polite. Give them different voices and patterns of speech so their dialogue feels authentic to them.

13. People Change the Subject In real life, conversations don’t always stay on track. People get sidetracked, jump to random topics, or avoid certain subjects altogether. If your characters are uncomfortable or trying to dodge a question, let them awkwardly change the subject or ramble to fill the space.

14. Reactions Aren’t Always Immediate People don’t always respond right away. They pause, they think, they hesitate. Sometimes they don’t know what to say, and that delay can speak volumes. Give your characters a moment to process before they respond—it’ll make the conversation feel more natural.

Important note: Please don’t use all of these tips in one dialogue at once.

enemies to lovers where they really hate eachother but somehow their words have a tint of flirt in it and I'm struggling to find them🙏🙏

Flirty Threats

-> feel free to edit and adjust pronouns as you see fit.

"Are you laughing at me?" "Yeah, I am. What are you going to do about it?"

"Wipe that smile off your face before I do it for you."

"And you think you can get away with threatening me?"

"What made you think you can talk to me like that?"

"Are you still thinking about me? Is that why you're so unfocused?" "You wish."

"You really think you have that much of an impact in my life?"

"Do as I say."

"Oh, you think you're hot stuff?"

"Take a shower, [last name], I can smell you from here." "Care to join me?" "In your dreams."

"I don't think you realize how angry you make me." "Aw, I have that much of an effect on you?"

"Wow, Love. You've really outdone yourself this time."

"Trying out a new nickname, are we?"