Write a story entirely of dialogue. Nothing but dialogue. No attributives (he said, she said, etc.). No descriptions of scenes or gestures or movements (unless these things are presented in the dialogue). Just words between quotation marks. Pure, beautiful, untainted dialogue.

Posted in Dialogue on Feb 17, 2023

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✍️ 275 stories

“Knock, knock” by Ian Barrett

Submitted to Contest #186

“Don’t forget to put the toilet seat down. I almost fell in last night.” “I could ask you to put the toilet seat up.” “If you would just pee sitting down we would never have to worry about it again.” “I’m not sitting down to pee.” “Jesus, why are all men so insecure? Like anyone is going to see you in your own home sitting down to pee. If anything it’s less work and the floor and walls wouldn’t be covered in piss and have to be cleaned so often.” “Do we really have to argue about this before bed?” “I’m not arguing, just trying to keep m...

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“Arguments” by Leigh Hays

Submitted to Contest #186

“It’s bright… it hurts” “You can look now, I won’t hurt you. At least not physically, not on purpose” “Where am I?” “A place you will not have to see for a long time” “Then how come I can see it?” “You always were a smart-aleck. You don’t see it, you only think you do. As well as that pain you felt, you didn’t really feel it. You only think you did.” “Smart-aleck? Who are you and why am I here?” “I wish you wouldn’t shout, it is considered rude here. You are here because you feel guilty. Or at least you would if you could remember.” “Guilty?...

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“Pinky Promise” by Crystal Mendoza

Submitted to Contest #186

[Trigger warning: Inappropriate language, suggestions of violence] “Why am I here?” “Hello, Miss Jackie. Please, have a seat. My name is Officer Jones. I have a few questions to ask you regarding a recent event.” “What event? I don’t think I should be talking to you without my mom here.” “Don’t worry about that. She’s on the way over as we speak. In the meantime, can I clarify a few things with you? Your name is Jacklyn Milan, you’re a 16-year-old high school junior at Piedmont High…does all of that sound about right?” “...” “These aren’t ...

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“Order are Orders” by Brownbread Fred

Submitted to Contest #186

“Fuck you, sir.”“What did you say to me, private?!”“Fuck you, sir.”“How dare you speak to an officer…”“Holy shit! The new private just knocked the LT out.”“I ain’t see shit. C’mon Jones, lets beat feet. Besides, there’s Sergeant Moultry’s, let him take care of it.”“What the fuck happened here, private?” “LT, you good? Come on; on your feet, sir.”“Huh? Ye-yea-yeah, I’m fine sergeant.”“Well, private?”“There is nothing to ask him, Moultry, he assaulted me! An enlisted soldier struck a commissioned officer, what else do you need to know?”“I want...

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“Smoke over Santa Monica” by Jacob Weber

Submitted to Contest #186

“911. What is the nature of your emergency?” “Hey there” “Hello. What is the nature of your emergency? Can you provide an address for dispatch?” “It’s the corner of Everett and Powell, blue house with a white door” “Sir, are you currently in danger? Can you please provide me with a name and a contact number?” “You’re going to need an ambulance. There’s been gunshots” “Sir, I am dispatching an officer to your location now. Please stay on the line until help arrives. Can you please provide me with a name and a contact number?” “...

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“Buried in Blankets” by Tasneem Dairywala

Submitted to Contest #186

“When I opened my eyes today, I couldn’t see anything. It was terrifying. Could you”? “No, I couldn’t either. I was blinded by light so bright, it hurt.” “Did you hear it calling you? Did it deafen you with a high piercing sound”? “Yes, I found myself floating upward, floating toward the sound, floating toward the light.” “I felt as if I had lost all control of myself.” “I felt as if I would rise right out of this bed, but as always, something was weighing me down.” “Something was keeping me grounded, heavy on this bed.” “It w...

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“Your Station for the Nation” by Edward Savage

Submitted to Contest #186

"Welcome Sports Fans! This is Marcus Titus Grippius welcoming you to the fourth day of the Lupercalia games. This is your Station For The Nation, Radio Rome! Sports Fans we have a full day of thrills ahead of us. The Emperor is rumoured to be attending and what a thrill that will be for those lucky enough to be here in person. For those out there in the city and the burbs, stay tuned and don't go away as we bring you blow by blow coverage of today's events. Now here's Antonius Priapius Diccus with a recap of yesterday's events for those who ...

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“Marigolds” by Mark Wambugu

Submitted to Contest #186

“I saw her again yesterday.” “By that do you mean you caught a glimpse of her or that you followed her again?” “I followed her again.” “Derek, we talked about this.” “I can’t help it, man. All I do is think about her. Night and day – it’s like… I just can’t let go. I love her so much I don’t know what else to do.” “What you should do is move on bro.” “I don’t think I’m ready to do that. Not yet.” “Whatever, man. It’s your misery.” “It’s not misery with her. Just the sight of her makes me feel like I’m alive again. You know that outfit she li...

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“Expert Advice” by Erik Brun

Submitted to Contest #186

“When did it take place?” “I’m thinking between three or four hours ago.” “Mmmmm, any identification found on scene?” “According to her license, name is Megan Birchell, aged twenty-three, home of record out of Vermont. Probably a college student.” “Anything else besides her license?” “Couple credit cards, a library card, and some kind of fitness boot camp access card. All with the same name.” “Be sure to bag all that.” “I’m already on it.” “Any signs of a struggle?” “Not at first glance, but I’...

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“The Case Defence” by Shahzad Ahmad

Submitted to Contest #186

“What a great coincidence! I had never believed I would ever bump into you.” “I am equally surprised by this chance occurrence. All the more reason to believe in the power of miracles!” “Our faces have completely changed, but I recognized you immediately.” The voice is unmistakably yours!” “There is a reason why people say a person always stays true to his nature.” “So, where have you been all these year? And what have you been up to?” “It is a long story and I would not be able to do justice in this short meeting.” “Tell me briefly.” “Ok...

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“The Painting” by Wes Montgomery

Submitted to Contest #186

The Painting By: Wes Montgomery “I don't like it, Richard. His eyes follow me across the room.” “Honey, it's just your imagination. There's no way the boy's eyes are following you; it's just a painting.” “It's creepy. We need to get rid of that thing.” “Yeah, you're probably right. With those dark eyes giving an ominous glare and sunken, pale-white cheeks making him look so close to death, I’m not sure I want to see him every day either, and the black, round-rimmed glasses don't help much. It looks like he's up to something. And what k...

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“Open your Eyes” by Sera M

Submitted to Contest #186

“I think you need to move on now, Luke. It's been 4 years.” “You just don’t get it. Sora. I love her, and she loves me. I can’t just move on. If anything, I feel lost and confused about what to do. Maybe I need to get away from here and restart somewhere else. I can't bare living where my nightmares began.” “I visited you today because I wanted to see improvement, not because you going on about love. You can move on, just like how you moved on from everyone and everything else, stop living with this mindset and sober up. It's time for yo...

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“Broken Hearts” by Timmy W

Submitted to Contest #186

“Hi Gabby”“Hey”“Wanna come with me to the movies?” "Sure. What movie?”“Titanic?”“Ooo I like titanic”“See you there 3:45 then?”“k"…“That was nice.”“Yea. It was fun.”“Why do we text sm when we live two blocks away from each other?“Bc my parents would think inappropriate things w/ u being a boy and me being a girl.”“Bruh. Who cares what your parents think?”“Bro- you’re not the one who lives with my mom.”“What could she possibly do-”“YOu don’t wanna know.”“*sigh* C'mon why can't I come over”“Cuz u can't. Smh my head”“bruh”“Wut?”“Stop saying that...

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“You Were Always Green” by Lovga Keiser

Submitted to Contest #186

“Green is such a beautiful color.” “It's not green. It's viridian.” “Oh, arguably the same hue.” “Green is an ugly word for an ugly color. Viridian has punch.” “Well, they all work the same, blue, red, orange. They all do their duty.” “None so much as this. This is perfected, better than the original, hotter, brighter, burns faster.” “It also can’t be put out. It's dangerous.” “I would hope it is. It's dangerous and we’ll let everyone know it is.” “Some people are more daring than you think.” “Some people are fools. If they want a f...

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“The Betrayal” by Carleen Victor

Submitted to Contest #186

“I don’t get it Jeff, how the hell could this happen? What did I do to deserve this?” “Damn Paul, that’s really messed up bro. are you one hundred percent sure about this?” “No, not a hundred, a thousand percent sure. Dianne is cheating on me. I may be dumb but I’m not that dumb.” “Does she know that you know?” “Heck no. You think that that’s just something I’m gonna blurt out just like that? Naw, I’m gonna play this one with a smart hand. She thinks she could just up and do me like that? Like I’m some piece of garbage that she could just th...

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Write a story entirely of dialogue. Nothing but dialogue. No attributives (he said, she said, etc.). No descriptions of scenes or gestures or movements (unless these things are presented in the dialogue). Just words between quotation marks. Pure, beautiful, untainted dialogue.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 275 stories

“Knock, knock” by Ian Barrett

“Arguments” by Leigh Hays

“Pinky Promise” by Crystal Mendoza

“Order are Orders” by Brownbread Fred

“Smoke over Santa Monica” by Jacob Weber

“Buried in Blankets” by Tasneem Dairywala

“Your Station for the Nation” by Edward Savage

“Marigolds” by Mark Wambugu

“Expert Advice” by Erik Brun

“The Case Defence” by Shahzad Ahmad

“The Painting” by Wes Montgomery

“Open your Eyes” by Sera M

“Broken Hearts” by Timmy W

“You Were Always Green” by Lovga Keiser

“The Betrayal” by Carleen Victor

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in which each paragraph begins or ends (or both!) with the same sentence.

Write a story of fragments. Many options here: no verbs, sentence fragments, short sections, nothing but objects, etc. The fragments should relate to one another obliquely, hesitantly, subtly, ambiguously, preposterously, marvelously.

Write a story within a story within a story within a ...

Write a story that formally utilizes a mathematical sequence; e.g., the Fibonacci sequence could determine the number of words in each paragraph, or start with a number and work backwards. Make sure the formula is made clear, either within the story, or before or after it.

Contest #186

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

479

Contest entries

141

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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