Write a story in which two or more people have a conversation — without using any quotation marks.

Posted in Dialogue on Dec 6, 2024

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✍️ 36 stories

“Peaches” by Brynn Helena

Submitted to Contest #280

Tennis camp was fun, but honestly, I just did it for Charlie. My forehand was shit and I couldn’t serve even if I tried, but she was there so I begged to go every summer. Those summers live in my mind in a scrapbook covered in grass stains and orange juice. These dewy memories that sit in my chest like burning coals, keeping me warm even when we’re apart. It’s unbearable really, being apart from her, always has been. But college. But life, I suppose. I just wish we could go back. Jo?She’s offering me a peach, as she presses her thu...

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“Dialogue with a Therapist” by Orlando Chavez

Submitted to Contest #280

Hello. My name is Dr. S… please take a seat. How are you doing today? Good. I mean, could be better. Obviously if I was good I probably wouldn’t be here. I guess I could be good and still be here. Ahem. No need to apologize. What brings you here today? I’m not sure how to describe it. Ahem. I just don’t really feel like doing anything. Something feels out of joint. How long have you been feeling this way? As long as I can remember. Ahem… Have there been any changes in your sleep patterns? Trouble falling asleep, or oversleeping? Not really. ...

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“TALK FOR TWO” by Viga Boland

Submitted to Contest #280

<The Banters are back! We hope you’ve missed their silly bantering. They’ve been gone a long while but they couldn’t resist a dialogue-only prompt…their favorite writing style! Enjoy!>Matthew, do you think I’m frumpy?Do I think you’re grumpy, Martha? Sure, sometimes…No, Matthew. I asked if you think I’m frumpy. FR not GR! Geez, I swear that new hearing aid we got you is no better than the previous one, and this one cost a fortune.I can’t help it Martha if they don’t make hearing aids that are perfect for my ears! You speak so fast and ...

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“Delta 928” by Thomas Wetzel

Submitted to Contest #280

CW: This story contains themes of physical violence and suicide.The following is the transcript of the cockpit conversation captured by the onboard black box recorder, which was recovered following the crash of Delta 928 in Denver, Colorado on June 16, 2025. The National Transportation Safety Board will include this as a key exhibit in the incident file and it will very likely have a significant bearing on issues related to causation and legal liability. We caution you in advance that this transcript is highly disturbing in nature.Captain Da...

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“Never Let You Go” by Cameron Navarre

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #280

Mom? Can you hear me? 01110111 01101000 01100001 00111111 00100000 01001001 00100000 01100011 01100001 01101110 00100111 01110100 00101110 00101110 00101110 Mom, this is Chris…your son Chris, can you hear me?01100011 01101000 01110010 01101001 01110011 0111100…Chrisy? 01001001 00100000 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100…I feel…so tired… They said you might feel…er…have a simulated feeling of grogginess. That’s the digital anesthetics tapering off. Chrisy…where am I? It sounds…I can hear your voice all around me… It’s okay Mom, I know you ar...

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“A Table for Two at a Cafe” by Jack Kimball

Submitted to Contest #280

Should we order wine?Sure.Don’t be that way.What way? Order wine if you want.I will then.Go for it.…Waiter. Please bring me a wine menu.Yes madam.…See. You can do it.Now you’re just being difficult. Stop it.Or what?Or I’ll leave.Leave then.…What happened to us?Life. Life happened.Life happened? That’s it? A cliché?Life is a cliché.Did you ever love me?What is love?Don’t give me that. Did you?…Madam. Your wine list.Thank you. Leave it.…Did you?Did I what?Love me? Did you love me?Maybe not.…I could always tell when you were...

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“My Dinner with Android” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #280

-Hello!-Hello… um, do we really need those hyphens? They seem pretty redundant…Okay, okay. I just thought that it would make things easier to trace if we wanted to keep a record of what we talked about.Forward thinking… Okay, let’s try something else.Like what?· How about this?· Okay, not bad. It is much clearer that way, and we can easily just go back by following the dots.· We can connect them, as you...

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“Two Heads Are Better Than One” by Hilary R. Glick

Submitted to Contest #280

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONETIME: Early morning.SETTING: Short-term rehabilitation and long-term residency center. SCENE: BOB rolls his wheelchair down the LONG-TERM HALLWAY. As he approaches the nurse’s station, BOB wheels to the desk, secures the brakes on his wheelchair, then leans back.BOB. Top o’ the morning to ya, Danny! Surprised you’re still here. Shouldn’t you have gone home an hour ago?DANIEL. Ha. Wouldn’t that be nice, leaving when I’m scheduled to? What are you up to this morning, Bobby?BOB. No good! (Smacks his k...

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“Bobby” by S. Hjelmeset

Submitted to Contest #280

Sorry, I'm late, Stein, Ember wanted me to see him plunge into the pool before I left him with Tosh.That's alright, I haven't started yet. How's the little bugger today? Did you film it?Yeah, look at that!Jeez, he's grown so much since last week! And he speaks like a faucet! Damn, even traveling together I seem to miss out on his developments.Don't worry, you'll see more of him now. Who'd have thought me and Tosh would finally get that band idea up and running? It's so nice of you guys to let us be the opening act, even though it is a bit ne...

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“An Invitation” by Savannah Hoover

Submitted to Contest #280

In the quiet of the evening, when the world outside hummed softly with the sounds of life, a man sat alone in a dark room. The air was thick with tension, his mind swirling in a whirlpool of questions, doubts, and brokenness. His hands, once steady, now trembled slightly as they gripped the sides of the wooden chair, the only solid thing in his existence. He could feel the weight of the chair beneath him, the coolness of its surface grounding him in a world that felt too distant to touch.The room was nearly suffocating in its stillness. He h...

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“QE1012 and Knightly's Origin Story” by Raye McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #280

THIRD WINTER MOON - ACMAJ KINGDOM - HIGHMOON Hello? Hello! Yes! ♪I stole a magic book! It writes what I say!♪ Hello! This is QE1012, slave of the Dragonborn Kingdom of Acmaj on Jasper Island, Zoso. My bros call me Twelve. Actually, I just have one bro, but if I had more, I’m sure they'd call me that, too. I stole this magic book from the High Mage for three reasons. Number one: I can’t write worth ____. It’s that dar...

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“"Now, Will You Please Exit Stage Left?" #ReedsyTalk” by Tucker Sloan

Submitted to Contest #280

Trigger Warning: This short story contains some Language, and Crude Phrases. “Now, Will You Please Exit Stage Left?” She died right here. I swear to God. This is where I found her. She was in the fetal position on the cold concrete. She was practically frozen to it. I… I watched as they removed the body. Oh my, the smell! They talk about it in the pictures, but, oh God is it awful! I had to step back. Had to catch my breath. Do you know what happened to her? Nope. Not yet. Waiting to hear back from the county coroner. I mean, the poor thing ...

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“To Listen or to Talk.... too much” by Paul Tyree

Submitted to Contest #280

To be or not to be, is this really the actual question? This can be more than just an unanswered question, yet it can be the beginning of something more pressing. This is where our story starts at, two people speaking to one another about this or that. so why would it have to be or not to be? because I said it is and it was and it will be, that's why. But if that is the questions how can you define an actual answer? I may have to make it up as I go along, even though I do not wish to lie, even to my own self. Does that make sense? No it does...

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“Slipped Through the Cracks” by Rebecca Holbrook

Submitted to Contest #280

Slipped Through the Cracks I didn’t think much of it at first. There is a stone wall beside my small table where I sit to write in the mornings. Wisteria vines have forced cracks in the mortar, letting in fingers of light to fall across my pages. The barista, Celeste, brings me coffee and a cinnamon bun every day, a dance of familiarity we’ve done for years now. The light was different today somehow. I noticed the larger of the spaces between stones was closed off, probably the doings of a squirrel tucking away some treasure. Pushing my fi...

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“Love Among the Spoils” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #280

Caution***References to sexual behavior**** * * * *Chester! I am so sorry! How long have you been waiting!Hey, Becca! Relax, catch your breath. You’re well within limits.There was a major accident on I-91 that GPS failed to warn me about in time. I think it’s time to retire the bossy old windbag, typical government contraption. Anyway, so it would have been inadvertent and unforeseen, right, my being late?Breathe, Becca.I try but I can’t get used to how much of my life is determined by things utterly...

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Write a story in which two or more people have a conversation — without using any quotation marks.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 36 stories

“Peaches” by Brynn Helena

“Dialogue with a Therapist” by Orlando Chavez

“TALK FOR TWO” by Viga Boland

“Delta 928” by Thomas Wetzel

“Never Let You Go” by Cameron Navarre

“A Table for Two at a Cafe” by Jack Kimball

“My Dinner with Android” by Kendall Defoe

“Two Heads Are Better Than One” by Hilary R. Glick

“Bobby” by S. Hjelmeset

“An Invitation” by Savannah Hoover

“QE1012 and Knightly's Origin Story” by Raye McLaughlin

“"Now, Will You Please Exit Stage Left?" #ReedsyTalk” by Tucker Sloan

“To Listen or to Talk.... too much” by Paul Tyree

“Slipped Through the Cracks” by Rebecca Holbrook

“Love Among the Spoils” by Susan Catucci

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that solely consists of dialogue. (No dialogue tags, actions, or descriptions. Just pure dialogue!)

Start or end your story with a character asking a question.

Center your story around a character who overhears others talking about them.

Write a story that includes someone (or something) saying, “No, don’t!”

Contest #280

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

383

Contest entries

138

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: