Dialog alone

[Bramblethorn]

Here's one that some might enjoy: http://www.jakethackray.com/archive/songs/the-lyrics-and-guitar-tabs/item/nurse.html

 

[PervOtaku]

"What do you all think of stories that are told purely via dialog between two (or more) characters?"

"Always annoying."

"Nah, sometimes creates a useful atmosphere of urgency."

"For the love of God, if you must do it, at least keep it short."

"I wonder if there's another viewpoint on this."

Radio plays do it that way, with some limited sound effects as needed. In print it would likely come across as odd, though sometimes an unusual style of writing can be fun if the story is short and well-suited for it.

 

[Theroughstockeventauthor]

Manuel Puig

Wrote some amazing novels that are nothing but dialogue. My favorite is The Kiss Of The Spider Woman. I thought it was very romantic, if not overtly erotic.

 

[Penuche]

There's a poem by ee cummings which is pure dialogue, and that's what drives the pace of it:

may i feel said he

by e e cummings

may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she
(may i touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)
may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she
but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
(tiptop said he
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she
(cccome? said he
ummm said she)
you're divine! said he
(you are Mine said she)

 

[Hypoxia]

Manuel Puig Wrote some amazing novels that are nothing but dialogue.

Screenwriter and playwright Manuel Puig wrote in Spanish which has different narrative traditions and flavors than Anglish.

There's a poem by ee cummings which is pure dialogue

Poetry and songs can easily go all-dialogue, or first- or second-person-present or -future, or other modes that don't work well in written narrative. They don't work well because they aren't as transparent, aren't easy reading. Yes, a talented writer can make any mode sing... for a time, anyway. They tend to become tiresome after awhile.

I suspect many readers are turned off by dialogue-only. Others are turned on. Can't please everybody.

 

[NoJo]

It's been done, lots of times.

Like anything else, it depends on how good you write.

It's definitely NOT a play though, that's an utterly different proposition.

It's actually good practice for the "show, don't tell" mantra -- in dialog-only you have to let the characters develop the story themselves, without cheating by telling people what they're thinking and feeling.

 

[Hypoxia]

It's been done, lots of times.

True, but to what effect? Can you cite bestselling dialogue-only novels? I can think of only ONE 2nd-person POV success, BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITY. I cannot think of ANY dialogue-only successes. But I may have missed them. I mention best-sellers because they represent what the populace reads. Brilliant works that go unread don't really count, do they?

 

[Weird Harold]

I cannot think of ANY dialogue-only successes. But I may have missed them.

Like any other trick or technique, when done well it is transparent. If they were truly successful, only the most anal, anti-dialogue critic would mention the "dialogue only" factor.

I mention best-sellers because they represent what the populace reads. Brilliant works that go unread don't really count, do they?

90% of what I read isn't on any best-seller list -- or any awards list for that matter. Does that mean I only read unsuccessful works?

FWIW, I don't think "writing" is what gets most books on bestseller lists, anyway. From what I've seen, things like Fifty Shades of Grey got on the bestseller lists because of a "freak show" factor or "train wreck" factor; it certainly doesn't appear to be a masterpiece of literature or example of good writing.

 

[sr71plt]

"Dialogue Only" would be a little hard for a critic to miss and not comment on in a long piece. I can't really conceive of any "dialogue only" longer pieces--certainly not novellas or novels. Maybe someone can name one or two(?) Nonexistence of one over these many years would be evidence that it can't be sustained in a work of any significant length, I would think.

 

[NotWise]

Have you ever read a play? (Shakespeare counts). They aren't quite dialogue-only, but usually the set description and stage directions are spare. The story is told largely in dialogue. I think the first play I read was "Sister George" when I was still in junior high and I was amazed by what could be said largely in dialogue.

So, I think a lot can be done with dialogue-only (or nearly), but I'm still not going to read erotica that is just dialogue. "I love the squishy sounds that your pussy makes when I fuck you." "Oh, do it faster, I'm coming!" "I'm coming too! Ahhhh." pussy farts.

 

[sr71plt]

A play is not a short story, novella, or novel.

But I've written plays and they are riddled with stage directions, so they aren't dialogue only. Even radio plays (which I have written) have directions in them.

 

[ambiguousbob]

Again, thank you all, for the many responses. The discussion has gone on various interesting tangents. Just to clarify, from the perspective of my original question:
1) What I have in mind is a relatively short work. Two thousand words, say.
2) Erotica need not be limited to works that involve the actual performance of sex acts.

A full novel or a hot and heavy sex scene would indeed risk being LOL-worthy. Many pitfalls have been mentioned here. They seem worth remembering even for less ambitious pieces.

 

[Hypoxia]

1) What I have in mind is a relatively short work. Two thousand words, say.

That's just over 1/2 a LIT page and yes, dialogue-only is sustainable for such a miniature. But not much longer.

2) Erotica need not be limited to works that involve the actual performance of sex acts.

Quite. Anticipation and consequences may suffice. Some great stories are no more explicit than, "They fucked." And/or the spouse spies them fucking and goes all BtB. That happens all the time here.

 

[trigudis]

"What do you all think of stories that are told purely via dialog between two (or more) characters?"

"Always annoying."

"Nah, sometimes creates a useful atmosphere of urgency."

"For the love of God, if you must do it, at least keep it short."

"I wonder if there's another viewpoint on this."

Write a play if you're dialogue-only obsessed.

 

[ambiguousbob]

Write a play if you're dialogue-only obsessed.

Helen Mirren saw my script and kindly suggested I stick with the short-short-story format.

 

[Jose_Rick]

Radio plays do it that way, with some limited sound effects as needed.

Even radio plays aren't always strictly dialogue. There may be a part for a narrator, or a character could be speaking thoughts rather than speaking directly to another character.

As for the original question, as a short, 2000 word story, I think it would be difficult, but could be done.

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but I find the opposite - no dialogue - to be a deal-breaker for me. If I click on a story and see none in the first screen or two, I go right to the back button. In life, people talk to each other.

 

[sr71plt]

Even radio plays aren't always strictly dialogue. There may be a part for a narrator, or a character could be speaking thoughts rather than speaking directly to another character.

True. I've done radio plays on the radio. The scripts came with directions on how to inflect and the emotion to be taken with the lines.

 

[glynndah]

I wrote one, The Ultimate Desire Dress {chapter 2}, but it was mostly as a challenge to myself.