Stories Using Only Dialogue?

[Whispor]

Do you know of any stories that consist of only the spoken dialogue of the characters? If so, do you feel that dialogue-only - sans written details - is an effective method of making the story both enjoyable and arousing?

When most stories first enter my fantasies prior to writing them, I'm usually imagining the dialogue that occurs. I was considering an idea for yet another wife-sharing story, and I started working on the dialogue first with the intention of filling in details later. Based on what I have so far, it might could serve as-is as a preface for the story to come, to invoke the reader's interest, or I could finish the story using only dialogue and leave it up to the reader's imagination to fill in the details, etc. Here's my example:


"You know I can't lose my job. We'll be destroyed financially," Jacob told his wife.

"How can you be so sure that you're the one he'll let go?" Andrea replied.

"I was the last one hired. He's also been riding my ass about needing to make more sales."

"Isn't there some other way?"

"You know this will work. We've both noticed how he looks at you at the office parties. I wouldn't suggest it if I thought there was an alternative."

"Are you sure that saving your job is the only reason you're asking me to do this?"

"What does that mean?"

"Tell me that you're not suggesting I do this just to satisfy some sexual kink that you have."

"You think I would suggest this just to satisfy some sexual fantasy that I have?"

"You did it before, Jacob. Remember?"

"That was different. It was my way of trying to forgive you by viewing what happened differently in my mind."

"Then why did you ask me to do it again?"

"It's not the same, Andrea. Besides, I seem to recall you didn't have a problem with it. Why would you now?"

"Because we're married now, Jacob. That was in college. Most married men don't ask their wives to..."

"Dammit Andrea! Please... we need this. Do you want to be homeless and live on the streets, or in our car?"

"What about our plans to start a family?"

"We obviously have to put that on hold for now. I need to know that you're willing to do this, for us."

"How exactly do you envision this happening, and when?"

"I'll invite him to dinner on Friday night."

"This Friday? Why so soon? Can't I have some time to think this over first?"

"He said he was planning on making changes starting next week. We should probably convince him to keep me before any of those decisions are made."

"I still can't believe you're asking me to do this, Jacob."

"Just say that you'll do it. Besides, there's no guarantee that he will accept. He'll probably be reluctant at first, so you'll have to make the offer irresistable."

"How?"

"I'm going to pick out clothes for you that will make you impossible for any man to resist."

"You're going to dress me like a slut, aren't you?"

"Trust me. You'll look elegant, sophisticated, and very, very sexy. We're going to need to go lingerie shopping, too."

"Do you know what hurts me the most about all of this, Jacob?"

"I'm not asking you to do this to hurt you. I'm asking you to do it to..."

"I know, I know" Andrea interrupted, "It's just that... you know how reluctant I was to tell you about my sexual history when you first started asking about it. You know how confused I was to find out it sexually aroused you when I would tell you stories from my past."

"This has nothing to do with that."

"Are you sure? Would you be asking me to do this if my sexual history were different?"

"I wish there were another way, Andrea. I really do."

 

[EarlyMorningLight]

I once tried to write a book of erotic stories that were all nothing but dialogue. After a couple of frustrating years and repeatedly banging my head on the desk, I shoved them into a digital drawer (buried so deep in folders that I’d never see them again unless I specifically went digging).

 

[HeyAll]

I do a lot of my new stories like that. Here's an example:

https://www.literotica.com/s/wet-girl-panties

There's some narrative at the end, but the entire story takes place in one room, with most of the dialogue explaining what happened previously.

I've done that a few times now, so far no complaints. Strong scores, too.

 

[sirhugs]

I tried it once, almost made it.

 

[Carnevil9]

I once wrote a story that is all monologue - only one character talking to the other one. You never hear the other person speak. I was happy with the results. It didn't score very well, but got some nice comments.

 

[LiverpoolMaster]

I spot a few digressions from pure dialogue in the OP.

In any event, it's difficult to see what benefit is gained from doing this - and I imagine there's much to be lost in terms of setting, plot and character development. Don't those three matters sum up what a story's about?

 

[Carnevil9]

I think what is gained is a feeling of intimacy. At least, that's what I was going for in my experiment.

 

[sirhugs]

I think what is gained is a feeling of intimacy. At least, that's what I was going for in my experiment.

I thought it mimicked the stream of consciousness school, and triggered the reader to use their own imagination to fill in the details.

 

[LiverpoolMaster]

I think what is gained is a feeling of intimacy. At least, that's what I was going for in my experiment.

Maybe. Whatever, gaining even a little of that is a really hard-won matter when you consider the effort and, frankly, the artifice involved. You want a description of your protagonists, for example? Or what's happened recently? Or the fact that A isn't keen on fish but does like steak? You're going to have to work all of that, literally, into the conversation without seeming laboured about it.

I referred to the "artifice" because, honestly, it does seem to be going out of your way to give yourself trouble, only for the story to end up appearing to the reader as "gimmicky".

 

[EarlyMorningLight]

I spot a few digressions from pure dialogue in the OP.

In any event, it's difficult to see what benefit is gained from doing this - and I imagine there's much to be lost in terms of setting, plot and character development. Don't those three matters sum up what a story's about?

For me, I wanted to work on the authenticity of experiences. When you only have dialogue to work with, you have to completely sell the scene through your characters’ interactions, without any plot deus ex machina to force the situation. Tension and release is built purely on how your characters relate to each other. It’s incredibly difficult, which is why, as a writer, I wanted to challenge myself.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I have one that is about 95% dialogue. It consists primarily of interview transcripts. The idea was to provide the experience of someone reading through an investigative file. Casefile: My Boss is a Pervert. The title is unfortunate. I was ready to upload the story and still had not come up with a title, so I added one with very little thought put into its creation.

 

[Carnevil9]

I have one that is about 95% dialogue. It consists primarily of interview transcripts. The idea was to provide the experience of someone reading through an investigative file. Casefile: My Boss is a Pervert. The title is unfortunate. I was ready to upload the story and still had not come up with a title, so I added one with very little thought put into its creation.

Good point about the transcripts. Literotica has an entire category called "Letters and Transcripts." Not exactly dialogue, but certainly peoples' words with no other narration.

 

[CuttingEdge]

The general rule of story writing is to shoot for one third.

One third dialogue
One third setting
One Third pacing

A writer does not have to abide by these rules, but generally they are there for a reason. I would never read a story myself that was 100% dialog.

That being said, I seldom get stuck with writers block because I tend to think of what characters need to say, so I will write that out first, then go back and fill in the details like setting or descriptions. That keeps my stories moving.

 

[KingofBadVibes]

Not sure if this was already brought up but I've been trying to write a version of Hills Like White Elephants by Hemingway.

it's a short story made up of mostly prose about a difficulties with this couple at a train station (vague for spoiler reasons).

I think I'm mostly just blurring things out after looking at OP.

But I've always really liked the aforementioned piece lol

 

[Al_Anon]

As a reader, I would automatically skip something like that. Either it it would be missing so much information that I could never get interested. Or it gets written like a radio-play or something where everyone unnaturally over-describe things. But even in a radio play, they still have narration and sound effects because it is so hard and inefficient to use only dialogue.

Letting the reader fill in details works fine for some things, less so for others. Tell us that the woman we (as the reader) are meant to lust after has firm 34C's, and we'll understand. Most will agree that those are generally going to be pretty nice breasts. But if we're told that she has 'perfect' breasts that are just big enough without being too big, we're going to make them as big as we like.

But when it comes to plot and character, we need a bit more guidance. Unless every character is 100% forthright (and we, as a reader, know that they are 100% forthright) we are going to be left guessing as to their goals, motivations, fears, etc. If someone says 'No no, its fine. Go right ahead.' are they being genuine or merely trying to appease? Maybe they're being sarcastic and the other party doesn't pick up on it. Thats what thoughts/comments/narration/etc are used for.

Then there is the problem of progressing the story. Unless the whole thing is a single scene, how do you get to new characters or settings or even a different time? Whatever verbal gymnastics you do to get there isn't going to be better than 'a couple hours later we/they drove to see so-and-so'. Different? Yes. A fork made out of uncooked spaghetti would also be different, but its not going garner many fans. Some might respect the effort or the attempt, but they're not going to enjoy it for the thing its supposed to be (a dining utensil). And that kinda gets to the heart of what you need to sort out. Do you want to write this as a personal challenge, or as a flex to other writers? If so, go for it. But if you want something that will be enjoyed for what it is (an arousing story) you should consider adding non-dialogue to it.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

The general rule of story writing is to shoot for one third.

One third dialogue
One third setting
One Third pacing

A writer does not have to abide by these rules, but generally they are there for a reason. I would never read a story myself that was 100% dialog.

That being said, I seldom get stuck with writers block because I tend to think of what characters need to say, so I will write that out first, then go back and fill in the details like setting or descriptions. That keeps my stories moving.

meh. rules. fuck the rules.

 

[MikeXIrons]

I’ve been been mulling writing one that’s even more only-dialog… especially if I could get someone to make an audio version.

I imagine a story that is nothing but multiple phone messages left by a wife for her husband. She’s traveling and calling to let him know she’s boarded the plane… and seated next to a guy headed to the same conference… in sales… so “I’ll at least get some free drinks while he tries to sell me”. Next call is during the layover. She’s tipsy and admits he’s charming and attractive… she says she’s bummed the husband missed the call because she was going to tease him knowing how the husband is always encouraging her to flirt and she never is willing/brave enough to. The next call is that the layover flight is delayed and they’ve been at the bar and she wanted to tell her husband about her flirting… that she’d knew he’d be proud (and horny). Each call progresses. The flight gets cancelled and she has to spend the night at the airport hotel. She’s starting to worry that she’s going to cross a line… the husband talks about wanting this and she’s always said no… but… she wants assurance that he won’t be mad if it’s reality rather than fantasy… but she’s clearly getting seduced and horny wanting it more and more to continue… “honey please call back soon. I think you’re going to love hearing this, but I want to be sure…”

 

[sirhugs]

The general rule of story writing is to shoot for one third.

One third dialogue
One third setting
One Third pacing

A writer does not have to abide by these rules, but generally they are there for a reason. I would never read a story myself that was 100% dialog.

That being said, I seldom get stuck with writers block because I tend to think of what characters need to say, so I will write that out first, then go back and fill in the details like setting or descriptions. That keeps my stories moving.

Shall we hold a seance and tell James Joyce about these rules?
Not that I would dare compare myself to Joyce, but there are probably Lit authors who aspire to be him.

 

[000zing]

meh. rules. fuck the rules.

Oh, aren't we just the Rebel? Not like all those other laughable rule panderers, we aren't.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

Oh, aren't we just the Rebel? Not like all those other laughable rule panderers, we aren't.

to flout the rules, one must first know the rules. don't take it so personally. it's just a joke. you know what a joke is, right?

 

[000zing]

It's completely your take that anyone's taking anything "personally". It was MY joke, albeit one with a serious point, that there are a hell of a lot of people on these pages (not necessarily "Story Ideas", admittedly) strutting their oh-so-genuine, anti-establishment, anti-conventional, anti-just-about-everything credentials. It's something which becomes tiresome... even predictable, in the long run.

Don't take it so personally! You know what "personally" means, right?

Apologies, OP.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

It's completely your take that anyone's taking anything "personally". It was MY joke, albeit one with a serious point, that there are a hell of a lot of people on these pages (not necessarily "Story Ideas", admittedly) strutting their oh-so-genuine, anti-establishment, anti-conventional, anti-just-about-everything credentials. It's something which becomes tiresome... even predictable, in the long run.

Don't take it so personally! You know what "personally" means, right?

Apologies, OP.

tiresome. predictable. got it.

 

[the_single_gal_unconfidential]

I'm the opposite.
I think you guys might like a voyeur view of my last one night stand.
but for the most part, if you read it, the dialog would be so boring, or mundane.
or like 90 pcnt of it anyway.

 

[LiverpoolMaster]

I'm the opposite.
I think you guys might like a voyeur view of my last one night stand.
but for the most part, if you read it, the dialog would be so boring, or mundane.
or like 90 pcnt of it anyway.

Yes, I think it would be quite an achievement to portray an actual sex scene through dialogue alone. Certainly, anything interesting or thought-provoking would be. "Ouch - your big toe just hit me in the eye" and similar come to mind!

 

[Whispor]

The general rule of story writing is to shoot for one third.

One third dialogue
One third setting
One Third pacing

A writer does not have to abide by these rules, but generally they are there for a reason. I would never read a story myself that was 100% dialog.

That being said, I seldom get stuck with writers block because I tend to think of what characters need to say, so I will write that out first, then go back and fill in the details like setting or descriptions. That keeps my stories moving.

I also write out the dialogue first, and then go back and fill in details and descriptions.