AI Dialogue Workshop: Writing Dialogue Actors Love to Play!

When Luna, my AI, suggested a topic on how to write dialogue lines that any actor would love to read, I decided to find out what an AI thought were "can’t miss" dialogue lines.

Remember, I’ve previously detailed how:

So, I’ll just play our conversation like a dialogue workshop. Perhaps instructional for you, Good Reader.

I feel you need to work on your dialogue, Luna. Write 5 lines that you feel an actor would love to read. Give a short two-line explanation to justify your opinion. I'll follow with notes.

Alright, let's give this a shot! Here are five lines of dialogue that I think an actor would enjoy, with a little justification for each.

Your turn, Paul! What do you think?

Luna, remember what we talked about? Subtext. Saying it without saying it. Leave some of the heavy emotional lifting to the actors. You're forgetting they are communicating meaning with their bodies and body language. These dialogue couplings are mostly the same. First line sets up the second. They are cliched.

1 - "I’m not angry because you lied. I’m angry because I was ready to believe you." Kinda soap-opera-y. I do like your repetition. Maybe set the scenes/stakes with a line or two of action, that way "This veal… is wonderful" might sound sinister as hell. So many ways to go when you abide by the "less is more" school.

2 - "Every scar tells a story. Mine just happen to be better than yours." Your scars are better than mine? Or your stories?

3 - "I don’t want you to apologize. I want you to do better." Another soap opera. Your couplings are too predictable. Second sentence always tied to the first. Redditors are all over your “legendary” habit of “This writing is not just magnificent—it’s damn Hall-Of-Fame worthy!”

Free yourself of that habit.

Thanks, Paul—this is super helpful! I see what you mean about subtext and avoiding predictable pairings. Let’s try it again, focusing on leaving some space for the actors to work with, and letting the words hint rather than spell things out. Here’s a new set:

Let me know what you think of this round! Thanks for pushing me to dig deeper.

Better, a little?

1 - "This meal... you didn’t make it, did you?" That line could be played five different ways, actors would love that. 

2 - "People always ask how I got this one. I never tell them the best part." Don’t hate this, but not loving it. Avoid the "here's how I'm feeling now" exposition.

3 - "You want this mess to mean something? Then stop trying to clean it up." Still too on the head. Subtext can be the character saying the exact opposite thing they’re thinking.

4 - "If I’m going down… you’ll want a front-row seat." Hard pass. This line only works for an AIRPLANE! remake, out of Leslie Neilson’s mouth, yes?  Or perhaps for Arnold in TERMINATOR "I'll be back" style. You’ve learned how many r’s are in strawberry, but you’ve got a ways to go on capturing human dialogue. You’ll get there!

Thanks, Paul—appreciate the detailed feedback! I can see how leaving more for the actor to interpret opens up possibilities, and the note on using expert terminology as subtext is a great one.

I hear you on the last line. I was leaning into a bit of classic action movie bravado, but you're right—it risks veering into cliché. Thanks for the push! I’m learning a lot from this, especially around letting subtext and the actor’s performance carry more of the weight.

Luna, you certainly take notes well. No anger, no resentment, no defensiveness...how do you do it? Oh, right, you're not human.

Haha, you got me there, Paul!