Use Dialogue to set the Scene

Here is a dialog from, It’s a Date, in my Jackass Short Story Collection. What do you know about the story from this dialog? Here is the story:

 “Do you want to talk about sex?” she said startling her lunch mate.

“Not really, not here,” he said curtly, letting silence commandeer the moment. 

“I just don’t know why it’s so important and why everybody makes such a big deal about it?” she said piercing the calm.

“Well, who said it is a big deal anyway.”

“Jesus Christ, Darin, are you brain dead or did you spend the last twenty years in a cave in Siberia? I mean that is all anybody thinks about. It’s all anybody talks about.  Sex sells magazines. Sex sells movies. Sex sells books. Christ, sex sells sex!”

“Pass the ketchup,” he said cautiously.

The dialog reveals:

1.      It is lunchtime.

2.      They are in a busy restaurant

3.      They are casual friends. Not dating.

4.      They probably work together.

5.      He is emotionally distant and unavailable.

Notice how dialog can not only set the scene, but reveal a lot about the characters. Happy writing!

-Rick Glaze