Screenplay format guide
Dual Dialogue in a Screenplay
Dual dialogue puts two speeches side by side on the page because the characters talk at the same time. In Fountain you add a caret after the second name, like LEO ^. Here is when it earns its place, what it looks like on the page, and how to do it in Word or Docs.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
The toaster pops. Both twins lunge for it.
MIA
That one is mine, I put it in, I saw you watching me put it in!
LEO
I called it last night, you were literally there, you said fine!
Their mother takes the toast and eats it.
Write your own
Type in plain text. A name in caps right above a line becomes dialogue, and lines starting INT. or EXT. become scene headings.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
The toaster pops. Both twins lunge for it.
MIA
That one is mine, I put it in, I saw you watching me put it in!
LEO
I called it last night, you were literally there, you said fine!
Their mother takes the toast and eats it.
How to use it
- 1
Write the first speaker as a normal cue and their line.
- 2
Write the second speaker right after, and in Fountain add a caret ^ after their name.
- 3
Software sets the two blocks side by side. In Word or Docs, use a two column table with no borders.
How do you write dual dialogue in each app?
| App | How |
|---|---|
| Fountain apps (Highland, Fade In) | Add ^ after the second cue: LEO ^ |
| Final Draft | Select both speeches, then Format, Dual Dialogue |
| Word or Google Docs | A 2 column table with no borders |
| Plain text | Write them in order and add (overlapping) |
When should you use dual dialogue?
Use it when two people really do talk over each other: an argument at full speed, two kids shouting at once, a chorus of excuses. On screen these lines overlap, and the side by side layout tells the reader to hear them at the same time.
Keep both blocks short. Long dual dialogue is hard to read, because the eye has to choose which column to follow. If one line matters more than the other, it is often better to write them one after the other and add (overlapping) as a parenthetical.
What does dual dialogue look like on the page?
The page splits into two narrow columns. Each column has its own cue, any parenthetical, and dialogue, all narrower than normal so both fit inside the usual margins. The scene picks up full width again on the next action line.
In Fountain, write the second cue with a caret: LEO ^. Final Draft, WriterDuet, Highland and most other apps have a dual dialogue command that does the same thing. In a word processor there is no real dual dialogue, so a borderless two column table is the honest workaround.
What about more than two voices?
Dual dialogue is built for two. For a crowd, write ALL or the group name as the cue, like THE KIDS, or describe the noise in action and pick out one or two lines that matter.
More from the format guide
- How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flashback in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Phone Call in a Screenplay
- How to Write Text Messages in a Screenplay
- Voice Over in a Screenplay: V.O. Narration
- Screenplay Transitions: CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO
- How to Introduce a Character in a Screenplay
- How to Use Parentheticals in a Screenplay
- How to Write an Intercut in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Title Card in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Series of Shots in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flash Forward in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Dream Sequence in a Screenplay
- Smash Cut: What It Is and How to Write One
- O.S. in a Screenplay: Meaning and Format
- How to Write a Pre Lap in a Screenplay
- Subtitles in a Screenplay: Foreign Dialogue
- How to Write a Split Screen in a Screenplay
- How to Write Slow Motion in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Freeze Frame in a Screenplay
- How to Write Song Lyrics in a Screenplay
Questions writers ask
What is dual dialogue in a screenplay?
Two characters speaking at the same time, shown side by side in two columns so the reader hears them overlap.
How do you write dual dialogue in Fountain?
Write the first cue and line normally, then add a caret after the second cue, like LEO ^, and its line.
How do you do dual dialogue in Google Docs or Word?
Insert a two column table, remove the borders, and type one speaker per column with the usual cue and dialogue spacing.
When should I use overlapping instead?
When one line matters more, or the lines are long. Write them in order and add (overlapping) under the second cue.
Further reading
- From the blogWriting Screenplay Dialogue That Conceals and Reveals
- From the blogHow to Write Dialogue That Crackles (Subtext & Voice)A craft guide to writing screen dialogue that lands: why dialogue is behavior not information, how to bury meaning in subtext, give every character a voice rooted in worldview, write for the ear, cut greetings and direct answers, and let silence do the work.