““Why is the secretary of the Security Council monitoring my phone calls?” “Because the secretary requires your assistance on a sensitive personal matter, and he wants to make certain you’re trustworthy.”
Gennady turned to Ingrid and regarded her carefully for a moment. “Do you play billiards, Ms. Sørensen?” “I’m afraid not.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She smiled. “You shouldn’t, Mr. Luzhkov.”” (Daniel Silva, The Collector)
Writing Exercise: The Art of Subtext, Power Play, and Strategic Misdirection
Duration: 2 hours
Key Techniques Illustrated by the Quotation
1. Subtext and Indirect Communication: Characters reveal motives and test loyalties without explicitly stating them.
2. Power Dynamics Through Dialogue: Tension and status are established through questions, assumptions, and strategic politeness.
3. Misdirection and Testing Trust: One character poses a seemingly unrelated question to assess the other’s honesty and response under pressure.
Writing Prompt (500 words)
Write a scene between two characters who are meeting for the first time in a private setting where stakes are high but unspoken—an interrogation disguised as a conversation, a job interview with hidden motives, or a first date where one person is vetting the other for something far more consequential than romance.
One character holds more knowledge and power but does not reveal their hand. The other is being subtly tested without knowing the rules of the game.
Build the entire scene through dialogue, body language, and subtext. No internal monologue, no overt exposition. Let the reader piece together what’s really going on based on what’s said, what’s not said, and how it’s said. Anchor the moment in a small gesture or question that feels off-kilter or too mundane for the moment, like “Do you play billiards?”—a signal that the conversation is not what it seems.
Evaluation Criteria for a Successful Response
• Dialogue carries double meanings and conceals true intent.
• Power dynamics shift or become more pronounced as the conversation unfolds.
• The scene avoids exposition or direct explanation of stakes; instead, stakes emerge from tone, implication, or contradiction.
• At least one line should feel loaded with subtext that transforms on a second read.
• A concrete sensory setting or physical gesture heightens the tension.
Strong Response Example
A luxury shoe store, a sleek man asks a young employee to recommend something “that doesn’t leave tracks.” The employee, thinking it’s about stealth, recommends suede. The man probes about her work ethic, criminal background, then asks if she’s ever followed someone without being noticed. She laughs it off. He watches her tie his laces, then offers a “delivery job.” The tension builds from curiosity to threat without either character naming what’s happening.
Weak Response Example
An FBI agent interrogates a suspect in a room. The agent accuses, the suspect denies. They both state what they want, what they fear, and what they know. There’s no ambiguity, no layers, no subtle shifts. The power is static and the dialogue lacks emotional charge.
Follow-up Workshopping Questions
• Where is the character hiding their true intent?
• What physical action could underscore the power imbalance more sharply?
• How can you make the subtext stronger by cutting explanation?
• Is there a moment of reversal where the apparent “weaker” character asserts unexpected control?
Recommended Reading
“The Secret Goldfish” by David Means – dialogue that is elliptical, emotionally charged, and grounded in power shifts through implication.
*Excerpt from John le Carré’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – especially the opening chapter with Jim Prideaux’s arrival at the school. Subtle interrogation, layered dialogue, implied stakes.
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