Friday Catalyst: What They Dare Not Say Prompt

Friday Catalyst: What They Dare Not Say Prompt

Key Techniques

1. Revealing character through motive rather than action alone

2. Embedding motive within subtext-rich dialogue

3. Using conflict between internal desire and external expression to create tension

Writing Prompt (approx. 500 words)

Write a two-character scene in which one character urgently wants something from the other but cannot state it outright. The other character suspects the motive but is unwilling to acknowledge it directly. Both characters must be in the same physical space for the duration of the scene. The setting should impose a small but constant pressure on them—time running out, a public space where they must keep voices down, or a shared task that requires cooperation.

Requirements:

• Begin in the middle of the conversation, with no greeting or scene setup

• The characters must not resolve the central need by the end of the scene

• At least one line of dialogue should be completely banal on the surface but loaded with hidden meaning when read in context

• No explicit internal monologue—motives must be revealed through what is said, left unsaid, and implied

• End the scene with an action that shifts the reader’s understanding of the motive or stakes

Example of strong execution:

The dialogue feels layered, with each line functioning both as a surface statement and as a clue to the speaker’s deeper intent. Body language, pauses, and interruptions enrich the subtext. The motive becomes increasingly clear through pattern and implication rather than blunt confession.

Example of weak execution:

The character’s motives are spelled out directly in narration or spoken plainly without resistance. Dialogue reads as on-the-nose, with no tension between what is said and what is meant. The scene lacks escalation or shift in the reader’s perception.

Evaluation Criteria

• Dialogue reveals motive indirectly yet with increasing clarity

• Subtext builds tension and keeps reader engaged

• Physical setting influences tone and constrains character choices

• Ending reframes or deepens understanding of motive without stating it outright

• Every line of dialogue either advances conflict, reveals motive, or heightens stakes

Follow-up Workshopping/Revision Questions

• Where does the subtext sharpen the reader’s awareness of motive?

• Which lines feel too direct or rob the dialogue of tension?

• Does the physical setting add enough pressure, or is it merely decorative?

• Is the ending shift surprising yet inevitable?

• Could cutting one-third of the dialogue make the motives more powerful through omission?

Recommended Reading

Excerpt from Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day — particularly the exchanges between Stevens and Miss Kenton, where layers of restraint and implication reveal deep, unspoken motives beneath polite conversation.

AI Disclosure Statement:

This writing prompt was created in collaboration with ChatGPT, an AI model by OpenAI, to support creative practice. ChatGPT assisted with idea generation and drafting; the final text was edited by the author. The illustration was created using Google Gemini.