Dialogue Simulation Theory: A Convention for Simulating Modern Text Exchanges in Novels

Yusuf Kemal
Feb 5
3 min read

While writing my first novel “When Love Meets The Light”, I came across a glut of writing rules and conventions. I learned a lot from them. However, I was surprised not to come across any fixed writing convention for modern texting in novels (i.e. WhatsApp, iMessage exchanges etc..)

It only seemed that each author had their own style. So, here, I share mine in the hope of inspiring others to follow this easy, simple convention that’s as efficient for writers to use as it is intuitive for readers to understand.

Multiple messages:

In a novel, multiple messages are those that cause the receiver's phone to ping with multiple notifications.

For Short messages;

“Short text… Short text.” 

Example:

“Hi… How are you?”

For Long messages;

“Long text.”

Example:

“While writing my first novel “When Love Meets The Light”, I came across a glut of writing rules and conventions. I learned a lot from them. However, I was surprised not to come across any fixed writing convention for modern texting in novels (i.e. WhatsApp, iMessage exchanges etc..)”

“The utility of this writing convention lies in its simplicity—and efficiency. Any single text is ended only by quotations marks, except for short multiple messages. The reason is simple, but let’s illustrate it with a simple sample text exchange between two characters in our novel.”

Single Message:

In single text messages, one character in your novel texts another character but only sends one single message. (Quick litmus test: how many notifications the character on the receiving end of the messages would get? If one, follow this rule. If not, return to the earlier section on multiple messages).

The system works as follows:

Same Line:

“Short or long text.”  

Separate Lines:

“Short or long text.

“Short or long text.”

Understanding The DST system

Devised with Efficiency in Mind

The utility of this writing convention lies in its simplicity—and efficiency. Any single text is ended only by quotations marks, except for short multiple messages. The reason is simple, but let’s illustrate it with a simple sample text exchange between two characters in our novel.

Without the DST system:

“Hey”

“How are you?”

“I was at Jake’s class”

“This morning”

“I hoped I’d bump into you”

“Where have u been”

“You ok?”

Depending on the font size, page dimensions, and number of messages sent, without the DST convention, text messages of a single character could easily devour half a page—or more, Good Lord! The DST convention compresses this into a neat, spatially efficient format that’s understandable at a reader’s glance.

With the DST system:

“Hey… How are you?… I was at Jake’s class… This morning… I hoped I’d bump into you… Where have u been… You ok?”

The difference is almost a four-fold reduction in empty lines. Granted, some authors may object and think this deprives them of precious white space on the page. Fair enough. If your novel is short, then perhaps having each text on a line is a better choice for you—though, you’ll then be left to deal with the conundrum of delineating each character’s voice to avoid attributional errors by readers. But for longer novels spanning over 100,000 words, the DST convention affords them the flexibility and spatial efficiency they need with a tidy, compressed yet immediately legible format for dialogues—which, as a bonus, except for long multiple message, completely resolves the risk for attribution error by readers (i.e. readers won’t get confused who’s saying what).

The goal here isn’t to say that the DST system is superior to all other conventions; rather, it is to offer an alternative writing convention that’s intuitive, efficient on page real estate, and effortless for readers to skim through. It may not work for everyone, but it’s worth seeing if it works for your specific novel use case.

Separate Lines — The New Art of The Century

Another feature of the DST system is that it allows authors to simulate single message texts written on separate lines. Normally, such texts are compressed onto the same line—with the trade-off of losing out on potentially important narrative nuances and psycho-emotional cues during character text exchanges in novels. Allowing for such nuances and cues to be preserved—even accentuated—has been one of the great accomplishments of the DST system.

The DST convention has allowed me to do wonders in my own novel, and I hope it helps you all, too.

If you found this helpful, please pass it on somebody else so we all grow together.

This has been Yusuf Kemal, and I invite you, to Re-consider !