Best way to do dual dialogue?

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hi,
I am writing in the Screenplay format (Script mode > Screenplay). My question is, what is the best way to handle a section of dual dialogue where characters are speaking simultaneously? I tried inserting a table but when I used the Screenplay formatting tools (dialogue, character, transition, scene heading etc) it breaks the table formatting. I must be doing something wrong.

So, how do you folks handle a section of dual dialogue in a screenplay?

Cheers,
Mark

2

Take a look at the manual (under help), and search for “dual dialogue”. It should be section 19.1.2 (version 3, I don’t think version 2 for Mac had this capability).

1 Like
3

Thanks.
I had used the search from the help menu item, not actually searching the PDF manual. But there it is in the PDF. I have tried this and it works exactly as I hoped:
• Write dialogue normally (linearly)
• Select the dialogue you want to appear side by side
• Format>Preserve Formatting and it will appear in a light blue box. What is inside the box will appear side by side upon Compile.

Thanks RDALE,
Mark

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4

I have used the Preserve Formatting method, but when I exported it to pdf, it doesn’t work.

5

The Preserve Formatting option is great… for those who have Final Draft.

It would be way cool if you made a dual dialogue function one could export to PDF or Word. This would make Scrivener fully fledged and complete screenwriter platform. Having to rely on Final Draft to complete a function is not ideal.

In the meantime, is there an alternative way to pair two dialogue columns that would preserve it in PDF or word without having to export to FD?