# Dual Dialogue

**URL:** <https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/dual-dialogue/49914>\
**Category:** Scrivener for macOS\
**Tags:** support\
**Created:** [May 7, 2020, 9:05am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/dual-dialogue/49914 "2020-05-07T09:05:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Creampuffery](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Creampuffery](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Creampuffery)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 9:05am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/dual-dialogue/49914/1 "2020-05-07T09:05:45Z")

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If this is a repeat - I apologize but I couldn’t find a solution to this… I’d like to be able to have characters talk at the same time in screenwriting mode. Is this possible?

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**Author:** ![brookter](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/brookter/32/16095_2.png) [@brookter](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/brookter)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 10:09am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/dual-dialogue/49914/2 "2020-05-07T10:09:08Z")

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From the manual it appears you can do this, though the effect will only appear in the compiled output — you won’t actually see the side by side dialogue as you type.

All you need to do is to type both bit so dialogue, then select them all (including the character names) and choose Format \> Preserve Formatting. The dialogue will be formatted side by side when you compile to a relevant output format.

This is what it says in the manual (S19.1.4).

> [@](#):
>
> When compiling scripts to Final Draft (.fdx) format, or Scrivener’s own Print and pdf output, you can designate text as being dual dialogue by fully surrounding both bits of dialogue (including the character names) in a Format ▸ Preserve Formatting block. Refer to Figure 19.1 for a before and after example.

 ![Screenshot 2020-05-07 11.07.55.jpg](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0c019c7f2d9ccc3c9c069a40fb5619442c30f28e.jpeg)

HTH.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Creampuffery](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Creampuffery](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Creampuffery)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/dual-dialogue/49914/3 "2020-05-08T13:20:10Z")

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I did try this but it ended up screwing up my formatting in the entire document… I had to remove it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brookter](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/brookter/32/16095_2.png) [@brookter](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/brookter)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/dual-dialogue/49914/4 "2020-05-08T13:43:03Z")

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Well, the basic principle works (I’ve just tested it). Sounds like there’s something specific to your project. Probably best to get in touch with Support directly.