When writing dialogue, I like to get involved in the emotion of the conversation, which is hard when I’m having to think about the software. I’m sure a lot of people already know this, if not, here’s an easy way to write a two-person conversation in Final Draft:

You have to type the names the first occurence in the scene (if the character names have already been used in the script it will autofill):

[TAB] GREG [RETURN]

Do you want anything from Trader Joe’s? [RETURN]

[TAB] BETH [RETURN]

Maybe some of that tapenade stuff.

From this point forward, all you need to do is hit [RETURN][TAB][RETURN] between each line and it’ll fill in the names, alternating them each time:

[RETURN][TAB][RETURN]

Is that the mashed olive thing?

RETURN][TAB][RETURN]

Yes, Oh, and some of that trail mix I like.

[RETURN][TAB][RETURN]

Cool. On it like Blue Bonnet.

[RETURN][TAB][RETURN]

No, please get real butter.

Another way is to hit [RETURN][TAB][TAB][TAB][TAB].

As you were.
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