Definition
Small talk is casual social speech about low-stakes topics, often used to establish setting, discomfort, or evasion. In craft, small talk works when it hides larger tension beneath polite surface.
Example
Two neighbors discuss the weather for a page while one waits for the other to mention the missing dog.
Related terms
Common mistakes
- Filling pages with pleasant chat that does not connect to scene goal.
- Cutting all small talk and losing social realism in domestic scenes.