The Cover Test: Do Your Characters Sound Different?
The Cover Test is a simple way to measure whether your characters sound like different people: cover the character names in a dialogue scene (with your hand or a sheet of paper), then ask "who said this line?". If you can't tell who's speaking without the names, everyone in your screenplay is talking in the same voice.
Why it works
A strong character has their own word choice, their own sentence rhythm and their own problem. The Cover Test checks dialogue against exactly that difference — it tunes the writer's ear to the character.
How to do it
- Pick a dialogue scene.
- Cover the character names; leave only the lines.
- Read each line and guess who said it.
- Mark the lines you couldn't place.
- Rewrite the marked lines according to that character's vocabulary, rhythm and problem.
Short dialogue examples
AI don't think we should do this. It's too risky.
BI agree. It really is too risky.
MASTERThirty years. Has this oven ever gone cold? It won't now.
SONDad, look — the numbers don't add up. We're short again this month.
Checklist
- With the names covered, can you tell who's speaking?
- Does each character have a word or a rhythm of their own?
- Does everyone speak in lines of the same length? (A weak sign.)
- Do the lines say the same thing twice?
You can try it without an account; you'll need one to save and download what you write.
Last updated: September 14, 2026