How Not to Be a Dry Texter: The Complete Guide

If your texts consistently get one-word replies or conversations die after a few exchanges, you might be a dry texter.

The good news? It’s fixable.

Here’s how to stop being dry and start having actual conversations.

What Makes Someone a “Dry Texter”?

Dry texting is when your messages give the other person nothing to work with. Examples:

One-word replies (“nice,” “cool,” “lol”)
No follow-up questions
Generic responses that could apply to anything
Long delays with short, uninteresting replies
Never adding detail or personality

The result: The other person feels like they’re doing all the work, so they stop trying.

Why People Text Dry

1. They don’t know what to say Some people genuinely don’t know how to keep a conversation going over text.

2. They’re not that interested If someone is consistently dry, they might just not be that into the conversation (or you).

3. They’re bad at texting but good in person Some people just prefer face-to-face communication and text out of obligation.

4. They’re busy Sometimes people are genuinely swamped and can only send quick replies.

The fix applies if it’s #1 or #3. If it’s #2, no amount of texting skill will fix it.

How to Stop Being a Dry Texter

1. Stop Giving One-Word Answers

Dry: “cool” Better: “That’s cool! How’d you get into that?”

Dry: “lol” Better: “Haha I wasn’t expecting that. What happened next?”

Add at least one sentence of substance and a follow-up question.

2. Ask Open-Ended Questions

Closed (dry): “Did you have a good day?” Open (engaging): “What was the best part of your day?”

Closed: “Do you like your job?” Open: “What do you like most about what you do?”

Open-ended questions require more than yes/no and keep the conversation flowing.

Dry: “I went to the gym” Better: “Just got back from the gym. My legs are gonna hate me tomorrow but it felt good”

Dry: “I’m watching a movie” Better: “Watching [movie] for the first time — can’t believe I waited this long to see it”

Give them something to respond to.

4. Use the “Yes, And” Rule

This is an improv technique: take what they said and add to it.

Them: “I had the worst day at work” Dry: “That sucks” Better (Yes, And): “That sucks. What happened? Was it your boss again or something new?”

You acknowledge what they said AND push the conversation forward.

5. React With Personality

Dry: “nice” Better: “Wait that’s actually amazing”

Dry: “cool” Better: “Okay you’re officially cooler than me now”

Show that you’re actually engaged, not just going through the motions.

6. Don’t Make Them Do All the Work

If they’re always asking questions and you’re just answering, you’re being dry.

After answering their question, ask one back:

Them: “What are you up to this weekend?” You: “Probably hiking if the weather’s good. What about you — any plans?”

Balance the effort.

7. Reference Previous Conversations

Generic: “How’s it going?” Personal: “Did that presentation you were stressing about go okay?”

Bringing up something they told you before shows you were listening and care.

8. Use Emojis and Exclamation Points (In Moderation)

Texts without any tone can read flat.

Dry: “thats funny” Better: “that’s actually hilarious 😂”

Dry: “sounds good” Better: “sounds good!”

Don’t overdo it, but a little goes a long way in showing enthusiasm.

9. Don’t Take Forever to Reply With One Word

If you’re going to take 3 hours to respond, make it worth the wait.

Dry: [3 hours later] “yeah” Better: [30 minutes later] “Yeah! I’ve been meaning to try that place. Want to go this weekend?”

Either reply faster, or make the reply more substantial.

10. Know When to Call Instead

If texting feels like pulling teeth, suggest a call or FaceTime.

“I feel like we’re playing text tag — want to just call later?”

Some people are just better in real-time conversation.

How to Tell If YOU’RE the Dry One

They’re sending paragraphs, you’re sending sentences
They ask questions, you don’t
Conversations die after a few exchanges
People stop texting you first
Your replies could apply to anything (“cool,” “nice,” “lol”)

If that sounds like you, use the tips above.

What to Do If Someone Else Is Dry

You can try to engage them differently, but if it’s consistent, they’re either:

Not interested
Terrible at texting and not trying to improve
Waiting for you to do all the work

Your move: Pull back. If they care, they’ll notice and step it up. If not, you have your answer.

The Bottom Line

Being a dry texter isn’t a personality trait — it’s a habit.

Ask better questions. Add details. Show enthusiasm. Reference past conversations. Make it a two-way street.

If they’re still not engaging after you’ve put in effort, that’s on them, not you.

But if people consistently tell you you’re dry, it’s time to level up your texting game.

It’s not hard. It just takes a little more effort than “lol.”