Non Sequitur
A statement that does not follow from what came before. In logic it is an unsupported conclusion; in dialogue and comedy it is a line that swerves away from the conversation, often revealing what a character is really thinking about.
- On the surface
- An answer with nothing to do with the question.
- Underneath
- She can't face the decision, and she's afraid of drifting apart.
In practice
A non sequitur is a statement that does not follow from what came before it. The Latin means “it does not follow.” In logic, it names an argument whose conclusion isn't supported by its premises. In fiction and comedy, it names a line or moment that jumps away from the conversation without a bridge.
Writers use the second sense far more. A non sequitur in dialogue can be a joke, built on the surprise of the swerve, or a window into a character: when someone answers a question nobody asked, the audience learns what is really on their mind.
The device needs a clear track for the reader to fall off. A conversation has to establish a direction before a line can break from it. Without that, the scene reads as random rather than revealing.
A swerve that shows what she's avoiding
INT. HOSPITAL CAFETERIA - DAY
MARCUS (50s) sets down two coffees. His sister JUNE (40s) watches the elevator doors.
MARCUS
The doctor wants to talk about options. Today.
JUNE
Did you know otters hold hands when they sleep? So they don't drift apart.
Marcus pushes her coffee closer. She doesn't touch it.
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June's answer has nothing to do with the question, which is why it works. She can't talk about the decision, and the fact she reaches for is about not drifting apart. The non sequitur changes the subject and confesses the fear in the same breath.
Non sequitur examples in comedy and drama
Monty Python's Flying Circus turned one into a catchphrase: “And now for something completely different” announces a cut to a sketch with no connection to the last, and the bluntness of the swerve is the joke.
In drama, a non sequitur shows a character who can't face the subject. A widower who answers condolences with a remark about the gutters tells the audience more about his grief than a speech would.
In logic, the classic form is a conclusion that skips its reason: ‘She drives a red car, so she must be reckless.’ A character who argues this way reveals prejudice or panic, which makes the fallacy useful in dialogue as well.
Non sequitur vs. red herring and a change of subject
A red herring is a deliberate false lead, planted to misdirect the audience or another character, and it usually connects to the plot. A non sequitur doesn't connect at all, at least on the surface.
An ordinary change of subject comes with a bridge, such as ‘speaking of which.’ A non sequitur skips the bridge, so the audience has to supply the reason, and that inference is where the meaning lives.
How to write a non sequitur that works
Establish the track first. Let the conversation stay on one subject long enough that the swerve is unmistakable.
Make the swerve specific. A precise, odd detail, such as otters, a kayak or the price of lemons, is funnier and more revealing than a vague change of topic.
Decide what it reveals. Ask why this character says this thing now. If the answer is only that it's funny, keep it short and move on; if the answer is fear, guilt or desire, let another character react to it.
Test it in context. In Plot, write the scene with and without the line as two takes and read them side by side. If the plain version loses nothing, cut the swerve.
Common questions
What is a non sequitur?
A non sequitur is a statement that doesn't follow from what came before. In logic it is an unsupported conclusion; in dialogue and comedy it is a line that swerves away from the conversation.
What does non sequitur mean in Latin?
It means “it does not follow.” English uses the phrase both for faulty reasoning and for an abrupt change of subject in conversation or comedy.
Is a non sequitur a logical fallacy?
In logic, yes: a non sequitur is an argument whose conclusion doesn't follow from its premises. In storytelling the term usually means an abrupt, disconnected remark, often used for comedy.
How do you use a non sequitur in dialogue?
Let a conversation build a clear direction, then have a character break from it with a specific, unexpected line that hints at what they are really thinking about.