Self

11 Texts To Send When The Conversation Dies

Don’t you forget about me.

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A person sits on the floor in front of their couch, texting and eating a sandwich. Reaching out to r...
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The conversation was going so well. You were talking about your pets and your jobs and your third re-watch of Buffy. And then... the chat just died. It wasn’t an intentional or angry death — but there just wasn’t a lot to follow up with their last text of “I know, right?” Sending texts to restart a conversation is definitely an art, but it doesn’t have to be rocket science.

“If I haven’t been texting them because I don’t want to be texting them, my favorite text to send is nothing at all,” says Jaymes, 27. “But if the conversation fizzled for no sinister reason and I’m looking to rekindle that talking flame, I think about what I have in common with the person.” They say that might mean sending anything from funny TikToks or a wholesome check-in to an invite to chill IRL.

Read more: 50 Example Sexting Ideas You Can Use Right Now

If the last thing you talked about was that stressful work deadline they had coming up, start there. If you don’t usually have deep text conversations, but you miss them anyway, your text doesn’t have to be profound — a photo of your new foster kitten might just do the trick. When you want to reach out again but you’re not sure how, check out these 11 texts to send to restart a conversation that’s faded away.

1

“Hello. It’s me.”

If you’ve temporarily ghosted because work was A Lot, say hello again. Accompany this one with an Adele .gif to really drive the message home that you’re looking to reconnect. Fall furs and perfectly flowing hair are optional.

2

“I saw the funniest thing today, and it reminded me of you.”

The last thing they sent was an emoji that was sweet, but requires no response. Want to keep the convo going? Start with a fresh story about that random possum you saw crossing the street.

3

[insert mysterious series of emojis here]

“I wouldn’t recommend the random emoji spread with someone that you don’t know well,” Jaymes says. “But if the convo with a decently-close friend died out and I have nothing in particular to say, I like to amuse myself by sending a random assortment of sea creatures and fruits to see their reaction — and talk to them again.”

4

“Oh my God, have you seen this?”

Definitely include a laughing emoji and a ridiculous TikTok link in this one so they don’t think anything’s wrong. It’s the perfect way to keep the chatter up when you know everything that happened in their day but you want to keep talking anyway.

5

“I’m baaaack.”

Let your friend know you’ve returned to this planet with a cheeky acknowledgment that you’ve been MIA, but you’re ready to interact again. This one works especially well when you were the one to let the convo fall off.

6

“The new [insert fandom here] trailer just dropped!”

“I have shamelessly waited to reconnect with someone until the Generation Q season 2 trailer hit,” says Carla, 29. “I’d wanted to talk to this person — who may or may not be an ex I’m on friendly terms with — but didn’t quite know what to say until I saw the flawless Ms. Jamie Clayton in that adorable jacket.” Whether you haven’t talked to them in weeks or want to reawaken the convo that fizzled out this morning, fandom can come to the rescue.

7

“Hey, did you get to ask for that raise?”

Last time you talked — maybe it was yesterday, or maybe it was weeks ago — you know they were building up the courage to ask for a raise. Follow up about it to get the chat flowing again.

8

“What have you been up to? Other than not texting me?”

Depending on The Vibe you’re going for, add an upside down smiley or a winky face. If you’re feeling both playful and forgiving, try heart eyes or the little halo dude.

9

“Okay but I miss you.”

“It’s a call out without being a call out,” Chavie, 28, explains. “I tend to say stuff like this when I feel like the other person is the one who fizzled the conversation, but I’m not overly mad about it.”

10

[insert photo here]

It can be of your irresistible puppy. Or, if you’re feeling yourself, it can be of irresistible you.

11

“Drinks?”

Or coffee. Or dinner. Whatever floats your hanging-out boat. As long as it gets you two talking again.

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