The difference between Chinese Script and Conversation transcript

Can we only speak Chinese and fluently only using the conversation transcript?

That is a question I also want to know. I am comfortable with Pinyin and the symbols used to denote tones but Chinese characters seem to be something that appear daunting. Is is normal to learn Chinese characters later and can I get away with JUST Pinyin. I am not trying to be lazy, just efficient. Thank you.

I think starting with Pinyin is good. But, I think you should work on learning the Chinese characters as well. Rocket Chinese has the writing section to help you learn. Learning the characters will give you a deeper understanding of the language.

大家好！ Despite the fact that I am Chinese I understand that Chinese characters can be daunting and that they take a long time to learn. We spend much of our schooling learning the characters and how to write them properly. However, do try and learn them because pinyin will not help you a lot when you do travel to China. They should only be considered a guide to pronunciation and not a form of written communication. 加油！Keep up the good work and you will find that soon enough the characters will become easier to understand and remember. 加油！加油！ - Lin Ping