Hello writers,
There are few things we can get away with when it comes to our readers and unnatural or awkward dialogue is definitely not one of them. Dull, lackluster, or cliché dialogue is almost impossible to ignore and it can ruin a scene with just a couple of lines. And writers have a hard time mastering this aspect of the craft because dialogue is tricky. Not only does every line of dialogue have to do some work, like furthering the plot, providing important information to the reader, or deepening a character, but it also has to sound natural and like something someone would say (although you can’t write dialogue the way we actually speak). But don’t be discouraged because while dialogue isn’t easy to master, it’s not impossible.
That’s why we’re so excited to offer the class “Anatomy of a Scene: A Deep Dive into Dialogue” with Stacey Swann on Saturday, February 12. If your dialogue sounds unnatural or awkward or you’d simply like to sharpen the dialogue in your work, this class is for you. And don’t forget to submit your scene by this Thursday, February 3rd for the chance to have it workshopped during the class.
All the best,
Sam Babiak
Program Director
