Courses

The subtle play of spoken language between characters is essential to the process of storytelling. Speech renders fictional characters present and alive, helping the reader to imagine them and invest in their plight. But how do we reproduce natural-sounding speech in our stories while recognizing that our day-to-day conversations differ in key ways from fictional dialogue? In this course, we will examine when and how to bring direct speech into fiction and how to craft convincing and compelling dialogue that delineates the nature of what is at stake in each character’s journey. We will also examine the manner in which what remains unsaid can sometimes energize a text. For inspiration, we will read excerpts by Michael Chabon, Yiyun Li, Edward P. Jones, and Donald Antrim. We will also consider scenes from plays constructed entirely from spoken language, focusing on selections from works by Annie Baker, Tony Kushner, and Lynn Nottage. In each class session, we will perform generative exercises mirroring techniques gleaned from the works we've read, using our new understanding of dramatic writing to build our own scenes. Students will work toward a final finished piece (up to 2,000 words) to hand in at the end of the class for instructor feedback, demonstrating what they've learned about how to write captivating dialogue.