Speakeasy: The Pleasures of Writing Good Dialogue

How does Grace Paley write dinner table chatter in which we seem to hear every voice simultaneously? How do playwrights like David Mamet and Sarah Ruhl create distinctive styles of spoken English that still sound like people we know? What can we learn from the uses (or misuses) of dialect, from Mark Twain to August Wilson? Dialogue is one of the most difficult and important elements of creative writing.

In this deep dive into written speech, we will explore how masters across genres have used dialogue to convey information, character, and drama.

In addition to reading, we will eavesdrop, analyzing actual speech alongside published work.

We will write our own dialogues, either as part of works in progress or as stepping-stones to future projects.

Students will have multiple opportunities to receive feedback, both through class discussion and in writing from the instructor.

You will leave better able to create dialogue that sounds authentic, distinctive, and lively.