Let’s Talk About Dialogue – Fall 2022

It’s been said that dialogue is character, and character is plot. In this two-hour workshop, we will analyze dialogue from novels, memoirs, and screenplays and generate new material in response to prompts. By exploring a variety of techniques for conveying conflict, character, and plot through written dialogue, students will develop confidence in deploying character voice and intent.

Jessica Handler is the author of the novel The Magnetic Girl, winner of the 2020 Southern Book Prize, and a nominee for the Townsend Prize for Fiction. Her memoir, Invisible Sisters, was named one of the “Books All Georgians Should Read.” Handler’s craft guide, Braving the Fire: A Guide to Writing About Grief and Loss, was praised by Vanity Fair magazine and has been the focal text for grief writing workshops in the US and overseas since its publication in 2013. Her writing has appeared on NPR, in Tin House, Drunken Boat, The Bitter Southerner, Electric Literature, Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Oldster, Full Grown People and elsewhere.

This class is suitable for all levels.

Cancellation Policy:

The Carnegie Center reserves the right to cancel a class if minimum enrollment is not met. It is best to register early to help our instructors prepare and to ensure the class does not get cancelled. We evaluate registration numbers between 6 and 2 business days before a class starts to decide whether we can hold the class. Classes that do not meet minimum enrollment may be cancelled a minimum of two business days prior to the first class meeting. All participants will be notified by email and will receive full refunds.