She Said WHAT?: Character Voices and Dialogue

Instructor Jessica Litwak says, “I started out my working life as an actor, so I write and teach writing from the inside, embodying story and character with passion, specificity and joy. I work to inspire and guide my students towards strong and clear written expression, particularly through character and dialogue.”

In this 5-week remote workshop, we will explore dialogue through reading and writing prompts in which we examine and generate material. Students will read dialogue from books, plays, and screenplays, discuss what works, how certain dialogue is effective and evocative, or how it falls short. Dialogue writing exercises will focus on embedded exposition, character development through the character’s voice (going deep into accent, tone, impediment, range of voice), and expressing the arc of a story and the shift in a character’s life through dialogue. We will also develop monologues, both inner (reflective voice) and outer (spoken to another character or to the reader).

All students will receive specific and supportive feedback from the instructor and will engage with each other in an atmosphere of creative support. Jessica says, “Everyone will leave the workshop with new tools, a body of work generated during class and in optional homework assignments, and goals for next steps in writing dialogue for fiction and non-fiction as well as dramatic writing.”

About The Writing Salon's Remote Classes

Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, The Writing Salon is running all classes in a remote learning format. You will be able to participate in live class meetings via Zoom videoconference. To attend classes, you'll need a phone, tablet or computer and access to the internet. You can participate in the class from wherever you'd like, whether on your living room couch or in your office. Before your class meets, you'll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about Zoom and your remote class. If you have any questions about remote learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.