All Talk: Dialogue in Fiction

Class Description

Dialogue can be the bane of a writer’s existence or great fun. In this class, we’ll aim for the latter. After a review of basic principles, we’ll discuss examples from the likes of Toni Morrison, Sam Lipsyte, Danielle Evans, Grace Paley, and Dylan Landis. Then we’ll use eavesdropping, role play, and even a smidgen of applied linguistics to write dialogue that is textured, lively, and rich in subtext. Students should bring three lines of overheard dialogue to class for use in a collaborative exercise. This should be something you’re willing to share with others for use in their fiction. Students will write one new scene and come away with techniques for countless more.

Anca L. Szilágyi is the author of Daughters of the Air, which Shelf Awareness called “a striking debut” and Dreams Under Glass, which Buzzfeed Books called “a novel for our modern times.” She has taught creative writing since 2010.

What to Expect

Format: In Person

Class Capacity: 15

Class Style: Workshop; participation- and assignment-based

Materials List

Required

• Digital Course Packet

First Assignment

• Please read "Trust" by Dylan Landis.

Cost and Registration

1 Session, $85 ($76.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($85), Community Supported ($80), and Sponsor ($90).Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.

The views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.

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Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.

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