12 Techniques to Improve Your Dialogue (Kristie Smeltzer)

This class will meet from 6:00-8:00 PM Eastern Time on Zoom for 4 weeks:  Tuesdays, June 2, June 9, June 23, and June 30. Note: No class June 16.

Description:

Dialogue is an exceptionally useful tool to develop characters. People’s words show us what’s in their heads and hearts and articulate their perspectives on the world. A unique perspective is often what draws us to a character, whether we like them or not. We often hear that we need to cultivate our ear for dialogue but sometimes what we really need are practical methods for how to improve our skills. If that resonates, join us to learn twelve specific dialogue techniques to develop characters that you can use in your writing practice right away.

This four-week Zoom class will cover three character developing dialogue techniques per class session, and participants will apply them to their work in real time. Each session will have a theme, such as “How Emotion Influences Speech.” We’ll discuss specific techniques that convey character emotion information in authentic and engaging ways—that sidestep the dreaded monologue. Then participants will revise previously drafted work or write new conversations to practice implementing the skills.

This class is a good fit for fiction and creative nonfiction writers. Some techniques will lend themselves more easily to writing fiction due to the greater creative license available to those writing purely fictional people/events.

About the Instructor:

Kristie Smeltzer's fiction has been published by Scribes*MICRO*Fiction, MonkeyBicycle, Atticus Review, and others. She is currently working on several novels. She earned her MFA in creative writing at the University of Central Florida. Kristie has taught at WriterHouse since 2016, and her students have gone on to publish their work in literary magazines, with small presses, and through large publishing houses. She also helps others tell their stories as a developmental editor and writing coach. Learn more at www.kristiesmeltzer.com.