LitPDX seeks to amplify marginalized voices, and welcomes all, their ideas, their events, and their words.
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Craft Conversations: Dialogue
July 17, 2021 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
$75Dialogue, as much as anything else, reveals the character to the writer and, ultimately to the reader. I don’t have a very clear idea of who the characters are until they start talking.
~ Joan Didion
Sometimes, when I’m lucky, a line of dialogue, either something I’ve dreamed up or overheard, will spark a story. Because dialogue is so revealing it can be an entrance point, a moment when a character speaking, reveals themself on the page. Because dialogue is the only time the reader directly hears from the characters without the filter of the narrator, the spoken words become a measure for the heart and mind of the characters.
What do they want?
What are they trying to gain or conceal?
How is dialog different than spoken language?
How can we move the story forward in the voices of our characters?
What makes dialog zing?
We will discuss all of these and more with examples, handouts, and exercises. Dialog is one of my favorite parts reading, writing and teaching. It will be a win win win of a conversation.
Access Program
We want our writing classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class registrations at a reduced rate. The access program for writing classes covers 60% of the class tuition. Most writing classses have at least one access spot available. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you would like to take a writing class at the Access Rate.