Confession: editing dialogue is, without a doubt, my favorite part of the job. It’s no surprise, then, that I’ve always wanted to do a class sharing my insights on dialogue with authors and other editors. So come join me for Say What?: An Immersion in Dialogue on April 16.
I’m not sure why editing dialogue is so enjoyable for me. Going deeper with dialogue is an essential part of my immersion editing approach. Perhaps it’s because I believe that voice—a writer’s unique style, expression, sound, rhythm, and flow of words—is what makes great writing great.
And what is dialogue if not voice? It’s the voice of the people (fictional or real) in your book. It’s how they speak to themselves, to others, and to the readers.
Or who knows—maybe I love working with dialogue simply because I’m a talker. I love talking. (Usually with my hands waving wildly about, as anyone who’s spent more than five seconds with me knows.) But I also love listening to other people talk, especially authors as they talk about their books. I suppose dialogue is nothing more than “talking on a page.” What’s there not to love?
Whatever the reason, I have a special passion for dialogue, and I’m excited to share it during this class. Here’s a taste of the topics we’ll address:
- Do you really have to stick to say and ask as dialogue tags?
- What’s the hidden secret behind one of the most common dialogue foibles?
- How do you avoid the “tennis match” effect of back-and-forth dialogue?
- What does “show, don’t tell” have to do with dialogue?
- How can a trip to a coffee shop or taking a selfie help you with dialogue?
- And what’s the advanced-level tip that few authors seem to know?
Authors, come learn the inside scoop on how to make your dialogue speak for itself. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, dialogue is no doubt a key element in your book.
Editors too, come learn the inside scoop so you can apply it to the manuscripts you edit. Helping authors improve their dialogue is a major way to bring both them and their manuscripts to the next level.
I’ll see you there! (Spoiler alert: there will be a lot of talking.)