Lit Fest 2025

In prose writing, why is it a generally accepted rule that dialogue is so difficult to write? What unique struggles does dialogue present to a writer? How can we break down those difficulties into more manageable strategies that will then elevate our dialogue to seamless, riveting levels? In this class, we’ll discuss dialogue as an integral element of prose in an effort to demystify its elusive principles. We’ll read contemporary examples of writers who’ve cracked the dialogue code: from Joy Williams and N.K. Jemisin to Richard Price and Cormac McCarthy, among others. We’ll also practice different approaches to dialogue by modeling after others’ work and through various writing prompts. For all levels of prose writers. Come ready to talk the talk!