It’s easy to assume that writing dialogue in fiction is easy; after all, despite e-mail, text messaging, Facebook, and Twitter, most of us speak every day. But dialogue can also be the one element in ...

Realistic dialogue is not necessarily good dialogue. Yes we all say “well” and “so” and “um”, but I get enough of it in the real world. I go to the theatre, see a movie or read a book to escape the ...

If you're a writer, you know we're all aspiring toward great dialogue. Dialogue that's tense, exciting, melodic, and full of subtext, or maybe punchy and raw. Many will point to writer/director ...

Good novelists create characters who are complex. unique, and have relatable human needs and feelings. Joyce Carol Oates is one of our best contemporary novelists, and has created a host of memorable ...

Using picture books as writing models -- Recognizing memorable language and other introductory lessons -- Planning and writing memoir -- Exploring mood, voice, and point of view -- Planning and ...