Writing Workshops

Writing Powerful, Characterizing Dialogue in Fiction with Joanna Cantor (November 2024)

$395

6 Sessions

Out of stock

Once a week Tuesdays, 6:00 pm EDT - 8:00 pm EDT November 12 to December 17, 2024

The Center for Fiction

In this workshop, we’ll examine both student work and assigned readings by writers such as Bryan Washington, Emma Cline, and Jhumpa Lahiri. We’ll focus on writing pithy, characterizing dialogue as well as several other crucial elements of craft including the interdependent relationship between character and plot and the balance between scene and exposition. During class, we’ll use writing prompts to help generate new work.

Each writer will have the opportunity to submit new work for peer and instructor feedback. Writers will leave this workshop with a heightened instinct for playful, engaging dialogue and more confidence in their craft.

Course Outline:

Week 1: Introduction. A writing exercise, discussion of the writing process, and readings from Anne Lamott and Bryan Washington
Week 2: Discussing plot and the five modes of communication, and reading Jhumpa Lahiri and student work
Week 3: Discussing dialogue, reading Emma Cline, and reading student work
Week 4: Discussing character and reading ZZ Packer and student work
Week 5: Discussing emotion, dialogue, and point of view, and reading J.D. Salinger and student work
Week 6: Discussing revision and reading Antonya Nelson, Jason Brown, Sally Rooney, and student work

This course is held in person at The Center for Fiction.

Led by

Joanna Cantor

Joanna Cantor

Joanna Cantor holds an MFA from Brooklyn College and a BA from Colorado College. Her debut novel Alternative Remedies for Loss was an Amazon Best Book of the Month for May 2018 and received coverage in Vanity Fair, Real Simple, Nylon, and elsewhere. Her writing has appeared in Literary Hub, Electric Literature, Departures, Fodor’s Travel, Greatist, and the Willamette Week. Joanna was a recipient of a Vermont Studio Center Fellowship. She previously taught fiction writing at Catapult and is also a yoga teacher. She lives in Brooklyn.

About this series

Writing Workshops

We strive to make our classes the most inviting and rewarding available, offering an intimate environment to study with award-winning, world-class writers. Each class is specially designed by the instructor, so whether you’re a fledgling writer or an MFA graduate polishing your novel, you’ll find a perfect fit here.

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