    | Let's ask an author of 13 books and editor-in-chief of Stein and Day Publishers for 27 years, Sol Stein, his thoughts on dialogue. "Talk is repetitive, full of rambling, incomplete, or run-on sentences, and usually contains a lot of unnecessary words. Most answers contain echoes of the question. Our speech is full of such echoes. Dialogue, contrary to popular view, is not a recording of actual speech; it is a semblance of speech, an invented language of exchanges that build in tempo or content toward climaxes. Some people mistakenly believe that all a writer has to do is turn on a tape recorder to capture dialogue. What he'd be capturing is the same boring speech patterns the poor court reporter has to record verbatim. Learning the new language of dialogue is as complex as learning any new language." (Sol Stein, Stein on Writing. St. Martin's Griffin, 1995) When we talk about dialogue we don't just mean spoken words, inner dialogue (thought) is also vital to help the reader understand and know your character. Making the dialogue suit your character, add depth to the scene, and show emotion is an important part of making your character believable. It doesn't matter how well a novel is plotted or how exciting the action is, if the dialogue is flat or forced you lose your reader. Learning to write dialogue is a major challenge. Nothing can kill a character faster than the words they speak. Dialogue is one of the main ways a reader gets to know a character. Come and learn how to make sure you get it right. Saturday July 22nd. 10am to 3pm Writing believable dialogue: with Elaine Ouston Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html THINKING OF SELF-PUBLISHING? Self-publlshed but not sure about marketing? August 5th:10am to 3pm Self-publishing with a musical edge: with Chris Collin Chris will take us step by step through his journey, from leaving a well-paying job and jumping into self-publishing picture books, to how he sold 30,000 of books in just a few years. He will also include how and why he set his books to music. If you are a writer who is contemplating self-publishing, this workshop is not to be missed. Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html |
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The Character workshop is on this weekend. This is in my opinion the most important workshop to attend. There are still places left so if you are serious about writing, book now. Throughout the history of writing many famous authors have spoken about the importance of character in story. Here are a couple of quotes that I like and relate to:
 The next workshop after Character is Aleesah Darlison's Picture Book workshop on Saturday July 15th: The Inside Word on Picture Books Discover the right way to create a picture book story and skip all the newbie blunders!
Learn the various picture book structures and the skills to create a story that truly sings. How do you achieve the best combination of text and art? How do you set out a manuscript ready for submission? And which publishers should you submit your story to? This session is taught by Aleesah Darlison, award-winning author and owner of Greenleaf Press. Aleesah has published over thirty-five books for the trade and educational markets, including ten picture books. Bring a manuscript to share with the class and gain valuable feedback. Take-home Handouts. Invaluable Tips. Networking Connections. You’ll be buzzing! View her profile here. Price $66 per person (includes GST) Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html |
