Real conversation is mostly indirect. People hint, deflect, change the subject, and say the least dangerous version of what they are thinking. Dialogue that states feelings plainly reads flat, not because it is badly written but because that kind of honesty is rarer than most drafts assume. We work on the gap between what is said and what is meant, on giving characters distinct voices without reaching for accents or verbal tics, and on turning exposition into an argument someone is trying to win.
What it covers
- Subtext: writing what characters will not say
- Entering a scene as late as possible and leaving as early as you can
- Building distinct voices without accents or verbal tics
- Silence, interruption and rhythm on the page
- Turning exposition into conflict