Dialogue in Fiction
Thursdays, October 22–November 12
Rachel Lyon
7–9pm ET
Craft Course
$275
$250
George Saunders has said, “Bad dialogue is when A asks a question and B answers it.” Good dialogue is like two people “firing missiles past each other.” Dialogue, he says, can be “like poetry.” It can complicate dramatic tension or manipulate narrative time. It can deepen or stymie your characters’ relationship(s), and expose even those biases and secrets unknown to the writer himself. And yet, while we chatty creatures might feel as though dialogue should come naturally on the page, it is often in passages of dialogue that a writer’s weaknesses are most exposed. Zadie Smith avoided writing dialogue for many years. Nabokov was against it completely.
This 4-week intensive will begin with an examination of the aesthetic impulse to avoid dialogue before moving into a deep examination of what it can achieve. Through close readings from sources as varied as novels, stories, craft essays, and our own text messages and phone conversations (anonymized or obtained with the consent of our interlocutors, of course!), we will investigate and test a range of the form’s variegations of style and purpose. Weekly in-class writing exercises will focus, firstly, on generating new material, freeing our characters to speak their way into unexpected complexity while balancing verisimilitude with emotional incisiveness; and, secondly, on revision, transforming ordinary exchanges into moments of revelation, and polishing our dialogue into something vivid, useful, and alive.
This is a craft course. Our craft courses analyze fiction from a craft perspective and include generative writing exercises. Class will meet once a week for a live Zoom lecture based on the assigned reading. There will also be writing prompts and discussion prompts.
About Rachel Lyon:
Rachel Lyon is the author of the novels Sixes (forthcoming from Zando in 2028), Fruit of the Dead (2024), and Self-Portrait with Boy (2018). Her short work has appeared in publications including One Story, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, and the illustrated short story anthology Reading at Karma. The American University of Paris’ 2024 Paris Writer in Residence, she currently teaches at Bennington College, and lives with her family in Western Massachusetts.
Schedule
All sessions will take place on Zoom.
Session 1: Thursday, October 22, 7–9pm ET
Session 2: Thursday, October 29, 7–9pm ET
Session 3: Thursday, November 5, 7–9pm ET
Session 4: Thursday, November 12, 7–9pm ET
FAQ
When can I register for this class?
Registration is open now and will close when the class reaches its cap.
Will class sessions be recorded?
Yes. Recordings will be made available the day after each session. However, please be advised that this course is designed with live participation in mind, and we encourage students who sign up to plan on attending all live sessions.
How does the class work?
This class meets weekly for live Zoom discussions for the duration of the course. Reading and writing assignments will be distributed in Thinkific, our online learning platform. That is also where students will share responses to the assignments for feedback from their fellow students.
Is participation on the discussion board required?
We encourage all students to share work and to participate in discussions to get the most out of the experience.
Is there homework?
The class will include reading assignments, writing exercises, and discussion questions.
How much time will the class take?
Live lessons run for two hours. Plan to spend about 2 hours a week on reading and writing assignments, plus however long you decide to spend on the discussion boards.
How many students are in the class?
This class is capped at 25 students.
Can I take the class on my phone?
Yes, the class can be taken on a phone, but we recommend a computer or tablet to get the most out of the experience.
Do you offer financial aid or scholarships for this class?
We will be offering a limited number of scholarships for this class. Scholarships cover 50% of tuition. Recipients will be selected by lottery. The deadline to request a scholarship is Thursday, October 8. All applicants will be notified by Thursday, October 15. You can apply here.
Discounts & Policies
Our online classes are designed to be safe spaces for all who participate. One Story will not tolerate hate speech, bullying, or harassment directed toward instructors or fellow students, and reserves the right to remove participants who engage in such behavior from our classes.
Patron Discount: In order to qualify for our patron discount, you must be a member of our patron circle at the time of registration. Patrons commit to annual donations and receive benefits that allow them to participate in our non-profit organization in more meaningful ways. Not all One Story subscribers or supporters are patrons. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a patron, you can do so here.
Refund Policy: Full refunds are available through October 14. Partial refunds (50%) are granted if the class is dropped within one week of the class start date (October 15-21). Payment is non-refundable on or after the class’s start date. For questions about the refund policy, or to receive a refund, please contact maribeth@one-story.com.
If you have any questions, please contact edu.support@one-story.com.
