Dialogue in writing presents a difficult challenge to the writer.  On the one hand, you want your characters words to sound lifelike.  On the other hand, if your characters’ words are too lifelike, the result, ironically, is lifeless writing that drones on and on like a transcript of a really boring Congressional hearing.  In this two-session course at Politics & Prose, we’ll do close readings of real-life dialogue and dialogue in fiction to develop strategies to make dialogue work for you in your writing.  Then we’ll do some targeted exercises to explore different types of dialogue strategies that go beyond direct quotation to create a symphony of distinct speaking voices for your characters.