Writing dialogue is one of the most difficult aspects of screenwriting. When it's good, it's almost invisible, but when it's ...

When my teenage son picked up “Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing” (Morrow, 96 pp., $14.95), it fell open to Rule 3: “Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.” “I wish my teachers could ...

Dialogue shouldn't sound natural. Maybe that's a hot take, especially given the sage advice that usually comes from well-meaning writing teachers or trusted mentors. Because of course we need dialogue ...

Bob: Hey Jim, what's that you've got there in your hand? Jim: Why it's the new TechDork 2500 Smart Tablet with 64 gigs of memory. ARRRRGH! Few things are more painful to listen to than bad dialogue.

Given how fraught writing for publication can be, it’s understandable for faculty to perceive the process as dehumanizing. Even soul-crunching, as one of our colleagues lamented. College and ...