Notes on Writing Dialogue

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In many - or perhaps most - writing workshops and classes, the topic of writing dialogue is brought up. There are exercises and assignments about writing dialogue. It's good; I'm not disagreeing with the practice at all. But I have found that dialogue flows easily for me.

If the writing assignment instructions say to include at least six lines of dialogue I can just smile. I have that; no problem; and I might make it twelve or twenty. Not that I'm counting.

I have had some great writing instructors and mentors with good writing exercises and experiments. Things like one from Inga Muscio to go somewhere we don't normally go (or may even internally rebel at going) and strike up a conversation with someone unlike ourselves. Ariel Gore is great for helping writers get to the dialogue - to include conversation in our writing. Other tips from here and there have included eavesdropping, of course; interviewing; watching people and listening. And more.

encaustic painting by Serena Barton

A couple days ago I was thinking about writing and reading. I won't walk you through the stream of thoughts and how one thing led to another - oh, except to say that I was thinking, again, about how I haven't been doing as much reading recently. Not until starting last weekend.

I wasn't feeling guilty about not reading more. I do that, sometimes; I mean, as a writer I should be reading more, right? Right? I do read. But I'm not the speed reader my partner is; I'm not super slow. I'm busy.

Anyway. I was thinking about how good it was to be able to read a book again and thinking about which fiction book I'm gonig to read along with the non-fiction (mostly writing) books I have in progress. Oh, and I do have an audio book going - always; it's great for my drives to and from work, decreases my stress on the busy routes I have to travel.

A little bit of guilt crept in and I realized - not for the first time, but it's been awhile - that I wasn't reading anything other than audiobooks and some non-fiction for about three weeks because I was in preparation for interpreting plays. Two of them a week apart, which meant overlapping preparation and reading two stories.


 I do find that I read books less when I'm working on plays. Some of that is because I have to really get into the story of the play; I have to know it fully and have the pace, the flow, the characters, the concepts inside of me. And I'm working on translation of concepts and how to get characteristics and differentiation of the characters in my body.

So I am reading and re-reading the plays and thinking about them.

I'm reading dialogue!

I do write dialogue well and I think I always have. It's something which comes fairly natural to me as a writer.

Bu I also realized that all of my script reading has probably had a strong positive influence on my ability in writing dialogue, as well.

(a) I'm not "not reading" - I'm reading scripts
(b) I'm reading dialogue
(c) I'm embodying the dialogue and the characters and their stories

Oh. And (d) I am a sign language interpreter, so I work in language and dialogue. Which is not saying that I do or can use anything I do in the course of interpreting in my writing - I don't; but, again, I do work in communications, and not the electronic type as in computer science type of things.

So it was an interesting insight.

Maybe I'll try that with a writing workshop I'm developing - a new approach to writing dialogue.
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new class with Inga Muscio

Ariel Gore's Literary Kitchen is offering another class with Inga Muscio starting in July and you can sign up here : Ariel Gore's website



New Summer Class With Inga Muscio

Inga Muscio–author of Cunt: A Declaration of Independence, Autobiography of a Blue-Eyed Devil, and Rose: Love in Violent Times–returns to The Literary Kitchen for another exclusive online class.

July 21st – September 9th
A Study in Decerebralization
Stop Thinking, Start Writing
With Inga Muscio

Thinking is nice. I think we can all agree that thinking is an important part of writing. To write from your heart, however, a lot of the thinking business has to be set aside. How to achieve this when everything we have learned about writing involves thinking? This thinking business also eventually gives you false expectations that you and your writing can probably never live up to.

For everyone who can churn out reportage, no problemo, but struggles with just letting go and belting out some genius from your heart and soul, for everyone with a mean-spirited bitch of an inner editor, for everyone with a so many truckloads of memories that you constantly set aside until they gridlock the byways of your heart, our Study in Decerebralization if for you.

This class will involve a significant number of highly creative writing assignments, but there will also be a big focus on having delirious fun writing and on learning to view your “non-writing” time as a vital part of your creative process.

ALL ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE BRAND NEW — SO RETURNING STUDENTS ARE WELCOME.

Most of the writing assignments will require pen and paper. Some of them you will have to mail in to Inga, with no editing allowed.

Class size is strictly limited, so please sign up early

$275 for the 8-week online class

An $80 deposit saves your spot. Balance due just before the class starts.

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Music as Inspiration and Healer

From time to time I write something about music which inspires me - in that moment, over time, while I write or make art. If you've been following my writing for long you've seen Philip Glass appear more than once; a favorite of mine for many years and most circumstances. And I've been thinking about writing a short piece about music - but this is not that.

This is the first full song played on the radio this morning as I was waking up. There was the end of the song before it - which I don't recall at all: incomplete and the song which pulled me from sleep.

But this one. Perfect for today. Perfect for this moment. It resonates for me, in this period of transition and healing, at many levels, not only for myself, but friends, as well. Self healing, friends with physical condition flare-ups or new levels to adapt to, a friend caring for a dying parent, friends with difficult work situations - and more.

The song is "Come Healing" by Leonard Cohen, from his new album. Come healing, for each of us in the way appropriate and desired - yes.

It was a nice way to wake up.



This is listed as an "unofficial" music video. And if you'd like to see the lyrics, go to the YouTube link - they're all there.

... now, back to finishing typing up the two written assignments due today (one in Inga's Decerebralization online writing class and one in Ariel's Lit Star Training class), which will be followed by brunch with a friend, then doing a new free write for Inga and a quick write for Ariel and then - tada - work! ...

I hope you enjoy the song and that it touches each of you in some way.

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Razor's Edge 2/17/12

Last night I went to a play. It was a Shakespeare adaptation and it was the interpreted performance of the play at the theater where I coordinate interpreters. So - triple reasons to go. It also turned into a date night with a bit of searching to find a place open late night in Portland which had a decent menu and not just a limited bar menu full of deep-fried foods inside of wheat with only a mere nod to vegetables.

But I digress. As I tend to do.

So today's Razor's Edge came out of my excursion out last night. One of the ushers at the play is a former student and I promise I won't get sidetracked into that whole conversation. Except to say that we did talk briefly during intermission and, among the other things she is doing, she is writing more. And she told me about something a writing friend of hers said to her, which she borrowed, and which I will adapt and borrow for myself.

Today's prompt set is from that conversation. Thank you.


The first thing I want you to do today is to get a mental image of your muse. Your muse need not be in human form; does not need to be a sentient being. Your muse can be whatever inspires you. It may be a "muse of the day" or a "muse of the project" - or it may be your creative muse for all eternity or the mother of all muses, which springs forth the specific muses for given projects.

Then I want you to draw or sculpt or build a representation of your muse. If you have a camera handy, take a photograph and save it or post it somewhere prominent.

Think of a piece of music which your muse wants to hear right now and find it. If you have internet connection and a computer or web surfing device, you can probably find it online somewhere. Listen to it with the representation of your muse.

Now, write a letter to your muse. Write for 5 - 10 minutes. If you and your muse feel so inspired, turn this into a written conversation between the two of you. And continue writing.

Below are a picture of my Muse For A Day and a YouTube video of the song we wanted to hear. I'd love to see some of your representations if you want to share them.

Go. Visualize, create, photograph, listen. Write.


My Muse of the Day 

Bridges and Balloons by Joanna Newsom



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Thanks, Inga

Inga's assignment for us week before last was to go to the library, pick a section of books on a topic we're not interested in, turn around a few times and run up and down the aisle(s) a few times then randomly pick a book. Read it. Write and submit a book report.

I did.

I struggled to come up with a topic I had no interest in. Really. A few things came to mind but then I wandered into reasons I was a little excited or curious to read something about the thing (guns, hunting, football, and more). Like for my interpreting work - especially video relay where the content can be anything and everything and it is. And the topic of guns has come up a few times in personal situations, so, while I'm not interested personally, they appear as a topic in my work and a couple times in my stories and then these other situations. So guns was off the list. Same for hunting. I don't care. Have never hunted and never will. For those who hunt to feed themselves and their family, friends - I get it. I'm not criticizing - it's just not my thing.

Then I found something I really don't  care about and haven't yet encountered in my work: ship building. It started out as "nautical" - but that includes kayaking, which I like (haven't done in a while, but want to return to the water -  maybe this coming spring or summer), and things like Kon Tiki, which I enjoyed when I was a teen (I was considering going into marine biology). But when I saw ship building and maintenance - that was it.

I wanted to challenge myself on this assignment. Pick something I really wouldn't read about at all without the assignment.

picture from Maritime Quest: 1907 replicas

So I did. And the book I selected was about reconstructing the Santa Maria, Nina, Pinta - yes. Christopher Columbus' ships. And it talked about the journey and there were to scale instructions for replicas which were built for the 400th anniversary of "the discovery" and the 500th anniversary of "the discovery" and another set. I read it. Introduction and preface and everything and I looked at the drawings. And I wrote my book report and even managed to wonder about a couple of things from reading (like - what was their life like on those ships, on the ocean, in that hull - no wonder they became concerned and wanted to go back). And I learned a few things and was in awe of how those boats could make the voyage. Even with the controversy about "discovery" and what came after.

An added bonus was that I discovered that my library card had been deactivated. Not because I don't support libraries and I don't love books. No. Because it had been so long since I'd checked out a book that it was deactivated. See, I've discovered that it's actually cheaper for me to buy my books rather than get them from the library and then pay fines. Sometimes that is really, actually, true. But now I have an active library card again and there are other things I can do at the library since I have a stack (or two) of not yet read books at home.

Thank you, Inga. And for the raspberry truffle bar prize.
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This Is Me Not Complaining

Really. I'm not complaining. There might be a little whining. Maybe.
I'm a little busy. Overly busy at the moment. And it's okay. I have enough work and that's really good.

And I did manage to write both stories due today. One was a rewrite of a story from Ariel's two week intensive - but it fit. It really did; I didn't have to twist it in pretzel fashion - there was only one element not already present in the story and that was a particular word which had to be included. And it's a story I wanted to revise to send out into the world. So I revised, strengthened it (I hope), added the word, and submitted it online. And it will go somewhere though I don't know where, yet. It has a particular type of audience needs, I think, and wouldn't be appropriate for some of the places I've submitted. Not that it's an inappropriate story. The second story was totally new and, not so much a story as a reportage of an outing we had to do for Inga's online class. For that one, my plan didn't go as planned but I had the time in my schedule and the image and noticing gathering in my mind for that time, so I went ahead and did it - but just at a different location than I intended. So - both done and both submitted.

And I did go to the Vagina Monologues rehearsal for six hours on Saturday as planned. No, it was five hours, that's right. It was scheduled to be six but they changed the schedule to five and we didn't know until we showed up. At least the eliminated hour was at the end of the day. I've been working on that script. I think Ali and I will have a good time and do a good job; though I know Jayodin, who has done it the past few years, is the Vagina Monologues Interpreting Master so I'm not trying to emulate her - no. I will do things my way and it will be fine. And next year, Jayodin can have it back; by then her now week old baby will be a year old, so I think she'll be ready to jump back into the beauty of interpreting the Vagina Monologues. I like working with Ali and the stories we're doing together worked really well. She's going again tomorrow night and I'm going again on Tuesday. And Friday is our night.

Then I have my regular interpreting work. "Regular" is not really the word for it and especially not right now. Even my semi-regular videorelay work schedule is different right now due to reasons at the center and things not related to the center - like the interpreting Vagina Monologues, some writing.

And teaching work.

And being in two overlapping writing workshops. Which are great and they're keeping me writing.

And getting in enough sleep. And swimming and walking. Reading other writers' work and giving feedback. Reading student journals and emails and text messages and phone meetings with students in addition to multiple recitations with the students whose schedules don't match well.

Busy. Good. Busy.

Not whining.
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Happy Birthday, Virginia Woolf - Jan. 25th

Virginia Woolf

Born Adeline Virginia Stephens

1882-1941

There are numerous websites and books and articles about Virginia Woolf. Her contribution to literature, to feminism, to the desire for time and space for women writers. I'll let you look that up on your own.

Instead, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to some of the women writers I've written with and been inspired by and received feedback from over the years. And I'm not talking about dead ones, because there are many of them; or the ones I've only read their works but never met ... but I am talking about the ones I've actually met in this life.

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For my current proliferation of writing, the accumulation of short stories and the completed memoir/creative nonfiction (now in editing mode), as well as increased confidence and a stronger voice, a big thank you to Ariel Gore. She is one bad ass writer and she is an outstanding instructor, facilitator, with incredible feedback and editing skills. Thank you for the inspirations and prompts and years of being an excellent role model, writer, and friend.

For unconditional support and belief in me as a writer, Bonnie Hearn Hill. Also a great writer with some great series and individual books, as well as years of experience. Thank you for being there, Bonnie, and reconnecting. And for taking the long train ride to Stockton and our unintentional walk through the wild side of town.

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As I begin writing this, I realize the list is long, There are some whom I know primarily through their writing, but had an occasion or two to take a workshop with - such as Natalie Goldberg - and to hear them read, as well - such as Judith Barrington.

There are organizers, trainers, and facilitators I've worked with in other capacities. Such as the women at Write Around Portland - Dawn, Beth, Robyn, Sara - some of whom have moved on to other projects or organizations; they were all inspiration to writing in community and opening up the definition of community - giving access to anyone with a desire to write. All excellent role models for becoming a better facilitator and giving feedback. As well as each of them being a skilled writer in her own right.

There are and have been some incredible writers in the Literary Kitchen over the years I've been doing the online writing classes/workshops - and the in-person versions, as well. So many women - and men - in the Kitchen that I can't possibly name them all and know I'd forget some people if I even tried. Some of the other Wayward Writers are local - and we've had face-to-face writing time. Everyone in the Kitchen and the Facebook lounge - awesome. And Inga Muscio who is currently pushing us in new directions in our writing in a special Literary Kitchen "Decerebralization" online class. Thank you.

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Just thank you. For being you. For being a writer. For being there with and for other writers.
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Decerebralization - The Timing Couldn't Be Better

The online writing workshop with Inga Muscio, through Ariel Gore's Literary Kitchen, is about to begin. I'm excited to try something new. I will continue with Ariel and it will be lovely. And this timing is perfect for me to take on the challenge that will be Inga's assignments. I just wrote my introduction to the online classroom and will paste it below, rather than starting from scratch. It's taken me quite a while to get my introduction to say what I want it to say.

I will be continuing with the regular Lit Star Training - but was ready for a bit of "shaking up." And what better time than now, when other things have been altered. When I've reached a place in my personal growth of trying to be more subjective (and it is still "trying" at this point; sometimes I still grapple with what that even means - it is so far removed from how I grew up).

Here is the introduction to A Study in Decerebralization with Inga Muscio from the class announcement:

"Thinking is nice. I think we can all agree that thinking is an important part of writing. To write from your heart, however, a lot of the thinking business has to be set aside. How to achieve this when everything we have learned about writing involves thinking? This thinking business also eventually gives you false expectations that you and your writing can probably never live up to.

For everyone who can churn out reportage, no problemo, but struggles with just letting go and belting out some genius from your heart and soul, for everyone with a mean-spirited bitch of an inner editor, for everyone with a so many truckloads of memories that you constantly set aside until they gridlock the byways of your heart, our Study in Decerebralization if for you. "

And my class intro:

I'm Dot and a regular in the regular Kitchen. And I just completed my first two-week intensive with Ariel. And in November completed writing my 4th consecutive NaNoWriMo 50k+ in 30 days. Meaning - I like challenges.

So I look at Inga's questions and as I paste them in here to respond to in a logical way I think: THAT. That is why I'm here.

I'm attracted to this class because I live in my head a lot and "decerebralization" resonated.

There are things in my life pulling me into my body, pulling me to live from the inside outward instead of being constrained by others' expectations or limitations or shoulds. A recent health issue challenged me to be more aware of my physical presence and simultaneously take more cerebral action in terms of test results, treatment options, monitoring certain foods and so on. So "decerebralizing" is what I need right now, what I want, as I practice living more subjectively.     

I've been writing a lot - in spurts between interpreting plays or between regular interpreting jobs or after grading students' work and visits with practitioners. But when I look at my writing - when I look at Ariel's intensive and I look at NaNoWriMo - I have to admit that I write more and I write better when I write more frequently.

So, in an effort to write more often, which to me means taking time away from available freelance and part-time job working hours, I need to shake things up a bit. Reprioritize. Stop overthinking and write more. Let go. Belt it out, yes. Stop trying so hard to do the right thing or be nice or worry if it's enough/good enough/worthy of being read/blahblahblah. Write it. Yes.

That's my goal - to keep writing, write more, and try something new. I love Inga's books and there is a different energy from how I write and I want to try it.

One pasted-in question I will leave, as I need to respond directly *grin.* Are you a practical, logical thinking person [YES] who feels {deeply - I wouldn't say "deeply" exactly} challenged [oh, yeah, mostly positive, edgy challenge] by this class, or is it easy for you to throw caution to the wind [nope - almost never - but I want to be that person] and break free from social barriers [uh, no - not totally, though a little, sometimes *ahem*]?

...oh, and to have delirious fun writing ... I liked that in the description of the class and it was the second hook, right after "decerebralization"...

Grand Canyon 2010; photo JD Sampson

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Down Time Approacheth ... in theory, anyway

No, it's true. The coming two weeks are much slower in terms of work. A break long in the coming and so needed.

I was talking about this concept of "break" with an interpreting friend recently. We decided after some discussion that sign language interpreters have a different vocabularly when it comes to ideas like "down time" or having a "break" or even, in my friend's case, "semi-retirement."

I think the definition for writers is similar.

Which is to say that having a break means you have a day or two where you don't have to get up with an alarm and rush to get ready to be somewhere or turn a piece in at a specific time. I was going to say "early" in terms of getting up or being at work or turning in a project. But that is subjective. For me, 9 AM is early; for two of my good friends, 9 AM is lunch break time or sleeping in. So the exact time doesn't matter. I think the time doesn't matter - it's being able to sleep until your body says "satisfied!" and you wake up and feel rested and restored.

It also may mean that a "day off" is 'only' interpreting a play. Or having a story due at midnight and you're half done so you can, say, for example, check Facebook and write a blog post.

*wink*

It may also mean, as an interpreter and a writer that a break in either area is filled by the other. So it's a break-no-break. Or maybe a break-from-the-dominant-norm. That's it. I think.

So. For me. Right now. Here is my "break" definition:
* I'm not teaching for 3 weeks.
..... I posted students' grades last night; no more grading for 3 weeks
..... I've contacted potential internship sites this week. Will resume placement work January 2nd.
* I'm only working 3 days each of the next 2 weeks, with 4 days off.
* Writing? No break! Hurray. I signed up for Ariel's Winter Writing Intensive: 12 new stories in 14 days, and giving feedback.

So, like I mentioned ... a "break" in interpreting work is being taken over by writing. As it should be. And those four days a week off, I can be writing at home in my pajamas until 8 PM if I want, or bundle up in layers to walk in the cold December sun to the local coffee shop with my laptop (or notebook and pen if I really want to rebel). Or I can sleep. Wake up. Go for a swim or a walk. And write at my leisure - as long as I get the assignment and feedback done within the day.

This is a good break. My mind and my body are happy with this decision. Writing because I want to. Writing more because I can.

In that week before the next term starts, I will have to add back in my teaching duties. And the Intensive will be over but there will be a Wayward Writers assignment. And when the Wayward assignment is done, I will be starting a writing journey with Inga Muscio and her process of "decerebralization" for writing. Awesome.

Some people have smiled when I've talked about my winter "break." Some nod knowingly.

What I know in this moment is that I feel happy. And I have a rough draft of today's Intensive writing done - except it's not the assignment! It's the background story to the story I was planning to write and it's already 15 words over the limit.

Oh! I know - I will use this background story toward this week's Wayward Writers assignment and pull pieces of it as memory blips when I get to the actual Intensive story. Yes. That's it. It really does fit for both assignments - the backstory I've written, with additional information, is about the regular assignment prompt; and I guess I needed to get this out to find my way to the Intensive story I wanted to write.

I love the creative process. And I love it so much more when I have the mental and emotional space to explore and let it develop.

Breathing. Right now I'm grateful for time and space and breath.
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Taking the Challenge

I mentioned that I was able to grab a spot in Ariel Gore's online two-week writing intensive. Daily assignments to write and post. And give feedback to some of the other writers - and get feedback. I discovered that I have an additional week between terms, so why not spend two of them writing? Bring writing to the forefront on a daily level.

After all, I spent November writing almost daily.

This will be different - there will be prompts. And a responsibility to others to get my writing done and get my feedback done. It will keep me on my writing toes.

Then in January I'm embarking on an adventure with Inga Muscio, a guest teacher in Ariel's Literary Kitchen online classroom. Inga's class, A Study in Decerebralization, promises to be an adventure in shaking up my writing and my process. I'm excited. Another challenge to step out of my wonderful and supportive comfort zone into something new.

I've accepted my personal challenge to step up my writing and go to new levels. And I think both of these new creative adventures will do that.

Onward!
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