Order Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction

What's Special About WRD&FF?
Harvey Stanbrough is a poet, essayist, and fictionist. His most recent poetry collection was nominated for the National Book Award. Other collections have been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, a Frankfurt Award, and an Inscriptions Magazine Engraver's Award. He works as a full-time freelance editor from his home near Pittsboro, Indiana and offers intensives and workshops on Observation, Poetry, and Fiction.

Visit Harvey's website at www.StoneThread.com
What writers have said about
Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction . . .

"I need to tell you how helpful I am finding Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction. I’m writing my first novel and have been writing short stories for several years. Last week I finished a short short story for a contest – [my critique group and I agree] it is by far the strongest piece I’ve written ... and I know my dialogue works because of what I learned from your book. Thanks so much." Sarah Doyle

Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction emphasizes the importance of written dialogue in all works of fiction, not just flash fiction. The best dialogue combines realistic phrases, transparent punctuation, and essential information in such a way that the reader can forget she's reading rather than actually overhearing the words. Using good and bad examples, Harvey Stanbrough outlines the process of writing fast-moving, believable dialogue that can convey an entire story in less than a hundred words. He also shows how punctuation in dialogue can change the pace of reading from leisurely to breathless, playing on the reader's own emotions to convey the mood of the story. Whether you write full-length novels or flash fiction, WRD&FF is a great reference tool." Pam Keyes, author of The Rune of Zachary Zimbalist

"I just wanted to thank you again .... You’ve given me a way to add dimension to my characters [and] make them much more believable. I have a renewed desire to write, and a great direction to improve on that writing." Julie Murphree, attendee at dialogue seminar in Shreveport, LA

What makes Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction different from other writing texts?

In researching the market for Writing Realistic Dialogue & Flash Fiction, I noticed that although there are a lot of how-to books out there for writing fiction and nonfiction in general, there aren't many dedicated to the art of crafting realistic dialogue. That surprised me, considering how important dialogue is to excellent fiction and how useful it can be in creative nonfiction.

Of the dialogue books on the shelves, I also noticed that none discuss the use of punctuation as a specific component of realistic dialogue. In the first book in the Thorough Primer series, Punctuation for Writers (Central Ave Press, 2003), I went into great detail about punctuation and grammar in general, but only touched on the specifics of the use of punctuation in dialogue. This volume will remedy that.

I also have found no other books on writing fiction or nonfiction that discuss dialogue as a reader-involvement tool. Among the more important characteristics of realistic dialogue is its ability to further suspend a reader's disbelief and directly involve her in the story as an active participant -- the eavesdropper.

Finally, I've seen very few books that discuss flash fiction at all, and none that discuss its relationship to dialogue.