Writing Dialogue: Creative Writing Activities_15 to 18 years

Realistic dialogue elevates and sharpens any story. With these four activities your students will discover how and why conversations can drive their plot forward. And, what characters think or don’t say can reveal even more. Your students will learn to -

• Recognise terrible dialogue in books and movies and discover fixes.
• Explore what informs and motivates their characters’ dialogue.
• Recognise and avoid common pitfalls when framing conversations.
• Look for authenticity in the way their characters speak.
• Punctuate and format correctly, before they start tearing their hair out!

Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions.

Activities
Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing.

Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies

Resources included in this plan
Reading and Comprehension Activities
Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities
Famous quotes for discussion
Literary examples
Story prompts
Story planner for students
Online resource links