Strong dialogue sounds natural while doing serious narrative work. Joseph Terrell, Dana Chamblee Carpenter, Jim Nesbitt, Linda Sands, and Nancy Roe discuss how to write dialogue that reveals character, advances story, and feels true to voice. This session explores rhythm, subtext, and realism, offering practical guidance for making conversations feel alive on the page.
Murder in the Windy City: Why Chicago Makes Crime Fiction Hit Harder
Barbara Fister, Julia Keller, Michael A. Black, Michael Wiley, and Sara Paretsky explore why Chicago is such a compelling setting for crime fiction. They discuss how the city’s history, neighborhoods, and moral complexity shape stories where place is inseparable from...




