Ideas for creative writing assignment?

Question

I'm taking a creative writing class and need to write a scene emphasizing dialogue. I need some ideas!!! No chick lit, please, I'm 25 and it is too cliche.

10 pts to most creative answer, whether I use it or not!

Answer 1

hmm....

I am not sure what you are looking for. Are you looking for techniques or suggestions for a setting that requires a dialogue?

If you are looking for suggestions for a scene I think you might do well to look for more unconventional forms of dialogue.

For instance, a dialogue between two people who don't speak the same language. A tourist, for example. The gestures, expressions, emotions, reactions, etc. would play a much larger role than the actual words of the dialogue. A lot of material to play with if you are a skilled writer.

Or you could use letters. Poems. In ancient Japanese poetry lovers would correspond through a series of poems and responses, each playing off the poem of the other to express what they were trying to say. Again, you would have to be a very good writer to pull that off.

Using another example from Japan, recently a best selling book called "densha otoko" (train man) was published. It was essentially the transcript of a blog where an introverted man was getting advice from anonymous readers on how he could get a girl to fall in love with him (i don't recommend the book, but the premise is unusual).

Do the unexpected. Think the various elements that go into a dialogue beyond the words and intonation. Consider your strengths as a writer and try to figure out how best to exploit them in your assignment.

Answer 2

When I worked as a substitute teacher on one occasion, the regular teacher left an assignment for her American History class that, to this day, I thought very original--so much so that, as the students were completing it, I did the same assignment.

The teacher asked the students to write about the Revolutionary War from the point of view of a button on the coat of a Continental soldier, a British soldier, or a member of a state militia.

You could apply a similar idea to your assignment: for instance, how about two buttons from opposing sides left on a battlefield--since you mentioned the importance of dialog in the assignment, this could be a starting place. Or how about a conversation between a couple of trees, or clothespins, or even a couple of stuffed animals?

Hope this answer helps get your creative flow going.

Answer 3

I like Nora Ephron movies for dialogues but she's a chick flick writer -

Dialogue that is good reveals character, motivation, etc... A smart, witty, gorgeous blind woman needs an unattractive, wealthy, obnoxious man's help to find civilization after a travel-adventure trip goes awry. How does this man who is drawn to this woman, get the blind woman to trust him, perhaps like, him though she clearly smells a "rat" and would rather go on her own to find safety.

Answer 4

the day in the life of a toaster, that was a bit fecetious. How about a one sided telephone conversation? My prof did that in a creative writing class I took and it was pretty cool.

Answer 5

Take an everyday conversation with someone and edit it to fit your piece. Try reading the samples that your teacher gave you or just go to the nearest library.