Webinar: On Dialogue––Distinguishing Characters Through Speech with literary agent Taj McCoy
Mar 13, 2025
Online event
Webinar Description: Whether you are writing an epic fantasy with dynamic world building, a suspenseful thriller, a creepy horror, a dramatic family saga, a charming romance, or an otherworldly adventure, it is important to build characters who are complex and distinct. Each character has a backstory and personality that provides them with dimension, and that character's background should influence how they communicate and connect with others. In this workshop, we'll talk about the different ways we can enhance a character's voice through dialogue and other forms of communication. A limited number of MG & YA critiques are available at an additional cost.
Quick Facts
HOST REGION: Eastern Pennsylvania
CONTACT: Kristen Strocchia epa-ara@scbwi.org
COST:
- Premium Members: $15 USD
- Preview Plan: $25 USD
CRITIQUES: available at an additional cost; scroll down for more information
RECORDING
The webinar will be recorded, and the recording will be available for one month following the event. Attendees will receive a link and a password by email about two days after the event.
REGISTRATION CONFIRMATIONS
Upon completion of payment, you will receive a payment confirmation by email. You will also find a registration confirmation on the website that will include event-specific details. Go to your Member Home and click on My Events under the black bar at the top of the page. All events you have registered will be displayed on this page. If there are additional meeting details (i.e. Zoom links for virtual events or materials required for the event), this information will be found under the green Meeting Info button.
Meet the Faculty
About Taj
Oakland-born law grad, Taj McCoy is a romance author, literary agent, and higher education consultant. Taj joined Rees Literary Agency in 2022 and aims to widen the entryway for marginalized authors and to normalize Black joy, fat joy, celebrations of culture, and love without limitations. She represents Adult Fiction (commercial, romance, rom-coms, women's fiction, mystery/thriller, upmarket), Adult Non-Fiction (memoirs, narratives, cookbooks, self-help, empowerment, cultural tradition and history), Children's Fiction (Picturebooks; MG and YA contemporary, mystery, romance, thriller, fantasy), Children's Non-Fiction (historical narratives, picture books), and illustrators.
MG & YA CRITIQUES available: (at an additional cost)
ADDITIONAL COST:
- Premium Members: $60 USD
- Preview Plan: $65 USD
For all submissions, format your work in 12 point font, with one-inch margins, and double spacing. (US Letter paper size-Include all materials in the same document; please don’t send two documents.)
For both Middle Grade/Young Adult (MG/YA): Please send up to 10 pages of your manuscript and a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in the same document). Translator submissions should include a brief note about the source work (also in the same document).
⇒Please include your name on every page of your work as a header or a footer, as well as identifying information on page one: first & last name, email address, title, genre.
⇒Please SAVE YOUR FILE as Webinar Faculty Last Name_Your Last Name_TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT as a PDF or DOC or DOCx.
Example: McCoy_Strocchia_PURPLE CARROTS
⇒Then send your file to Kristen at epa-ara@scbwi.org. The subject should read: Webinar Faculty Last Name_Your Last Name_TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT (same as saved file name).
Submission deadline: Friday, February 7, 2025.
Please, note that this deadline is BEFORE the webinar.
We anticipate critiques to be returned on or about Saturday, March 8, 2025.