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Stop Writing Fake Dialogue

Learn the 5 tools to make your characters sound like real people - in 2 hours.

In this exclusive live webinar, I'll show you the 5 dialogue tools I use to write for shows like the Emmy-nominated Hardy Boys and Wynonna Earp.  

This isn't theory - they're the 5 tools I apply to every script I write. You'll see them live on your actual scenes.

NOVEMBER 22 - 12-2 PM ET

Register Now - Only $27

This is a live, one-time only event. Don't miss your chance. 

See What You'll Learn

Do Your Characters Say Exactly What They Mean?

That's the #1 sign your dialogue sounds fake or "on-the-nose".

Here's what happens when your dialogue is too "on-the-nose":

  • Producers can tell you're a new writer by page 2 
  • Notes keep saying "dialogue needs work"
  • You're getting rejected from contests and by reps
  • That voice in your head whispers, "Maybe I'm not cut out for this"

Here's what really hurts:

You feel like an imposter.

You're terrified to submit your scripts to contests or talent reps.

You watch shows like The Bear or White Lotus or movies like The Social Network or Knives Out and think "I can't write dialogue like that."

You worry you're wasting years on a dream that will never happen.

Now here's the truth:

Great dialogue isn't a secret reserved for MFA graduates who can afford $100K programs.  

You're not going to learn it from podcasts or YouTube videos alone.  

If that worked, you'd already be writing great dialogue.

 

I Know How Frustrating This Is - Because I've Been There

After film school (that's me at York U in the 90s) I was feeling pretty high on myself. My student film was shortlisted for the Student Academy Awards, and I figured I was set.

But the scripts I wrote after?

They weren't working. The structure was solid.  The ideas were cool. But they felt dead. I didn't know why.

My mom - practical as ever - signed me up for a writing course. I sneered. I had a film degree. What could some local teacher tell me that I didn't already know?

But she paid for it, so I went.

And on the first day, the teacher said something I'll never forget:

"Your dialogue is on the nose."

And my stomach dropped. 

I read my scripts again and saw he was right.

So I dove into mastering dialogue. I studied subtext like my career depended on it - because it did. 

And what I learned about dialogue turned into 50+ episodes for series like the Emmy-nominated Hardy Boys, Wynonna Earp and Flashpoint.

Now I'm going to teach these skills to you it in this exclusive live webinar. 

NOVEMBER 22 - 12-2 PM ET

Register Now - Only $27

Meet James A. Hurst

I’m James A. Hurst - internationally tolerated screenwriter, story expert, and multiple award winner, including the 2010 Peabody Award for Degrassi.

I've written over 50 episodes for major series like: 

  • Hardy Boys (Hulu)
  • Wynonna Earp (Syfy)
  • The Listener (NBC)
  • Slasher (Netflix)
  • Flashpoint (CBS)

I teach screenwriting to over 10,000 subscribed writers on my channel Screenright with James A Hurst, the fastest growing screenwriting channel on YouTube. 

I've given notes on hundreds of scripts over the past 25+ years.

And I can spot fake dialogue a mile away.

More importantly, I know how to fix it - and I can teach you in a single afternoon.

Here's Exactly What I'm Going to Teach You

 

Step 1: IDENTIFY

How to spot fake dialogue in your own scenes

I'll show you the 3 warning signs I look for when I'm rewriting my own scripts - the ones that tell me a line needs another pass.

Step 2: APPLY

The 5 tools that make dialogue feel real

These aren't theory. They're the specific techniques I use when I write. I'll break down each one with examples from Succession, Get Out, The Social Network and more - so you see exactly how it works.

Step 3: WATCH ME WORK LIVE

See the tools in action on real dialogue

I'll randomly select 3 scenes submitted by attendees, identifying dialogue that's working, what could be stronger, and how to apply these subtext tools to make it sing.

You'll see my exact thought process as I work through revisions.

Plus: Live 15 minute Q&A at the end. 

NOVEMBER 22 - 12-2 PM ET

Register Now - Only $27

T.S. Anderson

This is what I needed. James teaches not theory but actual tools I can use. My dialogue has taken a huge leap forward.

Monica P.

After learning from James, my producer told me my dialogue 'finally sounds like real people talking.' 

Darius Coleman

I've taken $1,000 screenwriting courses that didn't teach me what James covered in 2 hours.

What Happens If You Keep Writing Dialogue That Sounds Unnatural?

Every contest cycle you enter with surface-level dialogue that says exactly what characters mean is another year of:

❌ Scripts that don't place in contests 

❌ Coverage that says "PASS" 

❌ Managers and agents who stop reading on page 3

❌ That voice in your head saying, "Maybe I'm not cut out for this"

❌ Wasting another 6-12 months rewriting the same script 

Here's Everything You Get for $27

âś… 2-hour live training with Q&A
Bring your toughest dialogue questions. I'll answer them.

âś… Live scene feedback
Submit your scene for a chance at live notes. I'll critique 3 randomly selected scenes in real-time so you see how these tools work.

âś… 5-Tool Dialogue Rescue Workbook (PDF)
Yours to keep forever. Use it on every script you write from now on.

âś… Lifetime replay access
Can't attend live? The replay never expires.

For the price of a decent lunch, you get tools that will change every script you write from now on.

NOVEMBER 22 - 12-2 PM ET

Register Now - ONLY $27

Frequently Asked Questions