My Life, or something like it

Nice article, thanks for the information.

2012-05-07T00:33:27.727-04:00

Nice article, thanks for the information.

These quotes are beautiful!

2012-03-27T17:23:13.561-04:00

These quotes are beautiful!

As a published author, and a college english teach...

2012-02-21T15:03:19.159-05:00

As a published author, and a college english teacher I will say this list is mostly garbage.

While I will agree that 90% of dialogue tags should be simple, such as "said" and "asked, many of the words on the list above can be used in very appropriate and empowering ways.

I promise you will find 30 of those tags in any book by any modern published author, and you will find them routinely.

Simply because you, the author, lacks the skill to creatively use dialogue tags outside of the few safe ones, does not mean other authors are equally as unskilled.

I dare you to find me a single modern novel that doesn't use some of those tags. And children's stories do not count-as that is the only place you will find your idea of what "not" to use might be valid.

People watch out for something which will often ge...

2012-02-21T08:45:38.743-05:00

People watch out for something which will often genuinely excite them and have these individuals come back for even more interactions. That could make your old comments so straightforward. It is considerably better to execute that way rather than take chance on what is uncertain.

Some individuals try to look for something which w...

2012-02-21T08:39:51.328-05:00

Some individuals try to look for something which will really motivate all of them and try to make these people keep coming back for even more interactions. That helps to make your former assertions so candid. It is much better to execute that way rather than chance it on just what is unsure.

When we've come to visit right here a little o...

2012-01-31T10:11:29.856-05:00

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I am really enjoying your blog, it has provided me...

2011-09-22T01:03:28.986-04:00

I am really enjoying your blog, it has provided me an immense information I was searching for months. I am working on my literature review and it seems that with your blog's help,I will come up wiht a perfect review.Regards.

Sam, with all due respect your writing is riddled ...

2011-08-26T19:01:51.496-04:00

Sam, with all due respect your writing is riddled with a lot of redundancies. Take this:

--
“Where are you taking us?” Alder asked.

“I have a plan” I told them

“Are you out of your mind Sam?” Aspen asked.

“Does it matter? Do any of you have an idea?” I asked
--
Does the reader need to be reminded about what a question mark means whenever somebody asks a question? Perhaps a motion or an action would tell by showing more effectively, while creating opportunities to build up the environment. For example:

--
“Where are you taking us?”. Alder stepped quietly out of the way of a loose branch.

I stopped for a moment to turn to Alder. “I have a plan”.

Aspen slowed as he spoke, finally stopping in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind Sam?”

Laila quietly stopped along side Aspen.

“Does it matter?"
I turned against the rest of the pack. "Do any of you have an idea?”
The air, cool with fear, had begun to chill with silence. “Speak up because I want to hear what your brilliant minds are thinking.”

Aspen let out a weak whimper, and rocked his head toward the ground.

Laila took a short stride forward. “We just want to hear your plan so we know what we’re doing.”

---

It's hardly perfect, as I havn't read the story enough to know much about what's going on, but one reason people avoid goofy tags is that it tells by telling, and it's a classic cop-out of building up the environment, while creating distractions in the writing.

Remember that you're writing to create a world, but you're also writing for readers. Distracting readers with tags also makes your characters overly dramatic, which is why it's considered poor form.

When I draft, I use tags, but I go over everything a second time to count how many times I can expand the tag into a meaningful action or description. If I can, the tag is "upgraded" into something useful. If I can't, the tag disappears.

I am writing a book now, and i believe that you sh...

2011-08-19T11:39:49.704-04:00

I am writing a book now, and i believe that you should use the tags above. they make your dialog more interesting.

"Watch out for that cliff!" Aspen said

-or-

"Watch out for that cliff!" Aspen screamed.

DING DING DING, We have a winner! Sentence number two with the fancy dialog tag!

Read my book at
http://samwatsonrunningwiththewolves.wordpress.com/

Words like whisper, shout, scream, actually refer ...

2011-08-11T15:45:52.791-04:00

Words like whisper, shout, scream, actually refer to the volume (or lack of it) of the words, not the way they're said. Depending on punctuation of the dialogue and the situation, they may not even be needed. The dialogue needs to carry the emotional weight, not the tag.
J.K. Rowling got away with it because she was writing for young adults, and some things can be used there since kids don't always catch the subtext of what's said and need more emotional cues than adults.
There are alternatives to said, like using an action as a dialogue tag, though it should be something interesting or pertinent to the character, othwerwise the writer will be spending revision time taking out nods and smiles. And if two people are talking in a scene, then tags can be lessened because only two people are talking.
The best way to see if the dialogue works is to read it out loud and see how the 'saids' sound and adjust from there.
'LY' words as tags are called Tom Swifty's and have been routinely frowned upon by editors since editing began.

Very nice & very informative blog. I like this...

2011-08-02T03:28:48.406-04:00

Very nice & very informative blog. I like this information, you have done fantastic job.It will help a lots of people.Great Keep it up!!!!!!!!!!

I think the 90% said rule is insane. Good thing JK...

2011-06-25T06:41:26.735-04:00

I think the 90% said rule is insane. Good thing JK Rowling didnt read all the expert advice on the raging dialog tag debate. Read the first chapter of t=ger first book. Varied dialogue tags, ly words everywhere.

I think ignoring the "new writers should stick to using mostly said rule" worked out just fine for her

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2011-05-25T04:38:26.337-04:00

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I am writing on behalf of Ben Wood. Ben has recen...

2011-05-25T02:57:07.734-04:00

I am writing on behalf of Ben Wood.
Ben has recently started his own fiction story site called Army of Puppets.
http://www.armyofpuppets.com

Nice post.
2011-03-17T08:52:50.096-04:00
Nice post.
Essay writers

I agree with anonymous. There are no rules in writ...

2011-03-10T15:41:39.716-05:00

I agree with anonymous. There are no rules in writing, just as there are no rules in any art form. You do what you like, and if you're good at it, others will like it, too. If you stink, well, do it anyway, but you'll only be entertaining yourself.

But on the topic of dialogue, read some P.G. Wodehouse, the master of the genre. Read these two pages and you'll see every device discussed above, from "said" to "explained" to clever action tags:

I goggled. Her words did not appear to make sense. They seemed the mere aimless vapouring of an aunt who has been sitting out in the sun without a hat.

"Me?"

"You."

I goggled again.

"You don't mean me?"

"I mean you in person."

I goggled a third time.

"You're pulling my leg."

"I am not pulling your leg. Nothing would induce me to touch your beastly leg. ..."

Heehee! Brilliant stuff.

http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/P_G_Wodehouse/Right_Ho_Jeeves/Chapter_4_p2.html

Living life to the fullest - I like that. I agree,...

2011-02-24T19:32:39.338-05:00

Living life to the fullest - I like that. I agree, we must move beyond mere survival because we can.

Animals survive, humans thrive. Our intelligence e...

2011-02-24T16:02:42.926-05:00

Animals survive, humans thrive. Our intelligence effectively overthrows any excuse for mere survival. As rational beings, we must also find ourselves capable of living life to its fullest.

"Julie, girl, I totally agree!" the chee...

2011-01-31T21:48:07.390-05:00

"Julie, girl, I totally agree!" the cheerleading captain cast the comment a jealous look. "I wish we didn't have all these rules!" The tall girl sighed longingly.

"I'm going to ignore them sometime," I said slowly, then stood up, my eyes wide and my mouth half opened. "I'll do it now! Look over there, guys! I didn't follow the rules. Look! -->" I /exclaimed/ as I pointed to the words to check it was true. "I did it!" I shrieked, "I broke a rule, and I don't think my dialogue got boring!"

"It would get boring if you used it all the time, though.." the cheerleader said thoughtfully.

"Yeah,"

I love this quote. I am a 10th grade English teac...

2011-01-18T09:45:44.446-05:00

I love this quote. I am a 10th grade English teacher and I can't wait to share it with my students. Often when they get stuck with writing, they get frustrated and give up. Hopefully, with this quote, they will see that it happens to everyone, even professional writers.

Yes! Nicely said. Key word is "ability."...

2011-01-14T10:44:05.717-05:00

Yes! Nicely said. Key word is "ability."

Everyone starts with pattering, whether learned fr...

2011-01-13T17:12:56.176-05:00

Everyone starts with pattering, whether learned from parents, environment, or inborn. However, the primary reason humans excel in intelligence is the cognitive ability to CHANGE. Animals survive. Humans evolve consciously, or de-evolve by going with the flow.

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2010-10-12T13:21:30.237-04:00

Thanks for the links!

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2010-08-11T02:30:08.641-04:00

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My Life, or something like it

Nice article, thanks for the information.

These quotes are beautiful!

As a published author, and a college english teach...

People watch out for something which will often ge...

Some individuals try to look for something which w...

When we've come to visit right here a little o...

I am really enjoying your blog, it has provided me...

Sam, with all due respect your writing is riddled ...

I am writing a book now, and i believe that you sh...

Words like whisper, shout, scream, actually refer ...

Very nice & very informative blog. I like this...

I think the 90% said rule is insane. Good thing JK...

It is interesting.Whether you are just getting int...

I am writing on behalf of Ben Wood. Ben has recen...

Nice post. 2011-03-17T08:52:50.096-04:00 Nice post.Essay writers

I agree with anonymous. There are no rules in writ...

Living life to the fullest - I like that. I agree,...

Animals survive, humans thrive. Our intelligence e...

"Julie, girl, I totally agree!" the chee...

I love this quote. I am a 10th grade English teac...

Yes! Nicely said. Key word is "ability."...

Everyone starts with pattering, whether learned fr...

Thanks for the links!

Despite the bulk of information online we often fa...

I like the topic which has been discuss by you,i ...

Nice post.
2011-03-17T08:52:50.096-04:00
Nice post.
Essay writers