11/26/2023 0 Comments Dialogue tags synonymI’m not saying you can’t use words like "intone" and "expound" in your work. "And what they’re saying," they elaborated."They tell you who’s talking," he expounded."Dialogue tags are sacred," she intoned.Part of the reason dialogue tags have a bad reputation is that some writers use them irresponsibly. Dialogue Tags Aren’t Distracting if You Use Them Responsibly Without the tag, the reader might interpret the dialogue any number of other ways. In this instance, we’re being precise about which we want. To me, there’s a difference between a yell, a bellow, a screech, and a roar. I like the dialogue tag here because it gives us a concrete detail about Melinda’s tone. But if we add a dialogue tag, we reinforce that notion. But dialogue can be made better with emphasis.Īs it stands, it’s pretty clear that the speaker has a frantic tone. Sure, good dialogue shouldn’t need tags to explain a character’s tone. As mentioned, they’ll only slow your rhythm Use Dialogue Tags for Emphasis However, if your dialogue tends to be snappy, you’re probably correct to excise dialogue tags. If there’s even the slightest confusion about who says what after long passages, it could weaken your writing. But I’d argue the tag is worth it, just to keep the reader oriented. Sure, if there are only two characters in the scene, you might think it’s clear enough that Character 2 is speaking. Imagine a detailed and profound monologue, followed by an awed response from another character, sans the dialogue tag. If it’s the former, it might actually be correct to use dialogue tags. If you want to make your editor and publisher happy, only use said or asked when it’s the only way to let the reader know who is speaking.ĭo your characters tend to speak in lengthy monologues or pithy back-and-forths? The answer to that question is quite important. And you learn more about Janelle from her actions. The above show-don’t-tell version doesn’t use a dialogue tag, yet it’s clear who is speaking.
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