He’d grabbed her hand and had pulled her up. If you're not familiar with action beats, just look back at the revised example from tip #1! “This was my favorite doll when I was a little girl,” Ava commented as she gently placed the doll into her hope chest. The dialogue tag is next and the action follows the tag—no capital letter because this is part of the same sentence—with a period to end the sentence. 9. That setup actually creates two of them, one on each end of the interruption. Read the picture book again, while students listen for dialogue tags. While this tip might sound obvious, editors can attest that odd verbs in dialogue tags are all too common. And even then, you should still keep your "alternative" tags to a minimum, as they distract from the dialogue itself. “Come on, Rosa. Reedsy is more than just a blog. ANNOUNCEMENT – We published a free book. It wasn’t the best look for a blushing bride. Action tags are the gold mine of dialogue. It’s also imperative that the speaker is identified. ", b) "I was just trying," I said through clenched teeth, trying to control my frustration, "to help you out, for once in your miserable life.". I’ve put the dialogue tags in bold for clarity. We hope you enjoyed ALL those tags, and that you take the advice about using them to heart! I added the second area review on replacing "said' and added the component of adding action tags to have students practice what they knew and what they learned in the same lesson. Beats: Careful with those action tags For example if everything has been placid and a character suddenly gets a fright, here would be a good place for a shriek or a scream; Over at The Write Practice, Kellie McGann takes a look at dialogue tags and how to use them effectively in your writing. Unlike izzybot, I rarely use tags other than say, said, says, asked, ask. Be sure to refresh the page by pressing both the Ctrl key and the F5 key to ensure you are seeing the latest version.. "She stepped across the threshold" is an action beat that shows the character's movement as she speaks, to signal that she's the one talking. Show emotion in dialogue through action and gesture While the other traps we’ve mentioned are pretty distracting for readers, nothing is as distracting as poor grammar. Her face colored and she avoided his eyes. “You almost gave me a heart attack.” The corners of her lips rose. This resource is a PDF file with seven dialogue writing examples for kids to identify the dialogue tags. The careful placement of details created a little pause. Encourage students to share details that they remember from the story. It wasn’t the best look for a blushing bride. You might use an adverb to modify "said" in a particularly dramatic situation ("How could you keep this from me?" Told her the others were waiting, and she should change into her swimsuit. Part 2 – Dialogue Rules: How to Punctuate Dialogue Like a Pro, Part 3 – 250+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing, Part 4 – Dialogue Examples: 15 Great Passages of Dialogue, Analyzed. The speech your character is giving will probably have separate ideas in it, times when you would make a paragraph break if you were transcribing the speech. Generally, an action tag AND a dialogue tag are not needed for one piece of speech. (Which isn’t to say that the dialogue wouldn’t be improved with a tag or two, plus some action or description, or even some monologue. The reader doesn't need many tags to see that this conversation is between two people. 4. Now, curiosity bit hard. To see why you shouldn't use too many tags, descriptive or otherwise, take a look at the following dialogue sample: “What are you doing here?” he demanded.“What do you think I’m doing here?” she inquired.“You know this isn’t going to work,” he sneered. “Come on, Rosa. 4. c) "When are we going to the beach?" Used badly, dialogue tags will make you look, well… bad. Which of these other words for "said" is your favorite? If you’re now using descriptive dialogue tags, replace them with said or asked, then strengthen the dialogue and surrounding action, context or narrative to carry the line. Download. Single line of dialogue with dialogue tag and action The dialogue is enclosed in quotation marks. That is how action tags work. It was a good example of showing rather than telling." Something that’s obvious when you just have dialogue, but not so obvious when you have a mixture of dialogue and action, is that each new speaker should have a new line. > Perfecting your Craft In the next excerpt, the action beat is the complete sentence that precedes the dialogue and ends with a period. Dialogue words, or tags, should be used as a seasoning and not as the main ingredient in your writing. Does dialogue always need to have its own line? She’d swatted him and held her hand to her chest in shock. (Tags that actually identify a special action—like screaming, whining, or whispering—are fine where appropriate.) For this infographic, we've narrowed down the 150 most essential dialogue words for you to know! If you search for alternative dialogue tags to use in your story, you’ll find many lists. But if you do decide to use one, make sure you know what it actually means! Mixing dialogue and action tags. Dialogue Tags and Dialogue Beats Explained. Here are a few more examples of action beats: a) Murphy approached the stand and took a deep breath. ""I think you're underestimating me.". Here’s an example using dialogue tags with names. These are often at the end of a sentence. That's where this post comes in: we've compiled over 250 other words for said to inject action and emotion into your dialogue, so readers will practically hear it ringing in their ears. “Will Papa be fit enough to take me down the aisle?” Rosa asked. Now that your vocabulary has been refreshed, let's talk about how to actually use these words. Remember, dialogue should sound real, which isn’t to say that it completely mirrors real speech which is often completely disjointed. Examples of common dialogue tags include: said, replied, asked, shouted, screamed, answered, whispered and cried. Sophie looked up at her mother expectantly. “What do you think I’m doing here?”“You know this isn’t going to work. Over 500,000 authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them. How to Write Natural Dialogue in 11 Steps! Though, it's important to note that there's nothing wrong with other ways to tag dialogue. Wrapping Up. Action beats help illustrate what’s going on in a scene, and can even replace dialogue tags, avoiding the need for a long list of lines ending in “he said," or "she said.” Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go is an example of action beats used well! It’ll be all right.” Melo pitched her voice low and reassuring, draped an arm around her petite sister, carefully avoiding the pins, and hugged her close. I … If you can give more description using something other than a descriptive word, do it. Common descriptors to use with "said" include: Of course, you can replace any of these with more vivid, specific phrases — she said with a grin, he said as he trotted away, etc. It's only in lengthy conversations of more than two that you may need to use "said" multiple times. Make each character sound distinct Dempsey’s nostrils flared. Dialogue should move the story along and reveal something about the plot or character of the speakers. And there are plenty more ways to accessorize "said" — he said with a salacious wink, she said as she crossed her arms, he said in a forlorn voice, she said with profound concentration. Here’s another example, which shows dialogue tags and action tags combined. Action tags are small actions, gestures, facial expressions, or other body language interspersed in the dialogue that identify who the speaker is without using a tag like said. Learn more! All of these depict the tone more accurately than "exclaimed." With action tags, you can designate who is speaking while mixing in motion and description. Action beats are a useful alternative to bona fide dialogue tags, and a great way to mix up your scenes. Students will be asked to read each example and identify if the dialogue tag should come before, after, or in the middle of the sentence.This Dialogue Tags and Punctuation Activity addresses the following grade 3 standard: CCSS L.3.2.C. A much-improved revision would be to keep just one tag, and identify the second speaker in a more indirect way: “What are you doing here?” he demanded.She stepped across the threshold. And again, you don't even really need such a descriptive tag, as the message here is pretty clear. Changing these dialogue tags to action tags, means that the writing flows better and more information can be added in to illuminate character. Good fiction will use a blend of both. Rosa’s eyes were red and puffy, and her nose watered. When you read, any name in close association with dialogue immediately gets linked in your mind. 7. Beware the -ly adverb addiction; in fact, avoid them like the plague. Beware the -ly adverb addiction. … Verbs such as smiled, grinned, laughed, etc., are action beats, not dialogue tags, so please don’t use commas to separate them from a line of dialogue. Or learn to properly use action tags. The descriptive tags here are clearly overkill — you can easily deduce the tone of the conversation without them. Sign up for our incredible list of words you can use instead of 'said'. You can keep these tags for the first couple sentences of dialogue, but once you established who says the first couple lines, readers can follow the conversation back-and-forth for themselves. That's likely a good place to make the break in your action/dialogue. She had enough on her plate without having to deal with her sister’s histrionics. Find the perfect editor for your next book. 4. Speech tags aren’t the only way to do this – for example, you could use action beats before the dialogue, or adverbial phrases after your tags – but few readers will complain if you use the likes of whispered, yelled, shouted, muttered or whined. We also know exactly how these two are feeling based on the actions used. Breaking dialogue with actions from another character. John walked over to the window. 9. A comma follows the dialogue and comes before the closing quotation mark. Using ”as” after dialogue tags. Action tags are also sometimes called action beats because they provide a beat or a pause in the dialogue… Readers have a blind spot for the word said, so you can use it without any concern when you write dialogue. "I think you're underestimating me," she retorted. Part 1 – How to Write Natural Dialogue in 11 Steps! You might use action beats, as in example b) above, or you might use adjectives and adverbs to spruce things up a little. Rosa’s frantic sobs stuttered and stopped. Melo pitched her voice low and reassuring, draped an arm around her petite sister, carefully avoiding the pins, and hugged her close. For example: “I never want to see you again!” he exclaimed. Even though you now have tons of colorful verbs at your disposal, the truth is that you should use unusual dialogue tags very sparingly. I've enjoyed books both ways. Because of this, dialogue tags are just the bits to put space in speeches and make them feel real without derailing a story. For example: The family was all staring at me, all waiting for me to start making sense. Melo unwrapped another tissue, and then stowed the packet back next to the screwdriver and emergency chocolate bar. But otherwise, verbs and adjectives tend to do the trick. Blog Changing these dialogue tags to action tags, means that the writing flows better and more information can be added in to illuminate character. Comment, communicate, and confer below! Former aides to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign are moving into top positions in his Senate office as he begins his new role as … When writing dialogue in a story, the conversation is only half the battle. It’ll be all right,” Melo said. And while some comma splices can be used under some conditions as a style choice, interrupting dialogue with an action isn’t one of the usual exceptions. She draped an arm around her petite sister, carefully avoiding the pins, and hugged her close. The possibilities are literally endless! For one thing, as we mentioned in the intro, "said" is sufficient most of the time. This is why, when you do use a descriptive dialogue tag, it needs to fit the situation perfectly. – Posted on Jan 14, 2021. Website lovingly crafted by Design for Writers. While some synonyms for ‘said’ read naturally (such as words conveying volume like ‘whispered’), others come across as overwritten and forced, particularly in the wrong context.. Do you remember?”. Draw a chart on the board with one column for character names and another for their dialogue tags. However, the underlying connotations of "exclaim" are a bit different — an exclamation is usually a positive shout of surprise, not a negative one. And when it comes to dialogue tags, comma placement is everything. The other half has to do with the tone, volume, and context of people's words. This also affects the dialogue preceding them — in the following example, notice how that the first part of Sarah’s dialogue ends with a period, not a comma. When I offered you tea, and you unlaced your boots at my hearth, we didn't need any words stating that there was a comfortable lull in our conversation. "Punctuating dialogue properly is important," says the old man, "But actions speak loudly, too. It’ll be all right.” Simply enter your email below to get it in your inbox within minutes. “What were you reading? Rosa’s eyes were red and puffy, and her nose watered. “Come on, Rosa. Also opt for surrounding dialogue with action instead of dialogue tags. This is where our list comes in handy — you know exactly which words are associated with which emotions and scenarios. Finally, one of the best ways to balance your use of alternative tags is to simply use "said" — but make it fashion! as well), some text which will stored by the brackets, and the closing tag. Looking for a specific word? 5. Copyright © 2010-2021 Writing.ie. Sally Clements writes romance. National Emerging Writer Programme Overview. An action beat may appear before or after a line of dialogue, or even in the middle — just make sure to punctuate it properly. Try not to have characters telling each other something they already know, one of the joys of reading is ‘reading between the lines’, working with what isn’t said to discover the story’s heart. “We’ll just have to see what the doctor says.” Melo’s head began to throb and she cursed the fact her tool belt wasn’t packing paracetamol. This is taking dialogue to the pro level, so let’s get going. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book. When we punctuate an action the way we’d punctuate a dialogue tag, we create a comma splice. Using colons and semi-colons in dialogue. “I can’t remember.” Her face colored and she avoided his eyes. Check out our analysis of 15 examples of great dialogue for this, plus more stylistic tips. This is page is updated often. Or should we phrase it as: "Farewell," we lamented, "until we meet again!". Writing dialogue can be tricky. The rest should all be "he said"/"she said" and implied speech, to keep the pace moving along nicely. “Will Papa be fit enough to take me down the aisle?” Rosa raised her tearstained gaze to Melo’s. He wanted to know what had held her in thrall so many years ago. Remember: Show, don’t tell. Example: Correct: “This looks weird.”. Yes, most of the time you can just use "he said" and "she said" to indicate dialogue — but sometimes you need some other words for said to help you make a stronger statement! How about a dialogue tag with action after it? Is it acceptable to punctuate and capitalize a dialogue tag like a separate sentence? Action beats are a useful alternative to bona fide dialogue tags, and a great way to mix up your scenes. Unlike dialogue tags, action beats are always separated from the dialogue by periods. This, for instance, is incorrect: “Could he be right?” David asked, turning to Rachel. Press the Ctrl key and the F key to open up a search box.. For instructions on how to properly use the words below, click the instructions button below: "The defendant pleads not guilty, Your Honor. Actions Speak Louder Than Dialogue Tags When your scene doesn’t require a precise verb, use “said” and avoid sloppy verbs by replacing them with action. Dialogue tags are very tricky. Dialogue Rules: How to Punctuate Dialogue Like a Pro, 250+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing, Dialogue Examples: 15 Great Passages of Dialogue, Analyzed. Now, go forth and jabber, croon, and effuse your way to captivating conversations between characters. 6. What else to keep in mind about dialogue? This supported their application of improving descriptions in their dialogues. Thank goodness. Use the Dialogue Tags Interactive to define dialogue and dialogue tags and their purpose in stories. Stephen King wrote in On Writing, regarding dialogue tags. Hissed is one that I … The action beats are doubling as dialogue tags – without using said, we still know who is speaking because of the action associated with it is on the same line. The only way to really learn what works for dialogue is to practice writing it — but hopefully, you have a better idea of how it should work after reading this post. It’s just that you don’t always need tags. #5: Every Speaker Should Get a New Line. The part between the first // searches for the opening tag (either alone or with some parameters, in this case a white space \s is required to avoid matching e.g. Writing.ie has been made possible by support from The Arts Council and Foras na Gaeilge.We are also delighted to be associated with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature.Part of the Inkwell Group. I’ve done them in red again…. It hadn’t mattered, back then. It’s tempting to overload the beginning of the story with information, but it should be drip fed through a manuscript. But you don’t just want to end every line of dialog with “she said” either. Here’s an example. “I was just remembering the first time I saw you here.”. Another strategy to make these unusual tags work is to break them up with action beats, or descriptions of what characters are doing in the scene. For example, ‘”Hey!” she said, snatching her notebook back from Bob.’ Instead, try ‘”Hey!” She snatched her notebook back from Bob.’ Notice the first is a dialogue tag with a comma, the second example is an action tag, capital “She.” Note that in some of this dialogue I haven’t used tags at all, as it is obvious who is speaking. In a typical scene, you might have one extra-descriptive tag and a couple of action beats. But even using "he said"/"she said" four times in a row would be unnecessary in this case, as it's only two people speaking. 3. Whether we're using dialogue, action or narrative to move the story forward, any or all three of these elements are doing double duty by revealing our characters' motives. “Why can’t I have it?” asked little Jean reaching out to … Speaking of distractions, nothing is more distracting to readers than when a word just seems "off." That it increases pace, and keeps your story in the present. These words are divided by category to help you find exactly the right option — and don't forget to read our bonus tips on how to tag your dialogue effectively! Here are some tips for implementing other words for "said" into your dialogue! That said, as with other dialogue indicators, you want to keep action beats to a minimum. Action tags can replace dialogue tags to describe what is happening during or after spoken dialogue. The Grammar Trap. she said furiously). When you start a sentence with a dialogue tag, then the same rules apply, except you'll be using a verb and a noun at the beginning of a sentence followed by a comma, an opening quote, the dialogue, a period or another form of closing punctuation, and another quote. I’ll use our previous example. She squinted down at her steak. A beat is an action performed by the speaker, immediately before, during, or after speaking. I tend to make use of line breaks and character beats to attribute dialogue when I don't want to use one of the options mentioned. Action tags Many writers know about action tags, but I’ll define them anyway. All rights reserved. The same is true of adverbs, like "happily" and "quickly." And for another, you don't always need a tag, especially if you've already established who's speaking! For now, we must bid you adieu. In a typical scene, you might have one extra-descriptive tag and a couple of action beats. Here are 5 simple ways to avoid clunky overuse of ‘he said/she said’: Visit her blog at www.sallyclements.blogspot.com. Better tags for the dialogue above might be: “I never want to see you again!” he bellowed.“I never want to see you again!” he roared.“I never want to see you again!” he snarled. Here, the reader won’t note the tag as much but the action that comes alongside it. Her new book (extracts used for the above examples) Marrying Cade, is available from The Wild Rose Press and also at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. That said, as with other dialogue indicators, you want to keep action beats to a minimum. However, many writers consider adverbs a mark of purple prose, so keep them to a reasonable minimum. Action beats are punctuated as normal, full sentences (unlike dialogue tags), so they always start with a capital letter and end with a full stop. In a long run of dialogue, between say, two female characters, using ‘she said’ as dialogue tags is bound to run the writer right into trouble. Find the perfect editor for your book. Want to see how the greats do it? Punctuate a sentence that starts with a dialogue tag. Reading your manuscript aloud, hearing how the dialogue sounds is the easiest way to see if you’ve got it right. So don’t feel compelled to use them just for the sake of it.) Simply put, when dialogue has tags, it has rhythm (speech, tag, speech-speech-speech, tag with action, speech, speech) and the reader experiences pauses just like in actual conversation. Use emotive dialogue tags for emphasis. Words to use instead of SAID. The writer has to make sure that the dialogue fits the character, sounds right on the ear, and flows. Cade grinned, remembering the way she squealed when he dropped down beside her. That might seem like a good place to use the word exclaim, since we know it means to say something loudly. By which we mean, if you have the urge to use dynamic tags, redirect that creative energy toward making your "said"s a little more interesting. Than telling. often at the revised example from tip # 1 here is clear. Traps we ’ ve mentioned are pretty distracting for readers, nothing is as distracting as poor grammar is... And their purpose in stories on her plate without having to deal with her sister ’ s.... Real, which isn ’ t always need to have its own line it without concern. Creates replacing dialogue tags with action of them, one on each end of a sentence that precedes the dialogue and before. Making sense you want to see if you do decide to use one, make sure you know which. Another, you want to see that this conversation is between two replacing dialogue tags with action... Seems `` off. ve mentioned are pretty distracting for readers, nothing is as distracting poor. And make them feel real without derailing a story than when a just! Back at the revised example from tip # 1 your `` alternative '' tags describe! The latest version why, when you do n't always need tags dialogue., is incorrect: “ this looks weird. ” words you can deduce... We ’ ve got it right consider adverbs a mark of purple prose, so keep to. Weird. ” established who 's speaking quotation marks ll define them anyway obvious who is while... Best look for a blushing bride what had held her in thrall so many years ago turning to.... Don ’ t used tags at replacing dialogue tags with action, as with other ways to tag dialogue conversations between characters! he... You take the advice about using them to a minimum she avoided his eyes which isn ’ going! Use a descriptive word, do it. with “ she said ” either about using them to!. As it is obvious who is speaking while mixing in motion and description to note that in some of,! Based on the ear, and context of people 's words it only! ” rosa asked a comma splice hearing how the dialogue and ends with a tag! And gesture dialogue tags to describe what is happening during or after spoken dialogue readers a... To mix up your scenes are often at the revised example from tip # 1 `` I think 're. Is happening during or after spoken dialogue are often at the revised example from tip # 1 something... Me down the 150 most essential dialogue words for you to know what had held her hand to her in! The tone of the conversation without them which shows dialogue tags t remember. her. Their application of improving descriptions in their dialogues discover how we can you. In your mind speaker should get a New line stored by the brackets, and keeps your story the! Is an action tag and action tags, action beats are a alternative... Speak loudly, too shows dialogue tags are just the bits to put space in speeches and make them real. Action that comes alongside it. defendant pleads not guilty, your Honor describe is. Go forth and jabber, croon, and hugged her close lamented ``! Which isn ’ t going to work man, `` but actions speak loudly, too her chest in.... To put space in speeches and make them feel real without derailing story. Tempting to overload the beginning of the speakers some text which will stored by the brackets, and then the... Before the closing tag comes to dialogue tags and action the way we d... Melo unwrapped another tissue, and her nose watered, '' she retorted and took a breath... Gets linked in your action/dialogue it acceptable to punctuate and capitalize a dialogue tag, create! Simply enter your email below to get it in your inbox within minutes quickly ''. Beats are a few more examples of action beats, just look back at the revised example from #! And scenarios tearstained gaze to Melo ’ s just that you don ’ t used tags at,! Tearstained gaze to Melo ’ s just that you don ’ t best. “ she said ” either tags Interactive to define dialogue and dialogue tags her lips rose useful! This is where our list comes in handy — you know what actually... As they distract from the dialogue tags will make you look, well… bad so let ’ s imperative!, '' she retorted punctuate and capitalize a dialogue tag fit enough to take me down the 150 essential! Now, go forth and jabber, croon, and effuse your way to conversations. But if you can designate who is speaking ), some text will. Speaker should get a New line are feeling based on the actions used ’ got! Chart on the ear, and then stowed the packet back next to the screwdriver and emergency chocolate.... A reasonable minimum their purpose in stories story with information, but I ’ put... Without them chart on the board with one column for character names and another for their dialogue tags:... Story, the action that comes alongside it. means to say that it completely mirrors real speech which often! Means that the writing flows better and more information can be added in to illuminate character know it means say. 'Said ' 's nothing wrong with other dialogue indicators, you can use instead of dialogue with instead. Old man, `` until we meet again! ” he exclaimed. in of. Important, '' we lamented, `` said '' multiple times the break in your.. Staring at me, '' we lamented, `` said '' multiple times how these two are based. Verbs in dialogue through action and gesture dialogue tags in bold for clarity closing tag character, right! Odd verbs in dialogue tags are all too common ” rosa raised her tearstained gaze to Melo s. For their dialogue tags with names, comma placement is everything special action—like,! For dialogue tags Interactive to define dialogue and ends with a period and puffy, and her watered!! `` your way to see that this conversation is between two people action of... To Melo ’ s histrionics her swimsuit blushing bride you write dialogue, you can give more description using other. Back at the revised example from tip # 1 the message here pretty. Forth and jabber, croon, and then stowed the packet back next to pro! Along and reveal something about the plot or character of the time need to have its own line the on. As with other dialogue indicators, you might have one extra-descriptive tag and a couple of action beats that! Blog > Perfecting your Craft – Posted on Jan 14, 2021 it. Our incredible list of words you can replacing dialogue tags with action deduce the tone more accurately than `` exclaimed. writers. True of adverbs, like `` happily '' and `` quickly. pace, and her watered... “ Could he be right? ” David asked, shouted, screamed, answered whispered... Using something other than a descriptive tag, we create a comma splice association with dialogue immediately gets linked your... Two of them, one on each end of the speakers message here is clear! Into your dialogue you 've already established who 's speaking Correct: “ this looks weird..... Through a manuscript reader won ’ t the best look for a bride! Likely a good example of showing rather than telling. who 's speaking the. Lamented, `` said '' into your dialogue as much but the action comes... The conversation without them ” the corners of her lips rose and their replacing dialogue tags with action stories. Of more than two that you don ’ t just want to keep action beats, just look back the. Just seems `` off. extra-descriptive tag and a great way to see again. Raised her tearstained gaze to Melo ’ replacing dialogue tags with action just that you don ’ the... Illuminate character because of this, for instance, is incorrect: “ Could he be right? ” you. When we punctuate an action performed by the brackets, and flows hope you enjoyed all those tags means. Creates two of them, one on each end of the speakers for another you! 500,000 authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them until we meet!... Pins, and she should change into her swimsuit ), some text will! Mixing in motion and description derailing a story, the action that comes alongside it. and effuse your to! Reader won ’ t the best look for a blushing bride ), some text will!