Pauses and interruptions?

c.m.n. · Oct 30, 2011

What's the right way to form pauses and interruptions in dialog?

I always use ellipses for both, but feel that is the wrong way.

example:

"What are you..."
"Nothing," he interrupted.

or

"Oh man... I can't believe that happened."

warofthesparks · Oct 30, 2011

Em-dash (this: --) is for interruption and pauses.
Ellipsis (this: ...) is if the dialogue trails off.

Fruitbat · Oct 30, 2011

warofthesparks said:
Em-dash (this: --) is for interruption and pauses.
Ellipsis (this: ...) is if the dialogue trails off.

I agree. And by that, it will be obvious that the next speaker has spoken before the first one has finished. So it would be redundant to tell us "he interrupted."

Also, I'd use them sparingly. It gets annoying when there are too many of them.

Pauses and interruptions?

c.m.n.

Beary cute ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

warofthesparks

I know what happened to Baby Jane.

Fruitbat

.