I know the general topic of dialogue tags has been kicked around on this forum many times, and there is probably no issue that can stir such religious fervor in so many writers’ hearts. (“Your character ‘replied’? Die, heretic!”)
I’m not posting this to launch a debate, and don't really need to be lectured 1) that tags aren’t ever necessary because every character’s voice should be instantly identifiable, or 2) that identifier actions are better than tags. (You’re perfectly welcome to tell me that either of these are how you go about it. Just don't think that we've never seen these ideas before.)
There is so much fervor and sniping on this subject that it has piqued my curiosity. Think of this as a survey of sorts: What is your practice, and why?
I’ll start (and then duck to avoid the flying bricks.)
¨ I’ve never had an adverb modify the speech verb. Not even once.
¨ I use ‘said’ for statements, and use it exclusively in the ‘Jack said’ format (as opposed to ‘said Jack’.).
¨ I use ‘asked’ for questions. (Yes, I know some people think it’s redundant following a question mark, but something in me cringes at the idea that someone ‘said’ their question.)
¨ I sometimes interject ‘said’ or ‘asked’ tags even when it is obvious who is speaking, simply for the rhythm of the sentence or paragraph.
¨ On very rare occasions—I’m talking maybe once every hundred pages—I use ‘whispered’, ‘yelled’, or ‘shouted’. But I only use common verbs that literally describe the volume. (There are circumstances where I find this to be the most transparent way of dealing with things, especially when the context of the scene makes the shout or whisper a surprise.)
I almost had someone mutter under his breath once, but I walked away from the keyboard and sat down with a glass of wine until the desire passed. It was touch-and-go for a while, but I knew that if I gave in soon my characters would be 'mumbling' their sentences, and then, god forbid, 'hissing' them, and finally end by 'smiling', 'sneering', and 'frowning' them.
So…how do you do it?
I’m not posting this to launch a debate, and don't really need to be lectured 1) that tags aren’t ever necessary because every character’s voice should be instantly identifiable, or 2) that identifier actions are better than tags. (You’re perfectly welcome to tell me that either of these are how you go about it. Just don't think that we've never seen these ideas before.)
There is so much fervor and sniping on this subject that it has piqued my curiosity. Think of this as a survey of sorts: What is your practice, and why?
I’ll start (and then duck to avoid the flying bricks.)
¨ I’ve never had an adverb modify the speech verb. Not even once.
¨ I use ‘said’ for statements, and use it exclusively in the ‘Jack said’ format (as opposed to ‘said Jack’.).
¨ I use ‘asked’ for questions. (Yes, I know some people think it’s redundant following a question mark, but something in me cringes at the idea that someone ‘said’ their question.)
¨ I sometimes interject ‘said’ or ‘asked’ tags even when it is obvious who is speaking, simply for the rhythm of the sentence or paragraph.
¨ On very rare occasions—I’m talking maybe once every hundred pages—I use ‘whispered’, ‘yelled’, or ‘shouted’. But I only use common verbs that literally describe the volume. (There are circumstances where I find this to be the most transparent way of dealing with things, especially when the context of the scene makes the shout or whisper a surprise.)
I almost had someone mutter under his breath once, but I walked away from the keyboard and sat down with a glass of wine until the desire passed. It was touch-and-go for a while, but I knew that if I gave in soon my characters would be 'mumbling' their sentences, and then, god forbid, 'hissing' them, and finally end by 'smiling', 'sneering', and 'frowning' them.
So…how do you do it?
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