Dialogue Tags! --- Say What?

I've been writing this post on and off for the past week. I've tried to finish it but I can't--not that I didn't want to but I've been inspired to add something new every day.



So I figured that something needed addressing and it really bothers me when people go all out on these exuberant descriptions with the dialogue tags. So I'm going to give you my thoughts on them...




He Said, She Said


At High School I was taught to be creative with my dialogue tags, which meant using anything except the word "said" -- although they never said that there was anything wrong with the word, they did however reward people who went above and beyond, and used other words...




Below is a list of words that could replace the word 'said'---the letters in red are at the start of each new alphabet letter.


Accepted, Accused, Acknowledged, Admitted, Advertised, Affirm, Agonized, Agreed, Alleged, Announced, Answered, Appealed, Apply for, Arranged, Articulated, Asked, Asserted, Asseverate, Assumed, Assured, Attract, Aver, Avow, Barked, Bawl, Bawled, Beamed, Beckoned, Begged, Bellowed, Beseeched, Blubbered, Blurted, Bossed, Breathed, Broadcast, Cajole, Called, Carped, Cautioned, Censured, Chimed in, Choked, Chortled, Chuckled, Circulate, Claim, Comforted, Conceded, Concurred, Condemned, Confer, Confessed, Confided, Confirm, Consoled, Contend, Continued, Crave, Cried out, Criticized, Croaked, Crooned, Crowed, Declared, Defend, Demanded, Denote, Dictated, Disclosed, Disposed, Disseminate, Distribute, Divulged, Drawled, Emitted, Empathized, Encourage, Encouraged, Entreated, Exact, Exclaimed, Explained, Exposed, Faltered, Finished, Fumed, Gawped, Get out, Giggled, Given, Glowered, Grieved, Grinned, Groan, Groaned, Growled, Grumbled, Handed on, Held, Hesitated, Hinted, Hissed, Hollered, Howled, Impart, Implied, Implored, Importune, Inclined, Indicate, Informed, Inquired, Insisted, Interjected, Invited, Jabbered, Joked, Justified, Keened, Lamented, Laughed, Leered, Lilted, Maintained, Make known, Make public, Marked, Mewled, Mimicked, Moaned, Mocked, Mourned, Murmured, Mused, Necessitated, Needed, Noted, Observed, Offered, Ordered, Passed on, Pleaded, Postulated, Preached, Premised, Presented, Presupposed, Proclaimed, Prodded, Professed, Proffered, Promised, Promulgated, Proposed, Protested, Provoked, Publicized, Published, Puled, Put forth, Put out, Quaked, Queried, Quipped, Quivered, Quizzed, Raged, Ranted, Reckoned that, Rejoiced, Rejoined, Released, Remarked, Remonstrated, Repeated, Replied, Reprimanded, Requested, Required, Requisition, Retorted, Revealed, Roared, Said, Sang, Scoffed, Scolded, Seethed, Sent on, Settled, Shared, Shed tears, Shouted, Shrieked, Shrugged, Shuddered, Snarled, Snivelled, Sobbed, Solicited, Sought, Specified, Spluttered, Spread, Stammered, Stated, Stuttered, Stressed, Suggested, Supposed, Swore, Taunted, Teased, Testified, Thundered, Ticked off, Told, Told off, Tore a strip off, Touted, Transferred, Transmitted, Trembled, Trumpeted, Understood, Undertook, Upbraided, Uttered, Verified, Vociferated, Voiced, Vouched for, Vouchsafe, Wailed, Wanted, Warned, Weep, Went on. Wept, Wheedle, Whimpered, Whined, Whispered, Yawped, Yelled, Yelped,Yowled.



Yes, there's a lot... and looking at them all makes me feel a little bit sick.





TIP: don't make it your job to try and fit each and everyone one of these into your manuscript... it will make whoever reads it ill... it's not good!





Writing is not about complicating your work... you need to give your readers some credit... they don't want everything there. Your readers do actually have an imagination of their own and every reader will picture something differently... including speech and how words are said.




When words are supposed to be stressed italics are used, and that's generally the rule. There's also exclamation points and question marks, they can also be used to show the tone and/or mood of the sentence etc.



TIP: dialogue should speak for itself.



The 3 main words are "said" "asked" and "replied" -- these are the words that go unnoticed by the readers, they're invisible. Although the odd bit of variety is okay, as long as it aides the dialogue in some form or another. You have to write and cut everything that isn't supposed to be there.




Has any of this been useful?





-Joseph

(Disclaimer: Joe is prone to being slightly dramatic.)




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