10/13/2023 0 Comments Dialogue tags synonymYour country’s conventions or publisher’s style choice may vary.)Īttribution tag: a phrase (i.e., “he said”) tagged onto dialogue to inform the reader to whom the line is attributed.ġ. (Disclaimer: These example all use standard American English conventions and Chicago Manual of Style rules. I consulted with multiple professional editors and scoured Chicago Manual of Style and came up with as many different dialogue situations as I could think of, along with instructions and examples of how to punctuate and format those examples. What if the character interrupts their own dialogue with an action? What if someone stammers a certain word? I usually post two to five times monthly, and you can discontinue your subscription at any time.One of the tell-tale signs of a novice writer is the inability to correctly punctuate basic dialogue, but even seasoned writers can struggle to know the correct way to punctuate certain spoken lines. (The link will take you to the subscription widget at the top left of this post.) If you haven’t done so already, please subscribe to my blog. Have you created or encountered a memorable replacement for sigh?Īre You Interested in More Word Lists and Writing Tips? Thirst, wail, wheeze, whimper, whine, whistle, yammer, yawp, yowl Sibilate, snap, snarl, sneeze, sniff, sniffle, snivel, snort, snuffle, sob, sough, squall, squawk, squeal, stew, sulk, suspire Pant, pine, pout, puff, pule, purr, reflect, rue Inhale, keen, lament, languish, long for, meditate, mewl, moan, mope, mumble, muse, mutter, obsess ![]() Then, pick a verb from the following list or search for something similar in your favorite thesaurus.Īche, agonize, bark, bellow, bemoan, bewail, blare, blat, blub, blubber, bray, breathe, broodĬackle, carp, caterwaul, chafe, choke, clamor, cluck, complain, crave, declaim, decry, effuse, exhaleįret, gasp, gripe, groan, grouse, growl, grumble, grunt, gulp, gurgle, hanker, hiccup, hiss, howl, huff More Action Beats That Could Replace Sighsĭetermine your character’s motivation. “Fuzzy slippers, a glass of wine, and a good book. “Me? Worry? That word isn’t even in my vocabulary.” Who did you invite for supper? Your mother?” “… and? Get to the end of the story before I wet myself.” “But the last time I tried this, it was a colossal flop.” “No matter what he does or how much he insults me, I refuse to cry.” “Everything is possible if you give it enough time.” “One million, two how much will it take to pay for my mistake?” “You don’t know what lonely is until you’ve spent a decade eating breakfast with a cat as your only company.” “I feel isolated, like a prisoner in solitary confinement.” “Nobody gives a hoot what an old lady thinks.” We have to leave as soon as we get the bill.” “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times …” “Of course! Why didn’t I see the answer sooner?” It’s not like I have anything important to do.” “What’s the matter with you, you incompetent boob?” “You’re the most perfect woman a guy could ever ask for.” Sometimes a well-worded snippet of conversation will say more than an entire paragraph of action beats and body language. If your character’s sigh is not just an action beat but a means to communicate emotion, dialogue might be your answer. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) If you need additional beats, consult a body language dictionary. Stuffing one’s hands into pockets or fiddling with a purse ![]() Reacting with fluttering heart and racing pulse Standing with widespread feet and crossed arms ![]() Gazing into the distance, with a faraway expression Review the following emotions that might cause a sigh.Īdulation, agitation, compassion, cynicism, delight, exasperation, failure, impatience, loneliness, longing, overconfidence, remorse, resolve, self-doubt, stoicism, suspense, suspicion, tranquilityĬonsider a few action beats and physical manifestations that show these emotions. If you don’t know the reason behind your character’s sigh, how can you expect your readers to? They’re not telepathic. Now that’s out of the way, let’s contemplate how to remove all those duplicate sighs in your writing. In the previous sentence, He sighed is changed into an action beat by replacing the comma with a period. Note that He sighed has been used as a dialogue tag. Have you ever tried to laugh, hiss, or sigh while you’re talking? Try it. How can you fix your story without a major rewrite? You just reviewed your novel and found more than one hundred instances of sighed.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |