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Mar 4, 2011 at 15:13 comment added Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum I think you need stage business pauses for a few reasons: (1) to break up a lengthy monologue (2) to be more accurate in reflecting actual speech -- nobody just sits in a chair and monologues without moving; they shift, sigh, scratch, get up and pace, gesture, smile, sniffle, roll their eyes, etc. (3) to give the reader a more accurate picture of the characters' interactions, so they can picture the scene better. But if you're not using that technique deliberately as a matter of style, that is of course your choice and your right. :)
Mar 4, 2011 at 13:05 comment added srcspider +1 for the tip on using "said" :) I'm not really sure about stage business though; I really wish to avoid these sort of narrator or semi-narrator pauses in dialog (if possible), as a matter of personal style.
Mar 4, 2011 at 11:32 comment added One Monkey That's pretty much what I like to see so it's pretty much what I like to do. +1
Mar 4, 2011 at 1:37 comment added Ralph Gallagher That's the same advice Stephen King gives to aspiring writers. If you need to use a dialog tag, use said. Anything else use sparingly and avoid adverbs. "She said loudly." "He whispered softly."
Mar 4, 2011 at 1:19 history answered Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum CC BY-SA 2.5