All Questions
609 questions
2
votes
2
answers
137
views
How is multi-sentence dialogue in prose punctuated when dialogue tags do not end the sentence?
Dialogue tags conventionally will be punctuated in a way that follows the structure of the dialogue itself:
"This is a sentence," Alice said. "This is another sentence."
But what ...
2
votes
2
answers
72
views
Equivalent idioms for "Throw me a bone"
The phrase "throw me a bone" is now forever linked to Dr. Evil (Mike Myers). Are there any equivalent idioms or common modern slang that I can use for a comedy bit? Being literal, like "...
- 123
1
vote
1
answer
60
views
How to use colons for speech marks
I am trying to use colons for dialogue in a creative work. The purpose is to make a distinction between imagined dialogue and actual (fictional!) spoken dialogue, e.g:
An elderly lady opened the door....
- 183
4
votes
3
answers
826
views
Quotation marks in dialogue for speech spoken by myself
In a dialogue between myself and other characters, should I use quotation marks on my own words?
Example:
"Clean the dishes ", my mom said.
I'll clean them later, I replied.
- 43
0
votes
2
answers
83
views
Formatting my writing
I'm having trouble keeping tense or even knowing which one to stick to. Both seem to work but I'm not sure which sounds better or flows more. Also, I think too much about how to structure dialogue. If ...
- 1
9
votes
7
answers
4k
views
"Riiiight," he said. What synonym of said can be used here?
This the excerpt:
“I can take him,” a man standing beside the entrance interrupted. Approaching them, he continued, “I can take him there, Uncle Graham, help him find a room.”
“What are you up to ...
- 233
2
votes
1
answer
69
views
How to format a dialogue with quotes of poetry?
I'm working on a typeset of Dorothy L. Sayers' novel Clouds of Witness. Sometimes the characters will quote poetry when they're speaking:
'Hurray!' said Peter.
'Then downwards from the steep hill's ...
- 23
6
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Should I use the speaker's native language for single word exclamations?
I'm writing in English and most of the dialogue is translated to English. But the character in question is actually speaking Dutch. In the instance when they touch something hot and jerk their hand ...
- 340
5
votes
1
answer
82
views
How do you find examples of how a person from a particular place and time period would speak?
Is there a good resource for finding how someone from a certain time period would sound? In my particular example I'm thinking early 1900s Kansas, but I'm also looking for how to do this generally.
- 884
1
vote
2
answers
83
views
Is there a hard rule about where to place action beats from a nonspeaking character in the middle of a speaking characters dialogue?
Which of the following is correct?
"Yes," I said. "I'm fine with it." She stared at me silently. "Why don't you take the day and think about it? I mean, neither one of us ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
151
views
When I am writing dialogue, if the character speaks childishly, would people think I am a bad author?
I am writing a novel right now, so I need some clarification for this.
When writing dialogue about a childish character that will grow and become more mature, will people assume I couldn't write ...
- 103
0
votes
1
answer
131
views
How would you format dialogue that is in the middle of a sentence?
Below I will provide an example sentence in various forms to demonstrate what I mean. I want to see which punctuation is correct or most widely accepted. My assumption is an example will be correct ...
2
votes
3
answers
120
views
Writing commands in dialogue
I have three characters Alice, Bill and Charlie.
Alice is the captain of the group and is giving a command.
What I am trying to convey: Alice commands Charlie to lock the door.
How do I write it with ...
- 123
4
votes
2
answers
621
views
In dialogue, what is the best way to show an action as well as dialogue from two different characters?
I'm writing a book, and there's a point I've come up to where there's an action, plus dialogue from two different characters. Here's the excerpt:
“What do you want for her?” Dane asked. The man ...
1
vote
2
answers
299
views
How do you describe someone who's talking while brushing their teeth?
I don't think there's a specific word for that, so how would you describe it?
The scene is that someone shouts something while they're in the bathroom, brushing their teeth. It's still intelligible, ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
114
views
If a quotation makes up all of a person's speech does it still need to be in its own quote marks?
I have the following speech in a book I'm designing:
Seeing him hesitate, she said lightly, ‘“‘There’s both meat and music here,’ quoth the dog as he ate the piper’s bag”!’
Essentially someone is ...
2
votes
1
answer
134
views
How to correctly portray sign language between multiple characters
I am writing a book where one of the main characters only uses sign language to communicate, and all of the speaking characters communicate using ASL whilst also speaking aloud at the same time.
Is ...
- 21
10
votes
7
answers
5k
views
How do I write a sexist narrator without coming off as sexist myself?
I'm writing a script for a short movie, but I'm not sure if the introduction sounds clear enough. For context, the narrator is supposed to believe in "old-fashioned" values. Specifically ...
- 101
13
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How do I properly present dialogue in a scene with two female characters?
When writing a conversation between two female characters, I found myself using their names over and over instead of using pronouns. If I use 'she' for both of them, it's confusing to read because it ...
- 131
2
votes
3
answers
182
views
How do I write a story in which no one can understand each other?
I have this story I want to write where there's different species that each speak their own different language, but none of them can understand each other at all.
Then the main character comes and ...
2
votes
3
answers
268
views
What's the best way to write a 2-person story, primarily involving interaction?
I am writing a short story that only has 2 characters, and is written in the third person. I am deciding between script-type writing:
Character 1: "Wow! these are my words!" He smiles
...
- 23
1
vote
2
answers
255
views
How do you write the word 'wow' as if someone is dragging the sounds out longer than normal?
I am writing about a person daydreaming. She is looking into space and says the word 'wow'. How can I write it to convey she is dragging the word out?
- 21
1
vote
3
answers
90
views
Language of other countries
I write the little girl calls her grandmother Bunica Rose. The father calls her Bunica Rose also. In the narrative, I use the words, Grandmother Rose. Is this appropriate to do?Will my reading get ...
- 21
0
votes
2
answers
220
views
How to create dialogue in a book?
This question may sound strange to you, but I am starting to write my book for the first time, so I hope that everyone will understand me. My question is that I do not know how to write the dialogue ...
- 19
2
votes
3
answers
454
views
Can my narrator's thoughts be in the same paragraph as another character's dialogue?
I'm writing a scene where my narrator (character A) is listening and reacting internally to character B, who is giving a long-winded explanation of something. Though is is a problem I run into ...
- 23
1
vote
2
answers
156
views
Does every piece of dialogue need a dialogue tag like "she said"?
If I quote what a person says and use "she said" after the speech, do I have to state that again if I add another part of the speech after "she said"?
For example:
"It's a ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
365
views
What to use for internal thoughts, single quotes or italics?
When writing internal thoughts within a larger body of text, is it more correct to write it like
... 'She's totally lying.' ...
or
... She's totally lying....
0
votes
1
answer
94
views
"Enid Blyton" way to concede a point? Traditional upper class public school slang referred
I need to change a line in a play from American slang to English.
Context - Character is uncertain about something. Others convince her with can you really see X happening? or Y?"
The character ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
52
views
How to convey the voice of an entity that fluidly switches from a single mind to multiple minds?
I am writing a sci-fi story. One of the character(s) is an intelligent fungus that spreads throughout an exoplanet as, biologically, a single individual.
My sources of inspiration for this character ...
- 113
2
votes
3
answers
103
views
Format for writing extended dialogue
Is it acceptable to write dialogue in a book in screenplay format? (writing the name of the speaker and a colon, followed by the text)
- 53
0
votes
2
answers
334
views
How do I write dialogue separated with 'said' in the middle? [duplicate]
I'm studying for a test and don't know which one of the two following bits of dialogue is correct, and I haven't been able to find the answer online since I don't know what it is called.
"Hello,&...
0
votes
1
answer
86
views
What is the proper formatting of type and quote marks when the main character talks aloud to himself, to someone else, or has internal dialogue?
I am authoring a novel. The main character interacts with others in oral conversation and will also have internal dialogue with himself, during the same conversation. Or he will talk aloud to an ...
- 53
2
votes
1
answer
119
views
Am I overdoing it with the em dashes here?
I wrote two versions of the last paragraph for my scene (I included additional context since it also has an em dash). I need help deciding if the second version has too many em dashes and if I should ...
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
67
views
Selectively mute character where language is a barrier
I have a mc that speaks only mandarin and is taken in by pirates that are mostly English speakers. He didn't speak much before being taken by them. So how would I write a character that is basically ...
- 11
5
votes
2
answers
177
views
How should I include the sentence that a character would've said if they weren't interrupted in a screenplay?
I'm writing a screenplay with a scene were characters interrupt each other frequently. I think including the lines a character would've said if they weren't interrupted could help the actors and ...
- 53
0
votes
3
answers
103
views
Different styles of narrative. Should you stick to the norm when starting out?
I noticed that many authors use different ways of conveying dialogue, from conventional to unquoted ramblings mixed with explanatory sentencing. Are these types of artistic license with punctuation ...
- 145
1
vote
3
answers
193
views
How do I make my writing flow?
I'm in the skeleton stage, but to get into the rhythm of writing, I write short stories every few days. Upon reviewing them, I've realised that unless I am specifically aiming for abstract and vivid ...
- 902
0
votes
2
answers
149
views
How to provide translations, moods, and registry in multilanguage dialog within an narration in English?
I am starting a serious writing project (a novel book from a story I once drafted as a TV show; I am not a script writer either). Furthermore I decided to write in English, which is not my native ...
2
votes
2
answers
205
views
How would the "one good member" of an evil organization/culture see themselves?
I have a character that is the stereotypical "token good member of an evil organization". The organization is a brutal social darwinist one that sees nothing wrong with killing people and ...
- 4,664
0
votes
1
answer
97
views
How do you handle "mid-word pauses" during dialogues in novels?
How do you handle "mid-word pauses" during dialogues in novels?
I rarely see it being done in novels, so I am not sure what are the various ways to format it. Could you tell me the most ...
user36239
2
votes
5
answers
222
views
Is using diverse verbs on action beats to tag speech frowned upon?
Watching a video from an editor yesterday, she said authors should refrain from using too many verbs on action beats, instead relying mostly on "said" and "asked".
I think it is ...
- 1,185
0
votes
2
answers
172
views
Length of flashbacks during a dialogue and how to handle it?
Sometimes, you have two characters talking to one another and then as a character is about to describe what happened to the past, a flashback can be seen, and this is done in movies often. Now, I am ...
user36239
6
votes
5
answers
3k
views
How to write a character who's better than you at sounding professional and doublespeak
I have a character who is an expert at using language to his advantage. Both in terms of doublespeak, subtle put downs and deliberately avoiding the point and making the conversation about something ...
- 607
2
votes
2
answers
437
views
Spoken lists in dialogue
A character is speaking to another and calling out a number of items listed in their notes.
How can that dialogue be formatted to reflect a steady stream of speech? Not a bullet list or assigning a ...
- 21
4
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Easily understandable way to describe a character speaking with vocal fry?
Trying to have a character express hesitation and uncertainty with the tone of their voice. Like the verbal equivalent of an eye roll or an awkward smile. I'd like to say they're employing vocal fry, ...
- 141
0
votes
2
answers
139
views
How to punctuate an interrupted question?
I have a convoluted sentence that I am struggling to get punctuated correctly.
Sam is talking with Perkins.
"This is costing me money," Perkins retorted. "And Triple A doesn't pay ...
- 1
0
votes
3
answers
151
views
Writing apartment numbers in dialog
I am editing a mystery that takes place in an apartment building. Various apartment numbers are referenced often. 503 is where the murder takes place. Everyone always says each digit when referring to ...
- 1
5
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Can dialogue be put in the same paragraph as action text?
I'm a beginner writer, trying to learn fundementals. I'm editing some work now and I'm confused about proper formatting of paragraphs with dialogue.
I know that you should start a new paragraph when ...
- 51
4
votes
2
answers
798
views
How to break dialog with narrative in a single sentence?
What is the most appealing way to insert a bit of narrative within dialog in a single sentence? For example:
“The unified realm of my childhood,” Lucy hoped to avoid discussing the reasons for its ...
- 43
1
vote
3
answers
80
views
Is it possible to create unique voices in your story if all your characters use simple words and sentences in their dialogues?
Is it possible to create unique voices in your story if all your characters use simple words and sentences in their dialogues?
I believe that simple dialogues may not allow for the same level of ...
user36239