tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post4418410480514360586..comments2023-10-03T08:03:07.792-04:00Comments on Jay Eckert's Sharpened Pen: A Diatribe on Dialog TagsJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-82939810938379628312010-04-12T21:17:36.957-04:002010-04-12T21:17:36.957-04:00Thanks for dropping my, Wendy. The examples were t...Thanks for dropping my, Wendy. The examples were the most fun for me. :-)Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-9983056993312181262010-04-11T23:39:45.172-04:002010-04-11T23:39:45.172-04:00Excellent examples. Excellent blog!
Will be follo...Excellent examples. Excellent blog!<br /><br />Will be following :)Just Wendy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05268645629027109282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-41903513747531789712010-04-09T10:38:52.736-04:002010-04-09T10:38:52.736-04:00Much better. Two adverbs and and 4 exclamations po...Much better. Two adverbs and and 4 exclamations points along with the threat of murder really drives the point home. There's no way anyone could misinterpret the situation now. Ha HaMary E Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119298615414367828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-25604706725025827722010-04-08T21:23:18.695-04:002010-04-08T21:23:18.695-04:00Really good post. This is something I learned whil...Really good post. This is something I learned while reading blogs so it's good that people still put the lessons out there once in awhile and I we all could use a refresher course. But - "You bastard! she shrieked loudly doesn't go near far enough - in my opinion. Well, of course that would depend on the situation.Mary E Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119298615414367828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-19842185950408589952010-04-08T20:02:55.540-04:002010-04-08T20:02:55.540-04:00Thanks, Annie. Thanks, R.C. Believable dialog with...Thanks, Annie. Thanks, R.C. Believable dialog with our without dialog tags is critical, I think.<br /><br />Mireyah, Mireyah, Mireyah. <br /><br />E.T. ran screaming through the house with his overlong arms raised above his head. "Ahhhhhhhhh!"<br /><br />See? No dialog tag at all. MWAHAHAHAHAHA. I see your point, though, I've never read a book and been bored by the repeated use of "said".Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-57141685174397692942010-04-08T18:18:17.283-04:002010-04-08T18:18:17.283-04:00I personally think that using "said" as ...I personally think that using "said" as the only dialogue tag makes things very monotone and repetitive--I like using descriptive words. If a character is shrieking something, I want to know she is. <br /><br />"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!" instead of "ahh" if that makes sense. <br /><br />But I do think they should be used in moderation, just as with anything else. ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-89768034126332674452010-04-08T14:06:22.525-04:002010-04-08T14:06:22.525-04:00This is incredibly helpful. One of the things I co...This is incredibly helpful. One of the things I constantly worry about is how believable dialog is to the reader. Sometimes my brain goes down a rather flowery path and I'm left with a page better resembling a garden than a page of dialog. Not good. <br /><br />I'm going to take your advice and run through my last few projects to make sure I didn't fall into the trap of boring dialog tags, distracting tags, or flowery tags. <br /><br />Thanks for your insight.R.C. Murphyhttp://rcmurphy.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-6726206780097061602010-04-07T23:00:37.593-04:002010-04-07T23:00:37.593-04:00Excellent post, Jay! This is something I learned r...Excellent post, Jay! This is something I learned recently, and you summarized it very well. I'm bookmarking this post for future reference. :)Annie McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03008412049738658869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-840368168765636222010-04-07T21:35:12.426-04:002010-04-07T21:35:12.426-04:00Thanks for dropping by, you guys.
Kristan - me ne...Thanks for dropping by, you guys.<br /><br />Kristan - me neither - I mean, I simply won't use "lectured" or "intoned", but the occasional "hiss" or "growl" works for me.<br /><br />Harley - I'm horrified when I go back to my earlier writing. Yikes!<br /><br />Dawn - the whole proper name/pronoun thing is really tricky, especially when the speakers are all male or all female, and there's more than two. So the action beats are helpful, but again, it's a tightrope!Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-64967839589040993722010-04-07T21:30:47.775-04:002010-04-07T21:30:47.775-04:00Great topic and excellent examples. I will admit I...Great topic and excellent examples. I will admit I used dialogue tags sometimes. I know some people say not to use any of the extra ones because they aren't needed but I like to mix things up. Sometimes there will be action and no tag, other times I might use a tag.<br /><br />My biggest problem is overusing characters names because many of my scenes involve only males, often two males talking. Since I write stories with gay males, it can be difficult to determine who is speaking and yet I don't want to overdue the name usage.Dawn Embershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00214560861614476799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-26139054175167878822010-04-07T21:12:52.804-04:002010-04-07T21:12:52.804-04:00Great examples! I am spurred to read through my no...Great examples! I am spurred to read through my novel again to see if I fall into adverb filled dialogue tags!Anastasia V. Pergakishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03350626962513824401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-15013973653936646212010-04-07T20:58:58.861-04:002010-04-07T20:58:58.861-04:00EXCELLENT examples.
I myself am not opposed to th...EXCELLENT examples.<br /><br />I myself am not opposed to the judicious use of "flamboyant" dialog tags, but I agree that the tendency of writers who use them is to use too many of them. New law: all such writers must read this post. Decreed: Apr 7, 2010, by Kristan Hoffman. THE END.Kristanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04771013578685419826noreply@blogger.com