Punctuation in Dialog – Comma vs. Period
By Melinda Brasher
Commas and Periods in Dialogue
We all love dialogue in books, but your readers will love it
less if it’s punctuated awkwardly. Here is the solution to a common error in
dialogue punctuation.
First, make the
distinction between what I call “dialogue tags” and “action tags.”
A dialogue tag uses
said or another similar speaking
word. For example, “he said,” “I asked,”
or “she whispered.” As long as you don’t
get carried away with attention-grabbing synonyms like ordered, commiserated, murmured, contradicted, these dialogue tags
are good because they’re short and almost invisible. They let the reader focus on the dialogue
itself. However, you don’t want to use
them with every line of dialogue, or you’ll sound repetitive and choppy.
An action tag
does not contain a synonym for said.
Instead, it’s simply an action the character performs before, during, or
while speaking. Example: “Magda slammed
her fist on the table,” or “Simon carefully untangled the knotted rope.” These are great because they break up the
dialogue while giving either a better insight into the character or a better
image of the scene as a whole. When
using an action tag, you don’t have to put in the dialogue tag—and usually should’t—because the reader understands
that the person doing the action is the same person speaking.
Magda slammed her
fist on the table. “I’m not going to
ignore this any longer.”
“So, you think I’m
manipulating you.” Simon carefully
untangled the knotted rope.
In good writing, you use both dialogue and action tags. But in good writing, you also remember to
punctuate them correctly.
Rule #1: Use a comma with dialogue tags.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He said, “That’s unfortunate.”
To READ the REST of this POST, please go to:
http://www.writersonthemove.com/2014/07/avoiding-common-punctuation-errors-part.html
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I hope you found this information interesting and helpful. Too advanced, not enough, just right? I’d really love to know, so please leave a comment – good or bad or email me at: karencioffi@ymail.com
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