How to Use Dialog Tags Terribly
Dialog tags help the reader know who is speaking the dialog. Recently, I shared how you could write bad dialog in your stories. The truth is, though, if you really want to write wretched dialog, you should consider working on your dialog tags. Here are a few options that you might not have considered. I […]
Want Strong Dialogue? Don’t Forget the Subtext
Realistic, evocative dialogue is an important part of any successful story. We need our characters’ interactions to be authentic, consistent, and engaging to draw readers into what’s happening. So when we’re learning to write, we spend a lot of time on mechanics—learning all the grammar and punctuation rules. But proper form is just the first […]
Writing Wretched Dialog Tags
If you really want to write wretched dialog, you should consider working on your dialog tags. Here are a few options that you might not have considered. I love a story that starts out with tags like this: Elena: “Did you buy the soup?” Jacob: “What soup?” Elena: “The split pea soup that I begged […]
How to Write Wretched Dialog
Recently I read a couple of stories where it felt as if the author was struggling to come up with bad dialog. So I thought I should give a few tips on how to do it properly. The easiest way to write wretched dialog is to use dialog for the wrong things. In other words, […]
