Apr 25 2011
How to Use Dialogue Tags Effectively
Dialogue tags are phrases like “he said” or “she joked” that let readers know which speaker is delivering a line.
1. If the dialogue tag isn’t necessary, remove it. Does the dialogue tag provide enough information to readers to justify spending 2+ words? I’ve read manuscripts with hundreds of unnecessary dialogue tags. Cutting back can free up pages for actual content.
- WASTE OF SPACE: “I’ll never leave you,” he promised. “I’ll never leave you” is obviously a promise, so “he promised” is unnecessary.
- HELPFUL: “You study three hours a day,” she accused. Without “she accused,” readers might misinterpret this as a compliment.
2. Make sure your tags fit the context of the sentence.
- WRONG: “I want a pizza,” he stated. “Stated” is far too formal to fit here. (It also connotes deliberation and authority/confidence, like someone delivering an official finding or report).
- RIGHT: “This man was murdered,” the coroner stated.
- SO VERY WRONG: “I want a pizza,” he ejaculated.
