Dialog Tags

An article in Writer's Digest, Who Said That?, continues the controversy about using dialog tags. Some contemporary writers eschew any attribution other than "said" and "asked". Author Nancy Kress admits a pageful of them can be boring, but warns that using synonyms can also be distracting.

But when used reasonably, readers don't actually notice dialogue tags; they should blend into the page. Some words that identify tone of voice can sharpen the reader's mental image without calling undue attention to themselves. These include "shouted," "whispered," "gasped" and "murmured."

Sometimes writers try to skirt the issue adverbially, using a modifying adverb after a plain tag. They risk being hooted out of their critique groups as "Tom Swiftie" creators. Another alternative is to omit tags completely, which works fine until the characters get deep into a runaway conversation and readers begin to wonder "who said that"? [dialog]

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