Formatting dialogue in any manuscript can be perplexing. Follow these 8 guidelines so you don’t get tripped up by tricky dialogue.
1. Check that all spoken dialogue is enclosed in quotation marks and that punctuation occurs inside the quotation marks. [Enclosing all punctuation within the quotes is standard style of most American publishers.]
2. Only spoken words go in quotes, thoughts do not need to be set off with quotation marks. Some writers use italics to set off thoughts.
3. The best verb for tagging your dialogue is “said.” Use other verbs when they truly add to the moment. And do not use verbs as speech tags unless they actually describe speech: sneered, snorted, or giggled, and the like are not speech tags because they are not specific ways we vocalize words.
For all eight tips, listen to the full episode.
1000 N. West Street #1200, Wilmington, DE 19801
© 2022 Direct Learning Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Crafted by FirstWire
Licensure & Memberships
Recommended for college credits by the Connecticut Board of Academic Awards
College credits obtained through Charter Oak State College
Approved as a private business and trade school in the state of Delaware
Quick Links
