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#IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond & Writing Dialogue


Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for hosting The Insecure Writers' Support Group, where we journey together down this lonesome writing road.


Have you downloaded your free copy of The Insecure Writer's Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond?


The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond

Tapping into the expertise of over a hundred talented authors from around the globe, The IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond contains something for every writer. Whether you are starting out and need tips on the craft of writing, looking for encouragement as an already established author, taking the plunge into self-publishing, or seeking innovative ways to market and promote your work, this guide is a useful tool. Compiled into three key areas of writing, publishing, and marketing, this valuable resource offers inspirational articles, helpful anecdotes, and excellent advice on dos and don'ts that we all wish we knew when we first started out on this writing journey.

ISBN 9781939844088
235 pages, FREE
IWSG sites – website, Facebook, and Facebook Critique Circle
Find the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords,Goodreads.

I contributed a piece on writing character relational styles, and I can't wait to dive into reading all the helpful advice. Suddenly the writing journey isn't so lonely!

Today I want to share tips for writing dialogue from author Justin McLaughlin:

Check them out HERE

Good tips, you think? 

What do you struggle with when writing dialogue? 

I have been guilty of fluffy tags like "she shouted" or "he groaned" instead of the less distracting "said".

I'm also learning to write with more economy, like "Thought you hated Fox News" or "Kind of tall for a setter, aren't you?"

Happy writing!



Comments

Tamara Narayan said…
I've trained myself not to use anything but "said" and then when I see other tags in published books I get jealous. Why is it okay for them, but not for me?
Nicki Elson said…
Those are great tips! Thanks for sharing. The adverb thing is one reason I'm itching to get my hands back on Three Daves -- to give it a thorough de-adverbing.
The book rocks!
I struggle to make dialogue relaxed and natural. And believe it or not, with my last manuscript, I found I was overusing 'damn' and didn't even realize it.
Anonymous said…
Some writing teachers don't mind writers using dialog tags other than said. Tom Chiarella in his book "Writing Dialog" even offers a list of "descriptive tags." He says we should use them rarely, but they are allowed: "My advice is to pick them because you can hear some hint of the tone you're shooting for in the tag itself, before the words are attached."
I agree with him and use his "descriptive tags" occasionally.
Adverbs after the tags, e.g. "said harshly" are a no-no, both from his point of view and mine. Alas, they still creep into my first drafts sometimes. :(
Leandra Wallace said…
Oh, dialogue tags! I admit to having too much fun w/them at times. =) And ditto to what Tamara said, lol!
LD Masterson said…
I really try to limit myself to "said" but there are times when a certain tag conveys just the right tone and I have to wrestle with which to use.
Cherie Colyer said…
Those are good tips. Thanks for sharing. I've had my characters mumble way too much. I watch for that when I revise.
Stephanie Faris said…
The one thing I struggle with are dialogue tags. I was taught at one time to use said and asked exclusively...but my publisher wants me to mix it up. So I'm having to unlearn avoiding getting creative with my tags. It can be so confusing sometimes!
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