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nathan
Sage

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 2122

Posted 3/25/2008 2:03 PM (GMT -5)

Hey, help.

Example: is "{long dialog}." He said.

okay, or can you only write "{long dialog}," he said.

The difference of course being the ." He vs. the ," he

Is only one way correct or is just one way more common, etc.

Thanks!

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Edward Knight
Jack of all Trades and Master of None

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 1039

Posted 3/25/2008 2:38 PM (GMT -5)

Well, other than opinion I have no reference for this. But to me the second way ("yada yada," he said.) is the only way I'd do it simply because the tag is attached more tightly to the dialog. I can't really think of a reason why one would want to separate the tag from the dialog with a period. The two go together. Separating the dialog and the tag might lead to the reader not understanding who the speaker is.

If it is obvious as to who is speaking then you don't need the tag anyway. I'm not sure what exactly you are writing, but check to see if you need the tag at all. I'm all in favor of avoiding dialog tags when I can.

Edward Knight
Editor
Journey Books Publishing

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H.P. Lovesauce
Necronomicondiment

Date Joined Jul 2007
Total Posts : 585

Posted 3/25/2008 2:52 PM (GMT -5)

Only the second is correct.

Rob Santa
Sage

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1455

Posted 3/25/2008 3:39 PM (GMT -5)

I agree with my esteemed condiment. If it is a dialog tag, it would be attached to the dialog. If it is a particularly long stretch of yadda yadda then perhaps you need to have the tag nearer the beginning.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to tell me," Bolan said. "Clearly there's a difference between hitting a guy in the chest with two, 240-grain slugs and hitting him in the head with something of smaller weight. I fully believe it's the stopping power of the projectiles that transforms a gunfight into victory and not necessarily the accuracy of said projectiles, though, obviously, a headshot is delightful."

Now, if you wanted a long bit of dialog without a tag, I would suggest putting an action sentence somewhere beyond the first sentence.

"If we're talking a fist fight, though, that's another matter. You can pound on a guy's chest as much as you want, and there are just some guys who can take the abuse. They've had their ribs cracked before and can work through the pain. They could do a thousand situps a day, and those punches just don't get through." Bolan lifted the Thai guard by the collar and drove his knuckles into the man's temple. "Here, as in a firefight, a headshot is not just delightful; it's required."

Rob Santa

Hopelessly Addicted Writer of Speculative Fiction

and CEO of Ricasso Press

John M. Whalen
flashg

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 422

Posted 3/25/2008 4:48 PM (GMT -5)

What Rob said.

Gustavo
Sage

Date Joined Aug 2007
Total Posts : 1312

Posted 3/25/2008 4:53 PM (GMT -5)

Agree. I used to make this mistake a lot, and I still get it corrected every so often, so I know first hand that the first option is incorrect.

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Lyn
Yep, I Muck

Date Joined Sep 2007
Total Posts : 1598

Posted 3/25/2008 5:05 PM (GMT -5)

Now if you had written: So he said. - then that would have been a narrator commentary and would probably be okay. "But for regular dialog, always end with a comma before the quote," I say.

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crystalwizard
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 5004

Posted 3/25/2008 5:20 PM (GMT -5)

Nate, go visit the 4RV publishing forum here on this board and post grammar questions to Viv. She taught English for many years and she is one of the best resources on this board for that.

nathan said...
Hey, help.

Example: is "{long dialog}." He said.

okay, or can you only write "{long dialog}," he said.

The difference of course being the ." He vs. the ," he

Is only one way correct or is just one way more common, etc.

Thanks!

Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!

Managing Editor of Flashing Swords

Visit my art gallery on art wanted
All my books in print

nathan
Sage

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 2122

Posted 3/25/2008 7:45 PM (GMT -5)

Thank you much my excellent and insightful colleagues! Much appreciated and Rob that was a nice bit of illustration.

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strange behaviour
Neophyte

Date Joined Apr 2008
Total Posts : 52

Posted 4/14/2008 2:16 PM (GMT -5)

Hi. I know this thread's quite old now, but I thought I'd post in case you were still wondering.

In the case of someone speaking then the above posts are correct - you use a comma. ("Like this," he said.) This is true even if you use other words like asked, replied, snarled, or whatever. Otherwise you end up with a fragment of a sentence sitting around doing nothing. You use a small letter after the speech marks even if the speech ends with a question mark. (Like this?" she asked.)

However, if you aren't posting that someone's speaking but performing an action, then you use a fullstop instead. ("English is complicated." He shook his head and walked away in despair.

)

crystalwizard
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 5004

Posted 4/15/2008 2:05 AM (GMT -5)

Actually, to quote one of my favorite editors who is well versed in the Chicago Manual of Style, either is correct. I personally go with the effect I want the reader to experience when reading the sentence.

Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!

Managing Editor of Flashing Swords

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strange behaviour
Neophyte

Date Joined Apr 2008
Total Posts : 52

Posted 4/15/2008 5:59 AM (GMT -5)

Maybe it's a British vs. American English thing then, because I was always taught that because the action isn't part of the speech, you use a fullstop. *shrug*

Hermit
Diavhrati Luminary

Date Joined May 2007
Total Posts : 1729

Posted 4/15/2008 11:12 AM (GMT -5)

No. It's not even that authoritative. It's one of many American standards against as host of others, and opposed to British English. We revolted, remember. And we're still revolting.

Anyway, while I most closely follow The Chicago Manual, I believe that the scheme above is MORE correct than the other and will very seldom support the other as an editor. As an Associate Editor, I do as my SrEd requires. But when editing on my own, I default to the fullstop as you demonstrate above.

strange behaviour said...
Maybe it's a British vs. American English thing then, because I was always taught that because the action isn't part of the speech, you use a fullstop. *shrug*

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strange behaviour
Neophyte

Date Joined Apr 2008
Total Posts : 52

Posted 4/16/2008 4:02 AM (GMT -5)

Well, it would be no fun if it was simple....

Keralen
Adept

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 555

Posted 4/16/2008 8:20 AM (GMT -5)

BTW, Strange, you have one of the best avatars EVer.

strange behaviour
Neophyte

Date Joined Apr 2008
Total Posts : 52

Posted 4/16/2008 10:43 AM (GMT -5)

Thanks.

Jack Windsword
Stablehand

Date Joined Mar 2008
Total Posts : 33

Posted 4/16/2008 11:33 AM (GMT -5)

My prof always taught me that when dealing with fiction, you have license to fudge the rules for a desired effect. I guess it depends on the editor. If an editor doesn't like that you've taken a liberty, you'll have to change it or send it to another market. That's my take, but I'm a total noob.

And StrangeB--Rock on, brother! Nice to see another Pinnete (spelling?) fan.

BethS
Adept

Date Joined Jun 2004
Total Posts : 750

Posted 4/16/2008 2:31 PM (GMT -5)

strange behaviour said...
Maybe it's a British vs. American English thing then, because I was always taught that because the action isn't part of the speech, you use a fullstop. *shrug*

I agree. I can't say that I've seen it any other way. Except maybe when the action interrupts a sentence. Like this (I lifted this out my WIP):

He crossed his massive arms. "Lady Saree—if there is something you desire, I will get it for you. You need not lower yourself to traffic with this ragged monkey of a peddler—" he sniffed disdainfully, "—who will take your gold and waste your time."

I've seen dialogue like that punctuated in different ways, sometimes with a comma after the first em-dash as well as one after the final word in the tag (in this case, "disdainfully). Or sometimes a period (fullstop) there. Or commas in place of the em-dashes. It seems to come down to house style.

~Beth

P.S. Love your avatar. Very clever. <g>

strange behaviour
Neophyte

Date Joined Apr 2008
Total Posts : 52

Posted 4/16/2008 5:20 PM (GMT -5)

BethS said...

~Beth

P.S. Love your avatar. Very clever. <g>

For an interruption I'd always use commas, unless an editor told me otherwise.

Thanks. I can't take credot for the avatar though.

Jack Windsword said...

And StrangeB--Rock on, brother! Nice to see another Pinnete (spelling?) fan.

I have no idea who that is......

Don't they say that you should know the rules before you break them, though?

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