The original version of this page can be found at : http://forum.sfreader.com/default.aspx?f=19&m=74282
| Posted By : nathan - 3/25/2008 3:03 PM | | 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!
VIEW IMAGE"Writing the wet dreams of teenage boys" - Lindsey Llyod, Tangent Reviews
Tarantino himself has been forward and unapologetic about his influences. In a 1994 interview with Empire magazine, he said, "I steal from every single movie ever made. If people don't like that, then tough tills, don't go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don't do homages." |
| Posted By : Edward Knight - 3/25/2008 3:38 PM | | 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
|
| Posted By : H.P. Lovesauce - 3/25/2008 3:52 PM | | Only the second is correct. |
| Posted By : Rob Santa - 3/25/2008 4:39 PM | 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 |
| Posted By : John M. Whalen - 3/25/2008 5:48 PM | | What Rob said. |
| Posted By : Gustavo - 3/25/2008 5:53 PM | 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.
Visit my livejournal! http://bondo-ba.livejournal.com/
|
| Posted By : Lyn - 3/25/2008 6:05 PM | 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.
Lyn from Residential Aliens
Purchase ResAliens Anthology |
| Posted By : crystalwizard - 3/25/2008 6:20 PM | 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 |
| Posted By : nathan - 3/25/2008 8:45 PM | Thank you much my excellent and insightful colleagues! Much appreciated and Rob that was a nice bit of illustration.
VIEW IMAGE"Writing the wet dreams of teenage boys" - Lindsey Llyod, Tangent Reviews
Tarantino himself has been forward and unapologetic about his influences. In a 1994 interview with Empire magazine, he said, "I steal from every single movie ever made. If people don't like that, then tough tills, don't go and see it, all right? I steal from everything. Great artists steal, they don't do homages." |
| Posted By : strange behaviour - 4/14/2008 3:16 PM | 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.  ) |
| Posted By : strange behaviour - 4/15/2008 6:59 AM | | 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* |
| Posted By : MysticWino - 4/15/2008 12:12 PM | 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.
|
| Posted By : strange behaviour - 4/16/2008 5:02 AM | Well, it would be no fun if it was simple....  |
| Posted By : Keralen - 4/16/2008 9:20 AM | | BTW, Strange, you have one of the best avatars EVer. |
| Posted By : strange behaviour - 4/16/2008 11:43 AM | | Thanks. |
| Posted By : Jack Windsword - 4/16/2008 12:33 PM | 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.
|
| Posted By : BethS - 4/16/2008 3:31 PM |
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> |
| Posted By : strange behaviour - 4/16/2008 6:20 PM |
BethS said...
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>
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...
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.
I have no idea who that is......
Don't they say that you should know the rules before you break them, though? |
|