[ SECRET POST #2702 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2702 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 068 secrets from Secret Submission Post #386.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 1 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Re: Fic rants

[inkdust]

What about writing that primarily uses action tags instead?

Re: Fic rants

[(Anonymous)]

That never bothers for me for some reason (I use action tags a lot myself. Possibly too much). It adds a different pacing, maybe? But something like this

'"This is an example," X contributed.

"It's a bad one," Y quipped.'

for every dialogue tag in the story throws me off. I mean, I don't think those kinds of dialogue tags are bad or shouldn't be used, I just focus on them way more than I should.

Re: Fic rants

[inkdust]

Oh! I thought you were referring to writing that didn't use any dialogue tags rather than a lot of alternatives to "said." Constantly using variations like your example is terribly distracting, and in my opinion weak writing.

Re: Fic rants

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I don't think I explained myself very clearly in that first comment. :) I agree that it's weak writing; along with being distracting, I feel there are times when that kind of dialogue tag can be very effective, but using them constantly weakens that effect.

Re: Fic rants

[crunchysunrises]

Hmmmm... I actually prefer variations. But then, I find it incredibly distracting/irritating to see 'said' all the time. To me, overusing 'said' is weak writing.

...When it comes to mechanics, we are not the same target audience apparently!

Re: Fic rants

[inkdust]

Hah, yeah apparently not. The majority of what I've read about writing says it's best to reduce dialogue tags in favor of action tags, and then when a dialogue tag is needed to use "said" more often than not - the idea is that the brain tends to skip over "said" and not notice it. Not always true for everyone, I suppose :)

Re: Fic rants

[crunchysunrises]

The thing about How To Write books is that they change according to the prevailing wisdom of the era in which they're written. They're not meaningless, exactly, but they are an excellent gauge of what's trendy in writing circles at the time that they're written.

They're also highly subjective as seen in that tidbit about how (that particular writer's) brain functions, but their opinions are often applied across the board. And it's interesting to me how few of them are written by writers who are raking it in over their prose. A few are written by that type, but not many.

All of that said, there are definitely some interesting/good ideas in them, but take them with a grain of salt.

But a lot of popular/classic/modern classics don't follow those rules. Frex, the beginning of JKR's HP & the Sorcerer's Stone breaks several majority "writing rules" in favor of telling a good story. And it certainly seems to have paid off.

Re: Fic rants

[inkdust]

Oh, certainly, all advice changes with the wind. I just agreed with them on this one. It makes sense to me to try in most cases to convey the tone of dialogue through other means. But descriptive tags definitely have a place, especially in books like HP.

Re: Fic rants

[crunchysunrises]

I like that. But then, I'm super aware of someone who uses "said" too much/constantly. And it annoys me. Different strokes, you know?

Re: Fic rants

[(Anonymous)]

I think it's best to achieve a balance between 'said' and alternative tags, as well as using other options to limit your use of such tags. Using 'said' too much is distracting, but going out of your way to never use 'said' can also be distracting.

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