tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post8956507398763455375..comments2024-01-05T05:25:41.644-05:00Comments on Writing Fiction Right from novelist Gail Gaymer Martin: Dialogue Tags -- What's Better?Gail Gaymer Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12299564615451895559noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post-27690471495465293292008-05-18T22:31:00.000-04:002008-05-18T22:31:00.000-04:00Hi Carla - Yes you understand corectly By use act...Hi Carla - Yes you understand corectly By use action or introspection, you can let the reader know who's speaking without using tags which are pretty useless except for identify the speaker -- and with the other technique you don't need it.<BR/><BR/>GailGail Gaymer Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12299564615451895559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post-49464746824922504182008-05-18T19:25:00.000-04:002008-05-18T19:25:00.000-04:00Hi Gail,Thanks again for sharing your expertise wi...Hi Gail,<BR/>Thanks again for sharing your expertise with us! You are a great teacher.<BR/>When I think of "show, don't tell" I see that is possible much through dialoguing without tags as you discussed. Is that a correct? I have recently read a few books that hardly had a traditional tag and they really came alive.<BR/>Am I getting close?<BR/>Blessings,<BR/>CarlaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post-57470469959574789132008-05-16T23:48:00.000-04:002008-05-16T23:48:00.000-04:00Hi Kristina,Yes, be true to your character. A ric...Hi Kristina,<BR/><BR/>Yes, be true to your character. A rich young women, hiding her identity, might very well use bad grammar and slang when she knows better but to throw off people identifing her. In the same way, an educated man doing menal work can also be true to his education. In fact that could add an interesting hook in the story if someone thought he was putting on airs or if his language confused someone who wanted to trust him but weren't able to understand him. I hope that was clear.<BR/><BR/>Use details like this to create unique characters as well as to add a little twist to the plot. As I said stay true to the character.<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/>GailGail Gaymer Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12299564615451895559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post-4857341862695483302008-05-16T23:43:00.000-04:002008-05-16T23:43:00.000-04:00Thanks so much, Kristi. It makes the work worthwhi...Thanks so much, Kristi. It makes the work worthwhile when writers benefit from the entries. So glad you're finding it helpsul.<BR/><BR/>GailGail Gaymer Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12299564615451895559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post-72971234345535400932008-05-16T20:09:00.000-04:002008-05-16T20:09:00.000-04:00Hi Gail!What if the hero is intelligent, but he ha...Hi Gail!<BR/><BR/>What if the hero is intelligent, but he had to take a lower paid/lower skilled job due to discrimination? <BR/><BR/>For example, during the 19th century, there were many intelligent Irish folks that came to America, but they were discriminated against because of their ethnicity. <BR/><BR/>Would my hero be out of character if he was intelligent and worked in a menial job, but spoke normally or intelligently? <BR/><BR/>Thanks!<BR/><BR/>KristinaKristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07202819119231568914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3228061546320890543.post-85998649748652020892008-05-15T21:51:00.000-04:002008-05-15T21:51:00.000-04:00I enjoy your posts--it's like taking a mini writin...I enjoy your posts--it's like taking a mini writing course. You really accomplish a lot in a few words, making the words do double and triple duty. Great example!Kristi Hollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01480214912307187314noreply@blogger.com