Elmore Leonard is one of the great novelists of our time (everyone should go out and watch all 7 seasons of Justified right now. Go ahead. I'll wait) and he had some good guidelines for writing fiction. I agree with all but one of the tips listed above. Using "said" only is dull. When I need a piece of dialogue to stand out, something other than "said" happens. I use it sparingly and for effect, but knowing when to break this 'rule' comes in handy.
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| Justified. Now on DVD. |
"Get back here," Tom said.
"Get back here!" Tom shouted.
I try not to use other tags often so when I use something like 'shouted', it stands out.
What do you think, writers and readers? Do you agree or disagree with Elmore's tips? Please, let me know and tell me why. What works for you?
Bobby
"Get back here!" Tom shouted.
I try not to use other tags often so when I use something like 'shouted', it stands out.
What do you think, writers and readers? Do you agree or disagree with Elmore's tips? Please, let me know and tell me why. What works for you?
Bobby
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