: Re: Why is there such strong objection to the use of said-bookisms? I am surprised by the vehemence of many writers' objection to said-bookisms -- the practice of using a verb other than "said"

@Sent2472441

Vote Up Vote Down

Perhaps I missed it, but the other answers don't explain the main reason to use 'said' almost exclusively:

Speed

Dialogue in real life is fluid and a lot of words/information can be exchanged in a very short period of time. Conversely, written dialogue eats up space on the page even for very short exchanges. The solution?

Make the dialogue tags as basic as possible so they're almost invisible. Use the barest minimum number of tags so that readers can experience the dialogue at a more authentic-feeling speed.

EDIT:

It's also important to have a character's actions feel authentic. If two characters speak and length and then suddenly there is a 'she said suggestively', then I would be disappointed. To me, it feels like lazy writing because the author is attempting to achieve something using a single word or short phrase. As a reader, I would much rather witness the characters moving closer, shuffling awkwardly, breathing shallowly etc. to convey their flirtations.

(0)

Login to post a comment!