: Re: How do I say that a character said something without resorting to "said Character" every time? I have one big problem with my writing - when I'm doing dialogue, I find myself writing it and

@Annie587

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I recommend using 'said' plus an appropriate adjective. Adding these sorts of little descriptions can really spice up a scene, and make it stick in the reader's mind.

For instance:

"I was fleeced on that meal," Tom confessed sheepishly.

"Why was that? Was it because of how disgusting and awful the fruit was?" Gatsby droned dolefully.

"No, to be honest, it was because of how bad the hot dog was," he replied frankly. "But what happened to your debutante friend?"

"Oh, she left, but I don't really care," Gatsby said lackadaisically. "Did you see her?"

"Yes, I think she maybe, possibly, didn't go over the fence, but actually could've instead gone through the plants," he hedged. "Hey, is the radio working yet?"

"Almost... almost... there! It sounds good now!" Gatsby cried out ecstatically.

These are called Tom Swifties, by the way. They're a dialogue tag that all high-class writers definitely have the option of using.

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