Dialogue Rules 8 Rules to get you started

Dialogue Rules! 8 Rules to get you started writing great dialogue

Rule #1 Paragraphs You MUST start a new paragraph EVERY time you change speakers…even if the speaker only says one word!!

Rule #2 Exactly what the speaker says will have quotation marks around it. “This is an example. ”

Rule # 3 Punctuation goes INSIDE the quotation Marks! “I absolutely love pepperoni pizza!” exclaimed Matty.

Rule # 4 If the annotation is first, you place the comma after it: Jacob said, “I wish I could go. ”

Rule # 5 If the annotation is last, you put the comma inside the quotation marks, and then put a period at the end. If it is a question or exclamation, the ? and ! go inside the quotation marks: “I wish I could go, ” Jacob said. “I wish I could go!” Jacob exclaimed

Rule # 6 You do not have to tell who the speaker is each time if the dialogue is between two people and they are having a lot of back-andforth conversations. Your readers will understand.

Rule # 7 Use a VARIETY of explanatory words such as “stated, questioned, observed, screamed, and agreed” instead of always using “said. ”

Rule # 8 Whenever possible, always include dialogue in your short story. It makes it a LOT more interesting!

Other great resources: http: //fictionwriting. about. com/od/writingexercises/qt/punctuation. htm http: //www. writingfix. com/PDFs/Writing_Tools/Rules_of_dialogue. pdf http: //writingfix. com/PDFs/Writing_Tools/Tom_Swiftie_Dialogue_rules. pdf http: //ywp. nanowrimo. org/files/ywp_10_hs_dialogue. pdf

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