“I love you,” she gasped. “Really?” he queried. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “But—” he stammered. “No buts,” she interjected.

Stop.

This is bad writing. And it’s bad for a very specific reason: the dialogue tags are working too hard.

The golden rule: “Said” is invisible. Everything else calls attention to itself.

And in 95% of cases, you don’t want readers noticing your dialogue tags—you want them immersed in the conversation.

What Are Dialogue Tags?

Dialogue tags (also called “attributions”) identify who’s speaking:

"I can't believe it," Maria said.

The tag: “Maria said”

Function: Tells us who spoke

Common tags:

  • Said / says
  • Asked
  • Replied
  • Answered
  • Whispered
  • Shouted

The temptation: Use varied, descriptive tags to avoid repetition and add flavor.

The reality: This almost always makes writing worse.

Why “Said” is Invisible (And That’s Good)

Psychological principle: Readers’ brains process “said” automatically without conscious attention.

It’s like punctuation—necessary for clarity, but you don’t notice it. Your brain sees:

"I'm leaving," John said.

And processes: John is leaving.

The “said” registers who spoke without interrupting the dialogue’s flow.

But when you write:

"I'm leaving," John declared.

“Declared” pulls focus. Readers notice the word choice. It creates tiny friction—a micro-pause to consider: Is “declared” the right word? Why not “said”?

That friction breaks immersion.

The “Said” is Dead Movement (And Why It’s Wrong)

Some writing advice says: “Never use ‘said.’ It’s boring and repetitive. Use vivid alternatives!”

This produces:

"I hate you," she hissed.
"How could you?" he queried.
"You betrayed me," she accused.
"That's not true," he protested.
"Liar," she spat.

Problems:

  1. Overwritten: Every line tries too hard
  2. Repetitive in a different way: Now readers notice ALL the tags
  3. Telling emotion instead of showing: “She accused” tells us how to interpret “You betrayed me”—but the dialogue should do that work itself
  4. Physically impossible: You can’t hiss a sentence without sibilants (try hissing “I hate you”—doesn’t work)

Better version:

"I hate you."
"How could you say that?"
"You betrayed me."
"That's not true."
"Liar."

No tags needed. The emotion is in the dialogue itself. And if attribution is needed:

"I hate you," she said.
"How could you say that?" he said.

Transparent. Functional. Doesn’t interfere.

When to Use “Said” Alternatives

“Said” should be your default. But there are legitimate exceptions:

Exception 1: Volume Change

Asked, whispered, shouted, yelled, murmured

These indicate how something is said in ways that change meaning.

Example:

"Get out," he whispered.

Different impact than:

"Get out," he shouted.

Legitimate: The tag adds information that changes interpretation.

But even here, action beats can be better:

"Get out." His voice was barely audible.

Exception 2: Questioning

“Asked” is acceptable for questions when:

  • The question mark might be ambiguous (rare)
  • You want to emphasize the questioning nature

But usually unnecessary:

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked.

The question mark does the work. This is fine, but so is:

"Where are you going?" Sarah said.

Or:

"Where are you going?"

(No tag if attribution is clear)

Exception 3: Called/Shouted (Distance)

When someone is calling across distance:

"Dinner's ready!" Mom called from downstairs.

“Called” adds spatial information that “said” doesn’t.

Exception 4: Continued/Added (Structural)

When one character speaks, then continues after a paragraph break:

"Here's what happened," John said. "First, the power went out."

He paused, gathering his thoughts.

"Then," he continued, "we heard the scream."

“Continued” clarifies structure without being intrusive.

What to Avoid: The Egregious Offenders

Never Use: Adverb-Heavy Tags

Bad:

"I love you," she said breathlessly.
"Do you?" he asked suspiciously.
"Yes!" she exclaimed happily.

Why it fails:

  • Tells instead of shows
  • Clutters the prose
  • The dialogue should convey the emotion

Better:

"I love you." She was breathing hard, flushed.
"Do you?" He studied her face.
"Yes!"

The emotion comes from context and action, not adverbs.

Never Use: Physically Impossible Tags

Bad examples:

  • “I hate you,” she hissed. (No ‘S’ sounds—physically can’t hiss it)
  • “Let’s go,” he smiled. (You can’t smile words)
  • “Maybe,” she shrugged. (You can’t shrug words)
  • “Watch out!” he frowned. (You can’t frown words)

What’s happening: Writers conflate action happening during speech with the speech itself.

Fix:

She smiled. "Let's go."

Or:

"Let's go," she said, smiling.

The smile and the speech are separate actions, grammatically treated as such.

Never Use: Overly Fancy Synonyms

Bad:

"I disagree," he opined.
"That's wrong," she declaimed.
"Absolutely not," he expounded.
"You're mistaken," she averred.

Why it fails:

  • Feels like writer is showing off vocabulary
  • Pulls reader out of story to process unusual words
  • Often slightly wrong (these words have specific connotations that may not fit)

Better:

"I disagree."
"That's wrong."
"Absolutely not."
"You're mistaken."

Let the words speak for themselves.

Action Beats: The Better Alternative

Instead of fancy tags, use action beats—physical actions that:

  • Identify the speaker
  • Reveal emotion/intention
  • Break up dialogue visually
  • Add pacing and rhythm

Instead of:

"I don't believe you," she said angrily.

Use:

"I don't believe you." She slammed her mug on the table.

Or:

"I don't believe you." She turned away, arms crossed.

The action shows the anger without telling.

Action Beats vs. Tags: Examples

Tag version:

"Where were you?" she demanded.
"Out," he muttered.
"With whom?" she interrogated.
"Friends," he deflected.

Action beat version:

"Where were you?" She blocked the doorway.
"Out." He wouldn't meet her eyes.
"With whom?"
"Friends." He pushed past her.

The action beats:

  • Show body language (blocking doorway = confrontational)
  • Reveal emotion (won’t meet eyes = guilt/shame)
  • Indicate power dynamics (pushing past = avoiding conversation)

Far more effective than fancy tags.

When You Don’t Need Tags at All

If it’s clear who’s speaking, cut the tag.

In Two-Person Dialogue

Once established, alternate speakers without attribution:

Unnecessary tags:

"Are you okay?" John said.
"I'm fine," Mary said.
"You don't look fine," John said.
"I said I'm fine," Mary said.

Better:

"Are you okay?" John asked.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I said I'm fine."

After the first attribution, we know who’s speaking by alternation.

Reattribute when:

  • Many lines have passed (reader might lose track)
  • One character speaks multiple times in a row
  • You want to add an action beat

In Group Dialogue (Use Strategic Beats)

Mix of tags, action beats, and distinctive voice:

"We need a plan," Sarah said.
"I have one." Marcus leaned forward. "We go in through the back."
"That's suicide."
"You have a better idea?" Marcus looked at Tom.
Tom shrugged. "I'm just saying it's risky."
"Everything's risky," Sarah said.

Notice:

  • Not every line has attribution
  • Action beats identify speakers when needed
  • Distinctive speech patterns help (if well-developed)

The Rhythm of Prose: Tags as Punctuation

Dialogue tags affect reading rhythm:

All tags at the end (monotonous):

"I don't understand," she said.
"It's complicated," he said.
"Explain it," she said.

Varied placement (more dynamic):

"I don't understand."
He sighed. "It's complicated."
"Explain it," she said.

Breaking lines with action:

"I don't understand." She leaned forward. "Explain it to me."

Use placement variation for rhythm, not for fancy synonym variation.

The “Said” Alternatives Hierarchy

Most acceptable to least acceptable:

TIER 1: Neutral/Functional (Use freely)

  • Said
  • Asked
  • Replied
  • Answered

TIER 2: Justified Alternatives (Use when meaningful)

  • Whispered / murmured (volume)
  • Shouted / yelled / called (volume/distance)
  • Continued / added (structure)

TIER 3: Occasional Use (When truly necessary)

  • Lied (when the lie is the point)
  • Interrupted (when interruption isn’t obvious)
  • Agreed / disagreed (in group discussions for clarity)

TIER 4: Avoid (Almost always better as action beat)

  • Muttered / grumbled / growled
  • Snapped / barked
  • Stammered / stuttered (better shown through dialogue itself: “I—I don’t—”)

TIER 5: Never Use

  • Laughed / smiled / frowned / shrugged (physically impossible)
  • Hissed / spat (unless appropriate sibilants)
  • Fancy synonyms (opined, declaimed, expostulated, etc.)
  • Adverb-heavy tags (said angrily, asked suspiciously)

Case Study: Cormac McCarthy (Minimal Tags)

Cormac McCarthy often writes dialogue with no tags at all:

Example from The Road:

What are you doing?
Nothing.
Are you scared?
No.
You should be.
Why?
Because we're probably going to die.

No attributions needed:

  • Context makes speakers clear
  • Back-and-forth rhythm is obvious
  • Sparse style matches the world (post-apocalyptic bleakness)

Lesson: If your dialogue is strong and context is clear, tags can be nearly invisible—or absent entirely.

Case Study: Elmore Leonard’s Rule

Elmore Leonard’s rule #3: “Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.”

His reasoning:

  • “Said” is invisible
  • Fancy tags pull attention from dialogue to writer
  • If you need to explain how something was said, the dialogue isn’t strong enough

His exception: “Said” can be occasionally replaced with action beats.

Example from Leonard’s work:

"You think you can take me?" Chili said.
"Easy." Ray put his hand on the gun.
"Then try."

Mostly “said,” occasionally action, never fancy alternatives.

The Counterargument: Children’s Books and Genre

Young readers’ books sometimes use more varied tags:

  • “Asked,” “answered,” “whispered,” “called” appear more frequently
  • May help young readers track who’s speaking
  • May add clarity for readers still developing inference skills

Genre fiction (especially older genre fiction) sometimes uses more varied tags:

  • “Replied,” “retorted,” “remarked”
  • Part of genre convention (especially pulp)
  • Can feel dated to modern readers

Modern literary consensus: Even in these contexts, simpler is usually better. But convention varies.

Practical Test: The Invisibility Check

Read your dialogue aloud.

If you notice the tags—if they pull your attention—revise.

Good tags disappear:

"I'm leaving," John said.
"Wait," Sarah said.

Bad tags announce themselves:

"I'm leaving," John proclaimed.
"Wait," Sarah interjected.

The second version makes you aware you’re reading, not immersed in the scene.

How to Train Yourself Out of Fancy Tags

1. Global search for non-“said” tags

  • Find: replied, stated, remarked, etc.
  • Evaluate: Is this necessary, or can it be “said”?

2. Look for adverb + said combos

  • “Said angrily” → Show anger through action or dialogue itself
  • “Said softly” → Often better as “whispered” or action beat

3. Check for impossible tags

  • Smiled, laughed, frowned + dialogue → Separate into action and speech

4. Cut tags where attribution is clear

  • In two-person dialogue, after initial establishment
  • Where action beats identify speaker

5. Convert tags to action beats

  • “She said nervously” → “She twisted her hands. ‘I don’t know.’”

The Exception: When Dialogue IS the Joke

Sometimes the ridiculous tag is the point:

“Tom Swifties” (pun-based):

  • “I’m freezing,” Tom said coldly.
  • “I lost my trousers,” Tom said expansively.

Intentionally bad writing:

  • Parody or satire of purple prose

In these cases, violation of the rule is deliberate.

But in serious writing, fancy tags almost never work.

Common Objections Answered

“But ‘said’ repeats too much!” → Readers don’t notice. It’s functionally invisible. You’re solving a problem that doesn’t exist.

“I want variety!” → Get variety through action beats, dialogue rhythm, and varied line lengths—not through synonym hunting.

“It’s more descriptive!” → Description belongs in the dialogue and action, not the tag. The tag is infrastructure, not decoration.

“Famous authors do it!” → Some do (especially older works). But modern craft advice and contemporary successful authors overwhelmingly favor simplicity.

“It feels repetitive when I write it!” → You’re more aware of repetition than readers. Trust that “said” disappears.

Why This Matters

Fancy dialogue tags are a marker of amateur writing.

Agents, editors, and experienced readers immediately notice:

  • Overuse of synonyms for “said”
  • Impossible tags (smiled, frowned)
  • Adverb-heavy attributions

These signal: “This writer doesn’t understand dialogue mechanics.”

Clean, invisible tags signal: “This writer knows their craft.”

The Deeper Principle: Trust Your Dialogue

If you need the tag to convey emotion, your dialogue isn’t strong enough.

Weak:

"Get out," she said furiously.

The “furiously” is doing the work because “Get out” is generic.

Strong:

"Get. Out." She threw his bag at him. "And don't come back."

The fury is in:

  • The clipped speech
  • The action (throwing)
  • The finality (“don’t come back”)

Trust your dialogue and action to carry emotion. Tags should be invisible scaffolding, not emotional signposts.

Practical Exercise: Tag Audit

Take a page of your dialogue and:

  1. Highlight every tag that isn’t “said” or “asked”
  2. For each, ask: Is this necessary, or am I trying to tell what the dialogue should show?
  3. Rewrite using:
    • “Said” (if tag is needed)
    • Action beat (to show emotion/intent)
    • No tag (if speaker is clear)

Before:

"I can't believe this," she exclaimed angrily.
"Calm down," he suggested soothingly.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" she shouted furiously.

After:

"I can't believe this." She paced the room.
"Calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down!"

Or:

"I can't believe this." Her voice rose.
He held up his hands. "Calm down."
"Don't. Tell me. To calm down."

The revision trusts dialogue and action to convey emotion.

The Bottom Line

“Said” is not boring—it’s transparent.

Fancy alternatives aren’t creative—they’re distracting.

Good dialogue doesn’t need decoration. It needs clarity, rhythm, and space to breathe.

The Rules (Summary):

  1. Default to “said”—it’s invisible
  2. Use “asked” for questions—but sparingly
  3. “Whispered” and “shouted”—when volume matters
  4. Action beats instead of fancy tags—show don’t tell
  5. Cut tags when speaker is obvious
  6. Never use physically impossible tags—you can’t smile words
  7. No adverbs on tags—show emotion through action and dialogue
  8. Trust your dialogue—if it needs explanation, strengthen the dialogue itself

The Test:

If your dialogue tags pull focus from the dialogue, you’re doing it wrong.

“Said” is not dead. It’s invisible. And invisibility is exactly what you want.

Further Reading in This Series

This post completes the Dialogue Techniques section. For character development insights, explore the Character Craft series, beginning with The Lie Your Character Believes.