#1 [url]

Aug 7 07 9:52 PM

I agree with all.

I read more than a year ago that readers ignore those simple tags when they come across them in text. I didn't exactly believe that; rather, I thought that we read them, but our brain doesn't process them, as they are more or less part of the background.

But, I have changed my opinion. I just finished reading "The Return of the King". Completing the Hobbit/LOTR books, after having read the entire Dune series (the original six) in the past ten months, it occurred to me that I do just that when reading.

I literally found myself seeing the text "said Pippin", for example, before finishing the proceeding line of dialogue.

If I had a line like "I'm not so sure this is such a good idea," said John. "We could be in for some trouble here.", my eyes literally hopped across that tag, and my brain filled it in automatically, and I kept right on going, without missing a beat in the dialogue.

When an author wants to break up the dialog more, a better style is "I'm not so sure this is such a good idea." John gazed toward the horizon, a look of concern on his face. "We could be in for some trouble here."

That second method forces the reader to slow down and contemplate the danger, suspense, etcetera. I think these two methods are hugely effective at controlling tempo.

iaceu

Stranded in Thought

"Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master." - Demosthenes