Let's Power Up Your Storytelling!

How to Structure Dialogue for Best Reader Engagement

(Originally published May 16, 2022)


Hey, Storyteller!


Have you ever found yourself stopping in the middle of reading a conversation between characters and needing to re-read because you'd lost track of which character was speaking?


Dialogue is a crucial part of any story, whether it's fiction, memoir, or an anecdote used in nonfiction, but it can ruin the story if readers can't tell who is saying what…and to whom. Still, one of the most common questions writers ask me is how we can avoid being repetitive in our writing if every other line contains the word said.


In this week's writer coaching session, we'll discuss how to make sure readers always know which character is speaking…or thinking…without boring them with repetition.


Watch the video to discover:

  • how to identify who is speaking a section of dialogue and to whom
  • basic dialogue structure
  • alternatives we can use for said and asked.


I Have a Gift for You!

Click this link to download The Ultimate Guide to Dialogue Punctuation.

Video Timestamps

  • 0:01 Introduction
  • 1:04 A Gift for You
  • 2:12 Dialogue Attributions
  • 2:42 Dialogue Tags
  • 3:20 Action Beats (or Dialogue Beats)
  • 4:47 Combined Attributions
  • 5:39 Direct Address
  • 6:39 How to Structure Characters' Words and Thoughts
  • 9:48 Punctuating Tags & Action Beats
  • 12:40 Punctuating Direct Address
  • 13:48 Alternatives for "said" and "asked"
  • 20:38 Bonus Tip
  • 21:56 This Week’s Power-Up

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