One of the most common mistakes I see in manuscripts submitted to us is errors in formatting of dialog. Where does punctuation go in dialog? What punctuation should I use when writing dialog? Should I use a comma or a period? And, the most common error, when do I capitalize words when I write dialog?
Following are 5 tips to help you avoid the red ink from your editor, when writing dialog.
Tip #1:
Use a comma when you’re indicating who is saying dialog that follows directly after this sentence fragment. Examples:
Coco exclaimed, “I want more food!”
~~~
Although she had just been fed an hour ago, Coco said, “I want more food!”
Tip #2:
Use a period, when there is a full sentence before the dialog, but it’s not a specific indicator of who’s talking. Example:
Coco ran quickly into the house. “All of this exercise is making me hungry. I want more food!”
Tip #3:
Use double commas when the dialog sentence is broken up by the indicator of who is talking. Example:
“That tummy grumbling sound means,” Coco said looking pointedly at her master, “I want more food.”
Tip #4:
Use double commas when the dialog is between the indicator of who is talking and the completion of the sentence. Example:
Coco said, “I want more food,” then looked at her owner expectantly.
Tip #5:
Always capitalize the beginning of your dialog, unless it’s a continuation of a previous dialog snippet that has been broken up by an indication of who is speaking. Examples:
Kimberly shook her head at her dog and said, “You’re always hungry, Coco.”
~~~
“You, silly dog,” Kimberly laughed, “are going to eat me out of house and home!”
***
I know it can seem confusing, but use the examples above as a guideline. And, if you get stuck, feel free to post your dialog in the comments below, and we’ll be happy to help you sort it out!
Happy writing!
Coco, the Always Hungry Dog