Fic Talk > General Discussion
Grammar 101...
julilly:
Yes, you should make a new paragraph every time someone new speaks. It's too confusing to have multiple people speaking in the same paragraph, and it's just not correct.
Each time a character finishes what they are saying and you add whatever else you need to (the description, etc) you should hit return/enter and start a new line. There's not really a set way to end and begin them, you can have description followed by dialogue or the other way around.
yorkielover88:
so length of paragraph does not matter?
Rose:
--- Quote from: yorkielover88 on August 30, 2010, 05:08:40 PM ---so length of paragraph does not matter?
--- End quote ---
No. Like...
"No," She replied, tossing back her hair. It'd been a long day and she was tired. Between school, work, and everything else she'd accomplished, going out wasn't a priority right then. To be quite honest, she was a bit of a homebody anyway. She'd always been that way and she doubted that would ever change. It was just a shame her friends didn't understand that about her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure." She stated firmly once more.
"Okay then."
That's how it should look when you're doing dialogue. If you put it all in one paragraph, not only is it incorrect, but it's really messy to read. Not to mention, being able to tell what character is talking becomes more difficult as well.
ForeverFrick:
--- Quote from: yorkielover88 on August 30, 2010, 05:03:02 PM ---ok... so what if the proper way to do like... a paragraph? Are you supposed to made a new one every time someone new begins to speak? or can a paragraph have more the one person talking? Also is there a right versus wrong way to end and begin paragraphs?
--- End quote ---
That was a good question to ask. :) I know that I have difficulty reading stories posted on here-- or anywhere-- that don't follow the new paragraph for a new speaker rule. When the dialogue is bunched together in one, long paragraph, my interest just disappears. I feel like I'm having to work to read instead of just enjoying the story. LoL
julilly:
--- Quote from: ForeverFrick on August 30, 2010, 05:28:53 PM ---That was a good question to ask. :) I know that I have difficulty reading stories posted on here-- or anywhere-- that don't follow the new paragraph for a new speaker rule. When the dialogue is bunched together in one, long paragraph, my interest just disappears. I feel like I'm having to work to read instead of just enjoying the story. LoL
--- End quote ---
You're absolutely right. You end up going 'wait -- who said that?' and losing your place in the story. It's much too confusing.
There's a principle that I always use when I'm writing and I do the same for when I'm writing for work. Assume that everyone is naive, and has absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Just because you understand it doesn't mean everyone else does because you know what you're trying to get across.
So if you're referencing something, make sure you put what it is. If a new person is speaking, make sure we know who it is. We don't know what you know.
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