Speaker Tags

"How're ya doin'?" I inquired.
"Oh, I'm fine." she responded.
"I... thought I might ask you a question." I ventured.
"Go ahead," she encouraged.
"Well... you know that patch of land out back of the old house? I was wondering if I could buy it off your papa, and then fix it up and maybe build a little cabin there? Do you think he might sell?" I inquired.
"That old bit of land? That's covered in junk!" she shouted.
"I know, but I thought I could maybe sell it and make a bit of money." I retorted.

Now what is wrong with that? I don't think that there's anything wrong with it, but the speaker tags (I inquired, she responded, I ventured, she encouraged, etc.) are rather flowery and fancy. There is nothing wrong with this, but how about the following dialogue?

"How're ya doin'?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm fine," she replied.
"I... thought I might ask you a question," I said.
"Go ahead," she said.
"Well... you know that patch of land out back of the old house? I was wondering if I could buy it off your papa, and then fix it up and maybe build a little cabin there? Do you think he might sell?" I asked.
"That old bit of land? That's covered in junk!" she replied.
"I know, but I thought I could maybe sell it and make a bit of money," I said.

In the first example, what were you looking at? The speaker tags, or the dialogue itself? In the second example, though, were you looking at the dialogue? The speaker tags were invisible–said, replied, and asked. Using those for your writing means that readers can focus on the dialogue–as long as that is well-written.

Now, I know that you may have heard "Don't use 'said', use more powerful verbs." I think that this may be one exception to the rule of using strong verbs. Now, don't take me wrong here. I'm all for strong verbs. But I think that dialogue is one place where what the characters said is what the readers care about, more than how they said it. Good dialogue (and characterization) should show the reader how they said it, just by what they said.

'Said', 'Asked', and 'Replied' probably cover just about every piece of dialogue in most projects. But what about pieces of dialogue where none of those three words seem to fit? Can you use other words then?

Absolutely. A quote from somewhere–I have no idea where: "There are no rules in writing, there are only guidelines." (If any does know where it comes from, please say!) Other words can absolutely be used as speaker tags, as long as they aren't used too much. After telling your reader twenty times that your character 'demanded' something, how are you going to convey when he really demands something. If you've been using 'said' all the way through, that one 'demand' is going to have a real punch.

In my own writing - I did Command-Find to examine what speaker tags I've used, and these are some of my results:

Said: 426
Asked: 169
Replied: 78
Shouted: 24 (maybe a bit too many?)
Screamed: 5 (although three of them are literal screams, not speaker tags)

As you should be able to see, I try to keep with 'invisible' speaker tags as much as possible.

One final thing about speaker tags though–be careful to not use speaker tags which lead to facial gymnastics. He grinned–he grimaced–he scowled, for exaple. Try talking at the same time as doing one of those, and you'll see what I mean.

These are just my thoughts on the subject, and you may have totally different ideas. If you do, please leave a comment and say what you think–I'm open to hearing new ideas.

--Jag Swiftstorm

Writer's Block

Writers know that they come up against something called Writer's Block. When you just. Can't. Write. Words don't flow, sentences don't make sense, and the story (if you can manage to write) doesn't seem to have any meaning.

Many writers want to know how to solve this. I have read what writers have written about Writer's Block, and this is the answer that seems to be repeated, over and over again.

Write.

Just write.

Force yourself to write, to put fingers to keys, or pencil to paper, or even feather pen to papyrus.

Just write.

If you can't manage to work on your main project, go and write something else. Try something different. If you've never written contemporary fiction, try it. If you're an all-out science fiction/science fantasy junkie, try picking up a sword or bow and venturing into the dangerous realms of medieval fantasy. You don't have to stick with the same thing.

Just write.

Just write.

(This is not to say that you shouldn't do things other than write, but ultimately, the only way to write is to write.)

Another Tag

Well, I've been tagged by Hyperlinkzer again. I thought that this tag was over - evidently not. Well, 10 facts:


1. I am currently reading Left Behind: The Young Trib Force
2. I am up to book 10 out of 12.
3. It is currently 7:06 and we still haven't had dinner.
4. My younger siblings (some of them…) are watching Dumbo.
5. I am the oldest in my family (excluding my parents, of course)
6. I got a new ruler today, because one of my brothers broke my old one :(
7. I am creating characters for writing a Berinfell Prophecies book.
8. I can program in AppleScript.
9. It is a full moon tonight.
10. I am not going to tag anyone else. I know, sneaky :P

Seven or Five Tags

So, I got tagged by: Rayne Speryll from Writing in Rivendell, Bonnie Smithies from Bonnie's Blessings, Leilani Sunblade from Dreams and Dragons, Hyperlinkzer from Livin' on the Edge, and Sine Nomine from Centum Miles Somnii. Seven tags. Wait… hmm, I can only see five there. I counted seventy earlier though. I'll do seventy anyway… if I can.

1. I have straight hair which sticks up. I don't do anything to it.
2. I am about 5'11''.
3. I am the oldest person in my family. (excluding my parents, of course)
4. I am homeschooled.
5. I live in New Zealand.
6. Jag is short for Jai'galaar.
7. I have 9 younger siblings.
8. I am learning Latin, (Koine) Greek, Hebrew, and Spanish.
9. I have invented my own language (named Delvish).
10. Do I really have to do seventy of these?
11. I am right-handed.
12. Table tennis is the only game in which I get really competitive. (oh, and Capture the Cones, but not as much)
13. I play violin and piano. I can also play guitar and drums, but I don't normally practice them.
14. I have 2 screens connected to my computer.
15. One of the screens is connected by VGA, the other by DVI.
16. I like building large LEGO models, normally of architecture.
17. I don't like animals. (except dragons, but they don't count…)
18. I have finished the first draft of a book, at ~55,000 words.
19. I know that most mountain ranges go north-south, rather than east-west.
20. It is not my birthday today.
21. I prefer Macs to PCs.
22. I have a Fujifilm camera.
23. I touch-type using the Dvorak keyboard layout. I can type at up to 102 words per minute.
24. I prefer chemistry and physics to biology.
25. My character Telefure is the most similar to myself.
26. I use a mechanical pencil to write with.
27. The first fantasy books I read were the Narnia series (at age 5!)
28. I like archery and I think I'm reasonably good at it when you consider how infrequently I get to practice :(
29. The time at the moment is 3:40 PM.
30. I am both a morning and a night person.
31. (I think) I can be both an introvert and an extrovert when I want to.
32. I don't mind being tagged, but 70 facts? Seriously?
33. I don't like it when batteries are flat.
34. I have green eyes.
35. I like drawing maps.
36. I use Gmail.
37. The 'Jag' in my username comes from a clone pilot from Star Wars.
38. I am currently listening to Star Wars: The Clone Wars as I write this. Some of my younger brothers (and sisters) are watching it.
39. I like listening to movies that I know quite well.
40. It is currently the school holidays in New Zealand. (however, by the time I finish this list…)
41. I started this list on Monday.
42. As I write, it is currently Wednesday.
43. Two of my brothers are away right at the moment.
44. I like The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars movie soundtracks.
45. I like bright torches (if they are mine).
46. I am going to be a leader at a kids' camp next week.
47. I am wearing jeans.
48. I always wear my watch on my left arm.
49. My violin case is green.
50. I like Microsoft mice, even though I prefer Mac computers.
51. I dislike people leaving stuff on my desk.
52. My favourite programming language is AppleScript. (It's also the one that I'm the best at.)
53. I have 13 items on my desktop.
54. My favourite colour is green (although blue is nice too).
55. I like chocolate.
56. My desk is covered with stuff. (Apart from just where I type. I can't stand that part being messy.)
57. The curtains in front of my desk are blue.
58. Hmm… I set out to do seventy statements, and now I can only find five tags. Hmm…
59. It is now 4:46 PM.
60. It is now 4:48 PM. See how long it takes me to think up these statements??
61. It is now 4:49 PM. Hey, I could do this for the last ten!
62. I have decided not to continue doing time posts.
63. My copy of the Lord of the Rings has a red cover.
64. Sixty-four makes me think of 8x8. I like maths :D
65. My account picture on my computer is of Bofur.
66. We have a A4-height poster of all the dwarves from The Hobbit up on the wall near my computer.
67. I have read all of The Silmarillion.
68. I can touch the roof in my house without jumping.
69. I wrote fact 70 just after fact 29.
70. This list has taken me several days to write.

*sinks back into chair exhausted*

And I'm not going to tag anyone...

Easter Sunday

Good Friday was, for the disciples, a day of sorrow. A day where their hopes and dreams in who they believed was the promised Messiah came crashing down.

They believed that he was coming as a political and military Saviour, not a spiritual one. Somebody who would take on the Roman Empire and lead Israel to victory and freedom. Someone who would rule as a king.

But all this had failed. How? The chief priests had taken him and had crucified him. He had died and had been buried in a tomb. A stone had been rolled across the entrance. Guards were positioned outside the tomb.

All seemed lost.

But then came the Resurrection. Christ did not stay dead, but rose again. Utter defeat was turned into victory.

If not for Easter Sunday, Good Friday would have truly been a day of sorrows. A day where evil took and killed an innocent and holy man.

But that was not the end of the story.

If he had not risen, it would have proven that he did not have power over life and death. What good is a dead Messiah?

But he did rise, and stayed on earth for another forty days, before finally ascending to heaven, where he is now preparing a place for all of us.

A place for those that accept Christ's redeeming sacrifice, his giving himself up for us.

Will you accept?

Easter Friday

Today is the day that we remember the death of Jesus. His sacrifice, giving himself up for us.

He who was in glory before the world and the heavens were created, who created the earth, and holds it in the palm of his hand.

He who created massive stars and galaxies, thousands of light-years across.

He who created the tiniest sub-atomic particles – neutrinos and quarks, and gave each its own properties.

Yet, he also created us. He knows each one of us by name – and much more than by name. He knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Yet, when we sinned, he was willing to give up himself. He loved us so much, that he was willing to die in our place, so that we would not have to suffer away from God.

He, who made us, and many infinite and infinitesimal things, was willing to die, for his creations.

He did not have to die; he had made us, and we were rightfully his, to do with as he wanted. But we rebelled, and turned against him.

Yet, he was still merciful. He extended grace. He showed us love, and was willing to die a hard, cruel, death, whipped by Roman legionaries and nailed to a cross.

When he died, the curtain dividing the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the temple was split from top to bottom, showing that now, for the first time, men could come directly into contact with God, without the intervention of a human priest. Jesus himself became the priest that stands before the throne of God and intervenes for us.

All this he did because of his love. Because he loved us so much.

He offers forgiveness, redemption, and love. Will you accept?

Chemistry Notes

So, these are the notes I took in chemistry yesterday. You'll enjoy it if you are a fan of Karac Tor, especially if you also use Dr. Jay Wile's Exploring Creation with Chemistry.

Chemicals change / Energy make
Bonds shall form / Bonds shall break
Carbon atom / Four hydrogen
Bonds destroyed / Bonds grow thin

Hydrog'n oxygen / Water made
Oxygen carbon / Carbon dioxide
Double bonds / Will be born
Finished reaction / Energy adorned

(This is from page 423 (in Module 13) of Exploring Creation with Chemistry, if you have the book and want to see where I got it from.)