Let's Talk Editing: Dialogue Tips

Transcripts
1

Description

A dialogue tip from my editor.

Lessons from an Editor: Two Key Tips for Writing Dialogue Tags

Hey friends! Allison Spooner here, author of The Lost Girl: A Neverland Story, and I’m deep in the editing trenches for my next novel.

As I’ve been editing this new project, I found myself going back to notes from edits on my last book—partly to refresh my memory on stylistic changes my editor recommended, and partly because it saves me both time and money if my editor doesn’t need to correct avoidable issues. (Editors often charge by the hour, so the less time they spend on fixes, the less you pay!)

One area my editor taught me so much about was dialogue tags—those little indicators after dialogue that show who’s speaking and how they’re delivering their lines. While a lot about dialogue tags boils down to personal style, my editor shared some insights I’ve kept in mind while writing my next book. Today, I wanted to share two key lessons about dialogue tags that might help you tighten your own writing.

Lesson 1: Reversing Dialogue Tags in Middle Grade and YA

This first tip was something I’d never thought about before: how the structure of dialogue tags can vary depending on the genre. For instance, in middle-grade and young adult (YA) novels, reversing the dialogue tag—placing the verb before the subject—is less common. Let me explain.

Take these two examples:

  • “I don’t know,” asked Angela.
  • “I don’t know,” Angela asked.

In middle-grade and YA books, the second version (Angela asked) is generally preferred. Why? It reads more naturally for these audiences and aligns with the norm for how dialogue is presented.

When my editor flagged this in my last book, The Lost Girl, she noticed I was using the “reversed” structure (asked Angela) consistently. While it’s not a hard-and-fast rule, and it doesn’t necessarily make your writing wrong, it’s worth knowing what readers and editors are accustomed to seeing, especially if you’re targeting a specific market or age group.

What I appreciated about my editor’s approach is that she explained the norm but left the final decision up to me. That’s exactly what a good editor does—they guide you, explain their reasoning, and respect your creative choices. In this case, I wasn’t attached to the reversed tags, so I adjusted them throughout the manuscript.

For my next book, which is also YA, I’m keeping an eye out for this and sticking with the structure where the subject precedes the verb (Angela asked instead of asked Angela).

Lesson 2: The Art of Dialogue Tags & Verbs of Utterance

You’ve probably heard the phrase “said is dead” at some point, right? As writers, we sometimes feel compelled to avoid using “said” over and over again, but contrary to this myth, “said” is perfectly fine! In fact, it’s so unobtrusive that readers barely register it, which allows them to stay immersed in the conversation itself.

However, my editor warned me about what she referred to as “verbs of utterance”—the verbs used to indicate how dialogue is spoken, like “asked,” “whispered,” or “shouted.” While these can add variety, she explained that writers often get overly creative, and that can lead to some awkward constructions.

Here’s what she taught me:

Focus on “Doable” Verbs

There are certain things characters can do while speaking:

  • They can say, ask, shout, whisper, or mutter.
  • They can even metaphorically spit words or groan them.

But there are verbs that don’t work as natural dialogue tags. For example:

  • “That’s not right,” she shuddered.

Characters can’t shudder words! Shuddering is a separate action from speaking, so this would be better written as:

  • “That’s not right,” she said, shuddering.
  • Or: She shuddered. “That’s not right.”

Other problematic verbs include: grimaced, shrugged, smiled, cringed, or anticipated. These actions cannot physically or logically accompany speech.

A Note on Stylistic Choices

This doesn’t mean you can never get creative with dialogue, but be mindful of when bending the “rules” might distract readers. If you’re self-publishing (like I did with The Lost Girl), aligning your writing with traditional publishing norms can help your book feel as professional as possible.

That being said, breaking the rules is fine—as long as you know the rules and break them intentionally. Dialogue tags are a stylistic choice, but it’s helpful to learn what works (and what doesn’t) before deciding how you want to approach them in your writing.

Why This Matters

Why spend so much time thinking about something as small as dialogue tags? Because these little details can influence how your work is received. Poorly constructed or distracting dialogue tags may pull readers out of the story or make your writing seem unpolished.

By sticking with logical, clear tags like “said” or “whispered,” and saving your creativity for the dialogue itself rather than the tag, you help readers stay immersed in the scene. At the same time, knowing when to break the norms allows for flexibility and makes your voice your own.

Final Thoughts: Applying These Tips to My Next Novel

As I work on edits for my next book, I’m keeping these lessons in mind. I’m sticking with logical verbs for dialogue tags and adjusting my approach to fit the conventions of YA writing. These small tweaks may not seem monumental, but they add up to create a cleaner, more professional manuscript—and hey, if it saves my editor time (and me money), that’s definitely a win!

I hope this gives you some food for thought as you work on your own projects. Let me know in the comments if you have questions about this—or if you’ve picked up any helpful tips about writing and editing dialogue tags!

Now, back to editing for me. Happy writing!

Reference