#Dialogue Tag

[slayingfiction]

List of 400+ Dialogue Tags

Below is a full (but not exhaustive) and updated list of dialogue tags. Dialogue tags are a widely debated topic for writers, some saying you should only use said, others arguing the opposite. You will get no opinion for me—only a list to use as you wish :D

Some words may differ in categories based on context.

Expressing Agreement or Confirmation

Acknowledged, Admitted, Affirmed, Agreed, Apologized, Confirmed, Conceded, Gibed, Professed, Reassured, Verified, Vouched

Initiating or Continuing Conversation

Added, Began, Chimed In, Commented, Continued, Conversed, Discussed, Elaborated, Greeted, Interjected, Offered, Proposed, Remarked, Went On

Making a Declaration or Announcement

Announced, Attested, Declared, Decreed, Emphasized, Enunciated, Proclaimed, Revealed, Stated, Voiced

Formal or Deliberate Communication

Chanted, Concurred, Observed, Postulated, Preached, Put Forth, Reasoned, Surmised, Testified

Indirect Communication 

Digressed, Hinted, Implied, Insinuated 

Providing Information, Explanation or Speculation

Alleged, Articulated, Asserted, Clarified, Doubted, Equivocated, Explained, Guessed, Imparted, Informed, Lectured, Noted, Predicted, Quoted, Recited, Reported, Theorized

Expressing Doubt or Uncertainty

Doubted, Faltered, Guessed, Hesitated, Pondered, Questioned, Speculated, Wondered, Ventured

Seeking or Giving Advice

Advised, Coaxed, Proposed, Recommended, Remonstrated, Suggested, Supposed, Urged

Animalistic

Barked, Croaked, Growled, Hissed, Hooted, Howled, Hummed, Roared, Snarled 

Expressing Discontent or Frustration

Complained, Fretted, Grumbled, Protested, Ranted

Demonstrating Authority or Command

Avowed, Commanded, Crowed, Decided, Demanded, Dictated, Directed, Insisted, Instructed, Maintained, Ordered, Pressed, Proclaimed, Reprimanded

Displaying Confidence or Assertiveness

Asserted, Assured, Boasted, Bragged, Claimed, Piped Up, Pledged, Spoke Up, Told, Vowed

Exhibiting Anger or Aggression

Accused, Bristled, Challenged, Cursed, Erupted, Exasperated, Fumed, Groaned, Huffed, Raged, Seethed, Snapped, Spat, Stormed, Swore, Threatened, Whinged

Displaying Sadness or Despair

Anguished, Bawled, Bemoaned, Blubbered, Cried, Despaired, Grieved, Lamented, Mourned, Sobbed, Wept, Whimpered, Worried

Persuasiveness 

Appealed, Begged, Cajoled, Convinced, Persuaded, Petitioned, Pleaded, Prayed

Conveying Fear or Worry

Cautioned, Entreated, Gasped, Quaked, Shuddered, Stressed, Trembled, Warned

Softly or Quietly

Breathed, Called, Crooned, Murmured, Mumbled, Muttered, Sighed, Whispered

Loudly or Forcefully

Bellowed, Boomed, Cried Out, Hollered, Screamed, Screeched, Shouted, Shrieked, Thundered, Wailed, Whooped, Yelled

Demonstrating Disgust or Disdain

Cringed, Gagged, Griped, Groused, Rasped, Scowled, Sneered, Snorted

Expressing Mockery, Disrespect or Sarcasm

Dared, Imitated, Insulted, Jeered, Mimicked, Mocked, Ribbed, Ridiculed, Scoffed, Snickered, Taunted 

Doing Annoyingly

Gloated, Goaded, Nagged, Pestered, Provoked, Sassed, Tattled

Emotional or Expressive Communication

Grunted, Mewled, Panted, Quavered, Sniffled, Snivelled, Squawked, Whined, Yowled

Showing Empathy or Comfort

Comforted, Consoled, Empathized, Soothed, Sympathized

Indicating Thoughtfulness or Reflection

Contemplated, Echoed, Mused, Pondered, Recalled, Reflected, Remembered, Reminded, Reminisced, Retorted, Reiterated

Expressing Humour or Amusement

Cackled, Chirped, Chuckled, Giggled, Guffawed, Jested, Joked, Laughed, Quipped

Revealing Information

Confessed, Confided, Divulged, Disclosed, Expressed, Hinted, Revealed, Shared, Spilled, Uttered

In a Flirtatious Way

Bantered, Cooed, Flirted, Joshed, Moaned, Purred, Teased

Demonstrating Surprise or Astonishment

Gasped, Marvelled, Yelped

Indicating Hesitation or Reluctance

Faltered, Hesitated, Stammered, Stuttered

Engaging in a Dispute or Argument

Argued, Bargained, Bickered, Contended, Debated, Disputed, Negotiates, Objected, Rebutted, Shot Back

Showing Enthusiasm or Excitement

Beamed, Blurted, Cheered, Exclaimed, Gushed, Raved, Rejoiced, Sang, Squealed, Trumpeted

Expressing Approval or Praise

Applauded, Complimented, Encouraged, Exhorted, Extolled, Lauded, Praised

Speaking in a Continuous or Repetitive Manner

Babbled, Chattered, Jabbered, Rambled, Rattled On, Repeated

Questions and Answers

Answered, Asked, Cross-examined, Inquired, Implored, Probed. Prodded, Prompted, Queried, Questioned, Quizzed, Requested

Expressing Criticism or Disagreement

Challenged, Chastised, Chided, Condemned, Corrected, Countered, Criticized, Deflected, Demurred, Denounced, Scolded

Negative or Deceptive Communication

Denied, Droned, Exaggerated, Interrupted, Lied

Finishing the Conversation 

Concluded, Finished, Thanked

Neutral or Miscellaneous

Admired, Consented, Foretold, Invited, Mentioned, Mouthed, Pointed Out, Replied, Said, Sputtered, Volunteered

Happy Writing!

[panties-on-boys]

kensy’s (smutty) synonym bible

tw: nsfw

hi there <3

i often find myself googling synonym for despite uhhh knowing words (i promise) so i decided to make a cheat sheet masterlist for my little goldfish brain. might as well post it

most commonly i google dialogue tags so let’s start with that

smutty dialogue tags

says hisses keens croons seethes sighs

gasps bites out grits out keys out spits

growls snarls cries spits drawls slurs

moans groans grunts huffs babbles

praises purrs soothes coos giggles lulls

thanks wails whimpers whines breathes

stammers stutters squeaks lilts whispers

teases mocks begs challenges pleads

snaps orders commands demands tells

descriptors for:

general touch

ghost (across/over/against) caress skirt

drag grab pull push clutch grip

hold knead tease roll (over) rock (against)

skim press nudge bump (together)

play with smooth (over) ride (over, down)

trace track graze thumb tease toy with

handjobs

the giver

squeeze pulse drag stroke slick wet

messy sloppy tight hot circle of (their) hand

glide strip (over) twist palm

the recipient

buck lift (their) hips roll rock thrust cant

fuck twitch tick jump (hips) kick hump

blowjobs

spit drool choke gag suck pull swallow

slurp heat of (their) mouth back of (their) throat

track (a vein, the underside of the dick, whatever)

drip lave lick tongue flick slack (jaw)

fuck facefuck throatfuck

prep (i write anal lol but do whatever)

slip slide press push wiggle (in) open up

work open ease open ease inside

about the fingers

crook scissor apart/together search (iykyk ;))

hook pump (in and out) thrust finger

seek roll press against angle curl

adding more

slides in a second finger/digit/next to the first

pulls (their) finger out and reenters, twice as thick

works/eases/opens up to two/three/etc

note: the prostate is a hook down in doggy style and a hook up in missionary, similarly to the g-spot (i google this shit all the time LOOOOL)

kissing

lips lock lips meet lips join press together

slick slide of hot wet needy open-mouthed

lips part pant/moan/dialogue into (their) mouth

swallows a moan from (their) partner’s kiss

bite/suck the lower lip lick suck taste pull

french licks the back of (their) partner’s teeth

licks/laps/laves into (their) partner’s mouth

x into their kiss (ex. whine, sigh whatever)

x a kiss to…/x kisses to…

press drop touch stamp pepper litter

smack place push pin tack feather

lay scatter sprinkle spot leave

teeth

grit clench grind tight teeth/fangs/canines

set (their) jaw

sharp

fangs canines pierce sink (bite) red with…

anteriors (front six teeth canine to canine, top and bottom)

dogtooth incisors upper/lower bloodied

six neat holes in a half-moon

general

ivories teeth bite dentition white straight

crooked braced aligned misaligned

the act of biting

sink teeth into clamp down on pierce drag

tear into nibble nip clip with (their) teeth

clip teeth together

breathing

breath hitch sigh huff breathe hiss puff

seethe exhale inhale pant gasp purr

pulls/takes/sucks in a breath breath steals out

punched-out fucked-out clipped (sigh)

desperation

needy keening crying begging pleading

aching throbbing pulsing hammering

dizzy (with want/need/blood loss (hi poolverine))

eager shameless pitiful pathetic hungry

dying to yearning for so bad/much lawless

colors

red

rouge crimson flush blush cherry cerise

ruby scarlet flame redden/get redder

rose wine angry ruddy full-blooded bloody

pink

flush blush tulip bloom rosy french pink

baby pink pastel pink florid peachy

blue

gunmetal steel blue cerulean mirror blue

ice cold pale sky indigo ocean

brown

tawny taupe amber auburn chocolate

tan leather

green

olive jade emerald forest grass

lashes

flutter flit bat puppy eyes skip

lashes flutter through a roll of (their) eyes

figures

smooth expanse of (back, stomach)

silky line of (back, whatever) arch bow

tense pull tight relax slack go limp

cords of (their) thighs burn (good for missionary)

tan dark contrast sleek curve

i’ll add to this :) bye tumblr

[iszaranothere]

Dialogue prompts but they're things the GameGrumps have said

Struggling to start your scene? Having trouble writing dialogue? Don't worry, I've got you fam. I even sorted them into two catagories, a clean one and a more vulgar one, for your pleasure. If you end up using one of them, by all means tag me in the post, I'd love to see it.

Clean quotes

"And then I fired, and then I missed."

"The bananas has gone bad!"

"BECAUSE HE'S A GREAT KISSER! …Is what I've been told."

"I don't understand why the Chinese don't just use forks and spoons."

"Shutting down. Rebooting."

"There's so many places that aren't Andorra!"

"Jennifer dumped me."

"Did you point? Did you point? DID YOU POINT?!"

"Today is football."

"I'm gonna lay face-down on the radiator."

"Just what the heck is going on here?"

"UNAVOIDABLE CHIN MOVE!"

"The carbuncle ate itself."

"At age six I was born without a face."

"Great to see you again! You must die."

"I'm grapes!"

"Why did my dad birth me?"

"That's crazy. Especially since… who cares."

"I'm the video game boy! I'm the one who wins!"

"Bienvenue powerbottoms!"

"MY DAD WORKS AT NINTENDO!"

"With great confidence comes great wonfidence."

"Get bigger hands!"

"MORE ONION PLEASE."

"Why do I have to suffer in this meat prison?"

"That baby is not a baby, that is a jelly bean with a face."

"I HAS BRO! DO YOU HAS BRO?"

"JUST SOMETHING HAPPEN PLEASE."

Vulgar quotes

"I mean look at the way he slurps up his soup, what an asshole."

"Don't believe me? Look at my resume! Thirty years experience in jacking off!"

"MY DICK'S FALLEN OFF."

"If you shit in a bowl of rice crispies, do they go snap crackle poop?"

"Who needs a blue coin when you got a fucking mental breakdown coming in the back of your head?"

(sing-songy) "My asshole burns ��"

"I'm gonna pre dude."

"It's Clifford the big red stab wound."

"You think Sonic shits?"

"What's more in the spirit of Christmas than eating ass?"

"I'll fucking kill you. I'll fucking kill you. I'll fucking murder your face, fuck you."

"I feel like I just came back from a mythical creature bukkake."

"Plump, sweet and begging for cream!"

"Isn't it weird how at least once a day your hand is touching your asshole?"

"GOD! IT'S SO HARD TO FUCKING FUCK!"

"I was the greatest load my dad ever shot."

"You think I came out of the pussy drawing fucking Mozart?"

"Oh, bump off you bumpin' grasshoe."

"I would fuck anything on this screen, including the animals and the bicycle."

"The only thing I bust are rhymes and nuts."

"Am I about to see your skyward sword?"

"WE WON'T LET THOSE FUCKERS TAKE THIS LAND!"

"I fucked a cantaloupe once."

[kaytheday]

“Damn girl! How old are you?”

“Old enough to be your babysitter you nasty fucks!”

-Ace after getting catcalled by a group of middle school boys

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Seven Sentence Sunday/WIP Extract/Writing Share/Dialogue Tag

Thanks to @oliolioxenfreewrites here, @space-writes here, @talesofsorrowandofruin here, @rickie-the-storyteller here, @mysticstarlightduck here,

@winterandwords here, and @somethingclevermahogony here!

SSS Rules: post seven sentences on a Sunday!

Extract Rules: post an excerpt from your WIP!

Share Rules: share some writing!

Dialogue: share a bit of dialogue you like!

Yeah I'm combining a bunch of posts. Who cares?

This scene is 90% dialogue, so it fits. It's also iconic in my mind.

From The Secret Portal Part One (Robbie POV)

“However, some people have cereal dry, which means that the cereal is a fatless skeleton, but we add fat if we feel the need.” “Does that make the bowl the flesh?” “Of course it does.” “So we’re eating the insides right out of the skin?” Akash paused. “Yes.” “Terrifyingly morbid,” I said, taking a huge bite of my soggy bowl-innards.

Question proposed, for context: is cereal the skeleton of milk?

I'll tag @captain-kraken @winglesswriter @wolfsbaneandotherfunactivities @theelfauthor @vesanal

+ ANYONE ELSE

Y'all can just do one of the tags I provided above :)

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet

[aalinaaaaaa]

Dialogue Tag

Jumping on the open tag courtesy of @sunset-a-story !

A new line from Obsidian Sapphires (potentially)

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you." "I hope you burn in dishonour."

Sending tags to @seastarblue @bardic-tales @angelfevr @winterandwords @space-writes @oh-no-another-idea @paintedbutton @finchmomentwrites @ruvastuon @sunflowerrosy and an open tag for everyone :D

[shyjusticewarrior]

"You don't need other dialogue tags other than said/says." Yes the fuck we do. That'd be the one you'd use most since it's the most versatile, but the other ones will also be needed in creative writing.

[i-can-even-burn-salad]

Dialogue Tag

In the decade between xmas and the new year, I was tagged by @winterandwords and since I'm currently editing All of our lives, I'm gonna grab some dialogue from the chapter I am at.

“How do you feel?” “I killed Greer.” “Okay.” That was not what— fuck. He needed to be more awake for this kind of talk. He pushed himself up. “Okay. Why? No. Wait. Can we get breakfast first? At least some tea.”

Priorities!

I want some tea now.

I'm tagging, only if you feel like doing it, uhhhh.... let's see who's around. Perhaps @quietly-by-myself and @whumpinthepot and an open tag!

[underqualified-human]

More Dialogue Prompts:

"Wow, you shouldn't have. Like- morally you shouldn't have."

"Taylor Swift was right, bandaids really don't fix bullet holes." "Oh God, I'm going to bleed to death."

"You're going to do great things, but you're just going to have to do them without me."

"That was a typo." "This is a verbal conversation."

"Hell yeah, baby speak science to me."

"Not everyone can be sad, bisexual and full of human blood."

"The last thing they wanted was to see the stars. It's the only thing I can think about when I look up at night."

Sources:

First= Diregentleman YouTube - TERRIBLE Two Sentence Horror Stories (ft. Addison Peacock) Fifth= Me talking about Doc Ock to my friends Sixth= Addison Peacock Seventh= Inspired by the end of Carrie

[slayingfiction]

Unlocking the Power of Dialogue Tags in Fictional Writing

In the realm of fictional writing, dialogue is not just about what characters say; it's also about how they say it. This is where dialogue tags come into play. Often overlooked, these small phrases can dramatically transform your storytelling, offering readers insights into your characters' emotions, intentions, and personalities. Let's delve into the art of using dialogue tags effectively in fictional writing.

What are Dialogue Tags?

Dialogue tags are brief phrases that accompany dialogue, identifying the speaker and often describing how something is said. Classic examples include 'said', 'asked', and 'replied'. However, the world of dialogue tags is vast and varied, allowing writers to add depth and color to their conversations.

The Importance of Variety

While 'said' is a workhorse in dialogue tags, being unobtrusive and easily overlooked, overusing it can render your writing monotonous. Introducing variety is key. Consider using tags like 'whispered', 'shouted', 'murmured', or 'exclaimed' to convey emotions and volume. But beware, overuse of overly descriptive tags can distract the reader. The trick is to strike a balance.

Conveying Action and Emotion

Dialogue tags can do much more than identify who is speaking. They can also convey action and emotion. For instance, 'she said, slamming the door' instantly tells the reader about the character's emotional state. Using action-oriented dialogue tags can also help in reducing the adverb usage, which often clutters writing.

The Subtlety of Beats

Sometimes, it's effective to replace dialogue tags with action beats. Action beats are small actions or descriptions that interrupt dialogue. For example:

"Are you okay?" John leaned forward, concern etching his face.

Here, 'John leaned forward' acts as a beat, breaking up the dialogue and adding a layer of description.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

One common pitfall in using dialogue tags is redundancy. Saying 'she yelled loudly' can be tautological since yelling is inherently loud. Additionally, avoid overly creative dialogue tags that can confuse the reader. Stick to simplicity where it adds value.

Using Dialogue Tags for Pacing

Dialogue tags can also control the pacing of your narrative. A quick back-and-forth conversation with minimal tags can speed up the pace, making the scene feel urgent or intense. Conversely, adding descriptive tags and beats can slow down the dialogue, allowing for deeper emotional impact.

Conclusion

In conclusion, dialogue tags are a powerful tool in a writer's arsenal. They provide clarity, convey emotions, and enhance the rhythm of your narrative. By mastering their use, you can elevate your fictional writing, creating stories that resonate deeply with your readers. Remember, in the dance of dialogue, tags are your rhythm - use them to make your story sing.

Happy Writing!

[winterandwords]

✍🏼 Dialogue tag

Thanks to @sunset-a-story and @aalinaaaaaa for the tags!

📝 Post a snippet of dialogue

This is from Bridge From Ashes...

"I came here to slit your throat and now I’m going to what? Sleep on your couch? Stay for breakfast?” “I didn’t say anything about sleeping.”

Tagging @dyrewrites, @eyes-talks-ocs, @gaslightwestern and @i-can-even-burn-salad if you'd like to do it, with an open tag for anyone else who wants to join in 💜

Reblogs, replies etc on my tag posts are always welcome, but if you're doing this tag yourself, please make your own post instead of using mine to start a reblog chain.

[finchmomentwrites]

[dialogue tag!]

thanks for the tag @aalinaaaaaa!! let me see what i have for you.....

“I can get you water, Ferran." “Make it vodka and you’ve got a deal.”

he's so 😭😭😭😭😭 baby. UGH. i love him to death. to DEATH!!

no pressure tag: @physalian, @oh-no-another-idea, @mxxnlightwriting and whoever else would like to join!

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

Do you have any advice for talking to people who aren't well-informed about what is going on in Gaza? One of my really close friends for over 10 years now has really conservative parents and she just :// she just kind of believes a lot of the conservative stuff they say and she hears others around her say. After the attacks of Oct. 7th, I think I remember her saying that the Bible says we should always stand with Israel which is just so :((

I want to inform her but I'm unsure of how to, and if it would even work. I'm scared of her response because I really love her and we've been so close for so long but I don't feel comfortable with her being so uninformed and I'm scared of her response. Do you have any advice and even pray for me to be given wisdom on how to handle this with care and love? Thank you ^^

Hey there! Thank you for your courage in even wanting to start a hard conversation with a friend about this vital topic. I'm going to offer some ideas, but ultimately you know this friend better than I could, so if something I say doesn't seem like it'll work with your situation, adapt or discard it.

I also invite others to add on ideas or encouragement. If you know of resources that are helpful for talking about Palestine with folks who are steeped in pro-Israel propaganda, please share!

___

Before delving into this topic with her, start by asking yourself what you're hoping she'll unlearn and relearn. What's a reasonable goal to move her towards?

Chances are, she's not going to move from unquestioning support of Israel to "Decolonize Palestine" in a day!

Moving her towards a simple agreement that at least some of the things Israel does cannot be supported is a good first step, and even that may take time and patience.

Prepare yourself to be happy about even the smallest baby steps in opening her perspective. "Ceasefire now!" may be the bare minimum in what is ultimately needed for true justice for Palestine, but it is an important step. If you can make progress towards her agreeing with a simple ceasefire, that's worth celebrating.

You'll also want to think in advance about where you're hoping her changed perspective will take her. Do you see her on the front lines of protests and marches? Or will you be satisfied if she makes some changes in where she spends her money (boycotting Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.), doesn't shut down pro-Palestine comments, etc.?

Again, being realistic and celebrating even small changes is helpful to keep from frustrating yourself or her!

So...how do you start a conversation that leads to that?

Wait for a time when you both are fairly relaxed, and have enough time that conversation won't be rushed.

Prepare yourself to hear some resistance and possibly even some really crappy things regurgitated when you first broach the subject. Do your best to remain calm, and not to jump straight into correcting every little thing she says — I know how hard that can be, but if you have hope that she'll be open to changing perspective, you want to establish yourself as a space where she feels safe enough to unpack the bullshit without being shut down at every turn.

For instance, in the scenario where she said "the Bible says we should always stand with Israel," responding immediately with "no it doesn't!!" would shut down conversation.

Instead, you might start with open-ended questions the two of you can explore together: "I wonder what the Bible means when it talks about Israel. Would the biblical authors recognize today's Israel as being the Israel they were talking about? / Is the Israel of today the same as the Israel of the Bible?" "What does it mean to you to 'stand with Israel'?" "Does that have to require sending them extreme military weapons?"

As you ask questions together, focus on finding common ground with her:

Does your friend agree that innocent people should be kept as safe as possible in military conflicts?

Does she agree that people of different faiths and cultures should be able to coexist?

I appreciate this post's advice on utilizing instead of challenging someone's deeply held values to guide them out from their rightwing radicalized views.

If your friend seems unwilling to talk about this...

It's okay to table the conversation if things start to get heated or she's shutting down. Let he know this topic is deeply meaningful to you and that's why you want to talk about it with her, as a friend who means a lot to you as well.

If there have been times in the past where she's realized what her family says about a topic has been anywhere from somewhat misinformed to utter bullshit, you might be able to remind her of that past time.

Do your best to make it clear that you are not judging her for what she currently believes — we can't help what we're raised in! You're just hopeful that, like in those past situations with other topics, the two of you can talk things out.

Did realizing that she didn't have all the information on a topic help in the past? Maybe remind her of that too, and invite her to team up together in finding the missing information on this topic as well — which leads me to...

Come with resources.

For exploring those open-ending questions I brought up before, it'll help for you to be pretty well informed in advance both about current events and recent history, and about how Christian theology's been used to advance Israel's agenda.

...Or, if you think your friend would prefer to learn along the way with you, it'll be good for you to at least know of resources the two of you can look at together!

You don't have to have all the answers; you can tell her, "I don't know enough either yet. I'd love to learn together with you." Framing it as something mutual, rather than you lecturing her or assigning her homework or judging her current ignorance, might cultivate that space for mutual growth that will benefit you both!

So here are some resources I recommend:

For questions about theology, including disconnecting biblical Israel from modern Israel, I highly recommend Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, the People, the Bible (2023) by Christian Palestinian theologian Mitri Raheb. If you don't have time for a whole book, I summarized the thing in an article that takes about 30 minutes to read. .

Another, less academic / more storytelling-formatted book that pulls in perspectives from Jews and Muslims, Palestinians and non-Palestinians, queer folk and more, that I find super valuable in summing up a lot of the fraught history and unpacking propaganda around Israel that so many of us have been taught to take as given, is A Land with a People: Palestinians and Jews Confront Zionism. .

Then there's keeping up with news using media outlets that don't sugarcoat Israel's violence. My personal favorite to listen to daily is Democracy Now!, which you can read/watch online or listen to as a podcast. A whole hour of news every day may be more than your friend can keep up with, however, so... .

...a briefer news option is @ So.informed on Instagram. Their posts sum up the big sweeping picture of what's going on, and help put it in context with accessible language. If your friend has Instagram, this could be a great source for her to start getting another perspective on what's going on. .

Similarly, @ letstalkpalestine is another Instagram account that explores history and current events in a succinct, accessible way.

One last thought: be ready to offer comfort.

It's hard to realize you've been misinformed about something important — especially when it's people close to you who've taught you what you thought was right. It takes a ton of courage and humility to realize where you need to change.

Your friend might become emotional about all this; that might look like grief, or rage, or even dissociating, feeling numb. Be ready to offer comfort, to remind her that what she thought was not her fault — that we're all steeped in things we have to work to unlearn, and you're proud of her for being open to learning.

And again I'll mention that if things start getting intense, it's okay to take a break! You don't want either of you burning out halfway through. You can take this process one small step per day, or even per week.

This struggle for liberation and justice is a long one — it's been decades unfolding, and it'll take a long while more. It's urgent, yes, but at the same time, rushing your friend won't aid the effort. Patience is much more likely to bear fruit that lasts.

___

I hope this helps somewhat! I'll be holding you and your friend in my prayers.

May the Spirit of Justice guide your words and actions; may She guard you from frustration; may she open your friend to hearing you out and entering into conversation with you. <3

[marrowwrites]

Yes I've heard the advice about how 'said' is the best dialogue tag but actually you can take 'snarled' from my cold dead hands because I am not letting it go. It's about the imagery. It's about characters who are also cornered dogs. It's about the reactivity, the redefining of boundary, the step back, give me space of it all. It's about the bared teeth and the ears pulled back and the stance, ready to snap. 'Said' could never.

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Dialogue tag

Thanks @drchenquill here!

Rules: show off some dialogue!

I revised a teensy bit of TSP today. Been focusing on organizing all my notes because they're a mess. But I did manage to slip in an extra line in this scene, so have fun!

From The Secret Portal Part One (Lexi POV)

“I need to introduce you to my new friend. I think y’all would get along.” I waved to Carissa as I walked in, and she came over. “Ah, yes,” said Ash. “We have math together. Clarissa, right?” “No,” Carissa sighed as if she’d gotten that a lot. “No ‘l’.” “Noelle?” Ash repeated, confused. “Correct,” said Carissa. “I swear your name was Clarissa.” “I know Clarissa is more common, but there’s no ‘l’ in my name.” Ash blinked a few times. “Oh, my God, I’m an idiot. Your name is Carissa. I thought you said it was Noelle, as in the name Noelle.” I burst out laughing. Carissa and Ash soon joined. “Anyhow, I’m Ash. It’s nice to meet you, Noelle.” The coaches blew their whistles and the three of us followed the crowd outside, ready to work with the archery equipment. “Is she gonna continue calling me Noelle?” Carissa asked. I laughed again. “Who knows with Ash? But don’t worry, it probably won’t stick long.”

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