Said is NOT dead - some tips about dialogue tags for young writers (and their teachers)

schoolforyoungwrit
May 15
3 min read

We often see the same questions crop up in our writing workshops, so we asked award-winning writer Heather McQuillan to put together a series of tips for young writers and their teachers.

Dialogue tags ( the he said/she said bit) can sometimes get in the way of dialogue that flows and feels real.

"Said" is not dead — it’s invisible!

Somewhere along the way, a well-meaning person might’ve told you that "said" is boring. You may have been encouraged to use words like exclaimed, murmured, queried, or even articulated (please don’t).

But here’s the truth: "said" is a powerful tool in your writing toolbox. Why? Because readers barely notice it. When you start swapping in fancy synonyms for the sake of variety, you risk distracting your reader.

Read this out loud:

"I don’t trust meerkats," Mesu announced.

"Why not?" interrogated Kiri.

"Because they are always watching us," Mesu articulated.

"You're overreacting," Kiri countered.

Feels forced, right? Did you even notice what was being said?

Now try this:

"I don’t trust meerkats," Mesu said.

"Why not?" asked Kiri.

"Because they are always watching us.”

"You're overreacting," said Kelly.

The dialogue — not the tags — carries the story.

This doesn't mean you should only use "said". Just like any tool, balance is key.

Words like whispered, shouted, muttered, or snapped are fine when they reflect how something is said. Use them sparingly and with purpose.

Writing good dialogue is not just about telling who said what; it also shows who your characters are and how they interact with others.

Here are a few more tips for writing dialogue and using tags.

Mix in action beats:

Kiri rolled her eyes. "You're overreacting."

"You never listen to me!' Mesu slammed the book on the table.

No tag needed — the action tells us who’s speaking

Make the dialogue earn the tag:

Instead of using a tag with an adverb to explain how something is said, let the spoken words — and the context — do the work. Use actions or body cues to add the emotion.

Instead of:

"You never listen to me!' Mesu said angrily.

Try:

"You never listen to me!' Mesu's eyes were as dark as coal.

Drop the tag altogether (sometimes):

If it's clear who’s speaking, skip the tag. But do remind the reader who’s talking every few lines.

"I don’t trust meerkats," Mesu said.

"Why not?" asked Kiri.

"Because they are always watching us.”

"You're overreacting."

"You never listen to me!' Mesu snarled, his eyes as dark as coal.

Place the tag or action before the dialogue, or in the middle, to help with the clarity and emphasis.

Kiri glanced out the window. “You might be right. They're watching us right now.”

“You might be right," Kiri said, glancing out the window. "They're watching us right now.”

Read your dialogue out loud

This is the fastest way to catch awkward rhythms or unnatural phrasing. If it sounds weird in your mouth, it’ll sound weird in the reader’s head.

Remember, dialogue doesn’t need to sound impressive. It is there to add to your story, build belief in your characters and establish relationships.

Let your characters speak like people, not thesauruses. And let "said" do its quiet, important job.