Hey guys! I was roaming imgur and found this, which someone else found:
a list of various ways to say various things!
If you're ever in a writing rut or just want to spice up your posts, maybe these can help spring some ideas up on how to get actions of your characters across!
What you will find:
I take 0% credit on making the list but figured it'd be a neat tool to help us improve our writing craft!
EDIT: By request, here are a couple of quick lists of English-language idioms I found:
Using English[dot]com's extensive Idioms list, in alphabetical order!
An extensive list of English Idioms from Wikipedia
EDIT2: A contribution that was discovered by our wonderful Heimdall!
A list of geographical descriptors!
EDIT3: A contribution put forth by Hwothumb!
A wonderful argument for the use of 'said', to counteract the earlier grand list of 'said being dead'
a list of various ways to say various things!
If you're ever in a writing rut or just want to spice up your posts, maybe these can help spring some ideas up on how to get actions of your characters across!
What you will find:
- words to use more often
- how to express someone speaking
- active verbs for active writing!
- how to write expressing emotions
I take 0% credit on making the list but figured it'd be a neat tool to help us improve our writing craft!
EDIT: By request, here are a couple of quick lists of English-language idioms I found:
Using English[dot]com's extensive Idioms list, in alphabetical order!
An extensive list of English Idioms from Wikipedia
EDIT2: A contribution that was discovered by our wonderful Heimdall!
A list of geographical descriptors!
EDIT3: A contribution put forth by Hwothumb!
A wonderful argument for the use of 'said', to counteract the earlier grand list of 'said being dead'
Have you seen any lists of common English expressions or idioms or whatever they're called? Phrases like "raining cats and dogs". English isn't my native language so I don't know many.
I have not, but I bet you I can go wrestle up a list somewhere and add it to the opening post!
Edit; Said and done!
Edit; Said and done!
Oh oh, I have something to offer too! This is an AMAZING list of geographical terms to spice up your writing.
http://screamingnorth.tumblr.com/post/93971003793/octoswan-i-made-these-as-a-way-to-compile-all
http://screamingnorth.tumblr.com/post/93971003793/octoswan-i-made-these-as-a-way-to-compile-all
Oh MAN that is awesome! *slaps that into the grand master list post thing mess she has going on*
I like the list of alternative to "said" and "asked," but it needs a disclaimer.
This is a lovely page from a site I sometimes refer to for help, that explains why "said" is not, in fact, dead. Until someone pointed out how I used to do this in my writing, I never realized how bad these melodramatic dialogue tags could be if not used carefully.
Also, even "said" is sometimes too much."
This is a lovely page from a site I sometimes refer to for help, that explains why "said" is not, in fact, dead. Until someone pointed out how I used to do this in my writing, I never realized how bad these melodramatic dialogue tags could be if not used carefully.
Also, even "said" is sometimes too much."
Quote:
He shrugged. "Most of the time, you don't even need dialogue tags at all."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Huh," She considered this for a moment, surprised. "But how does teh audience know who's speaking?"
He chuckled. "Don't assume your readers are stupid. They can figure it out based on context."
"So I just shouldn't use 'said' or 'asked' at all?" she asked.
"Well, I didn't say that."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Huh," She considered this for a moment, surprised. "But how does teh audience know who's speaking?"
He chuckled. "Don't assume your readers are stupid. They can figure it out based on context."
"So I just shouldn't use 'said' or 'asked' at all?" she asked.
"Well, I didn't say that."
On an off-topic note...
Once, in response to a writing prompt to write a crappy spy story, the entire story consisted of dialogue between two characters. It's probably some of the stupidest dialogue I've ever written, on purpose or otherwise.
Once, in response to a writing prompt to write a crappy spy story, the entire story consisted of dialogue between two characters. It's probably some of the stupidest dialogue I've ever written, on purpose or otherwise.
Quote:
"Hold on," Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache confusedly. "You're a cop?"
"Not a cop," Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed secretively. "A secret agent!"
"For who-"
"Whom."
"For whom do you work for, then?" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache questioningly. "FBI? CIA? MI6?"
"Don't be a fool, Dr. Mustachio! M16 is a type of firearm, not an intelligence organization!"
"CSIS? DGSE?"
"I don't know what any of those mean!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed haughtily. "but I'm sure they're evil, just like you, Dr. Mustachio."
"So who do you work for?" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache curiously.
"You mean, 'for whom do you work?'"
"No I don't!" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache angrily. "Now answer my question!"
"I work for the World Secret Agent Justice Team!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed proudly, firing off his service minigun into the air with a cry of, "'Murica!"
"So..." Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache confusedly... again. "You work for the American government?"
"Nope, they're just the ones who gave me this gun! I work for the WSAJT!"
"I don't think that exists..." Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache skeptically. "It sounds made up."
"That's exactly what I wanted you to think!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed surprisingly. "So that you'd fall into my trap!"
Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache irritatedly. "I don't think you know who you work for."
"Of... Of course I do," Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed unconfidently.
Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache plottingly. "Well, the secret thing I have been, uh, keeping from you, is that you've actually been working for me the whole time!"
"I... I have?" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed worriedly. "How can that be?"
Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache lyingly. "I made up the WASAT-"
"WSAJT." Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed interruptedly.
"Yeah, that. I made it up to trick you into working for me. Now you're on my side!" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache trickingly.
"Noooooo!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed angrily. "I work for you now!"
"Yes!" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache happily. "And your first mission working under me is to give me your gun!"
The blank expression on Jack's face twisted into shock and fear as he stared at the doctor. Slowly, his arm fell to his side, and the gun fell with it, pointing harmlessly at the ground. After a few seconds of deafening silence, a sob escaped his throat and he sank to the ground, gripping the wall for support. Pushing his gun away, Jack pulled his legs close to his chest and curled up into a ball, tears streaming down his face as his body shook with choked sobs.
Dr. Mustachio watched helplessly for a few seconds as Jack wept before approaching him carefully. "Agent Jack?" he said softly. "Are you okay?"
"I don't understand!" Jack cried. "I don't understand anything! Who am I? What's the point of all this? None of it makes any sense, it's so..."
Dr. Mustachio patted him gently on the back. "There, there..."
"I'm sorry!"
"There's nothing to be sorry about... it's not your fault." Dr. Mustachio wiped a tear out of his mustache as he comforted the confused man.
"I don't know who I am anymore!"
"It's okay, Jack." the doctor whispered. "I'm here for you."
Together, the two of them sat on the ground of Dr. Mustachio's lab as he twirled his mustache comfortingly. Eventually, Jack's tears subsided, and the doctor helped him to his feet.
"No hard feelings?" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache friend-makingly.
Jack nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor, and shook his mustache.
And then the doctor's death ray blew up the world and everyone died.
"Not a cop," Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed secretively. "A secret agent!"
"For who-"
"Whom."
"For whom do you work for, then?" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache questioningly. "FBI? CIA? MI6?"
"Don't be a fool, Dr. Mustachio! M16 is a type of firearm, not an intelligence organization!"
"CSIS? DGSE?"
"I don't know what any of those mean!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed haughtily. "but I'm sure they're evil, just like you, Dr. Mustachio."
"So who do you work for?" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache curiously.
"You mean, 'for whom do you work?'"
"No I don't!" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache angrily. "Now answer my question!"
"I work for the World Secret Agent Justice Team!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed proudly, firing off his service minigun into the air with a cry of, "'Murica!"
"So..." Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache confusedly... again. "You work for the American government?"
"Nope, they're just the ones who gave me this gun! I work for the WSAJT!"
"I don't think that exists..." Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache skeptically. "It sounds made up."
"That's exactly what I wanted you to think!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed surprisingly. "So that you'd fall into my trap!"
Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache irritatedly. "I don't think you know who you work for."
"Of... Of course I do," Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed unconfidently.
Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache plottingly. "Well, the secret thing I have been, uh, keeping from you, is that you've actually been working for me the whole time!"
"I... I have?" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed worriedly. "How can that be?"
Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache lyingly. "I made up the WASAT-"
"WSAJT." Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed interruptedly.
"Yeah, that. I made it up to trick you into working for me. Now you're on my side!" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache trickingly.
"Noooooo!" Secret Agent Jack Jordan exclaimed angrily. "I work for you now!"
"Yes!" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache happily. "And your first mission working under me is to give me your gun!"
The blank expression on Jack's face twisted into shock and fear as he stared at the doctor. Slowly, his arm fell to his side, and the gun fell with it, pointing harmlessly at the ground. After a few seconds of deafening silence, a sob escaped his throat and he sank to the ground, gripping the wall for support. Pushing his gun away, Jack pulled his legs close to his chest and curled up into a ball, tears streaming down his face as his body shook with choked sobs.
Dr. Mustachio watched helplessly for a few seconds as Jack wept before approaching him carefully. "Agent Jack?" he said softly. "Are you okay?"
"I don't understand!" Jack cried. "I don't understand anything! Who am I? What's the point of all this? None of it makes any sense, it's so..."
Dr. Mustachio patted him gently on the back. "There, there..."
"I'm sorry!"
"There's nothing to be sorry about... it's not your fault." Dr. Mustachio wiped a tear out of his mustache as he comforted the confused man.
"I don't know who I am anymore!"
"It's okay, Jack." the doctor whispered. "I'm here for you."
Together, the two of them sat on the ground of Dr. Mustachio's lab as he twirled his mustache comfortingly. Eventually, Jack's tears subsided, and the doctor helped him to his feet.
"No hard feelings?" Dr. Mustachio twirled his mustache friend-makingly.
Jack nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor, and shook his mustache.
And then the doctor's death ray blew up the world and everyone died.
Agreed! Please don't mistake that list's claiming of 'said being dead' as my agreement with the sentiment! 
I'm all for writing 'says/said'--but that doesn't mean we should ignore ways to spice up how our characters talk, either, when appropriate!
I am so adding this to the list, by the by. It's a wonderful read and a good argument for utilizing 'said'!
I'm all for writing 'says/said'--but that doesn't mean we should ignore ways to spice up how our characters talk, either, when appropriate! I am so adding this to the list, by the by. It's a wonderful read and a good argument for utilizing 'said'!
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