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I find myself torn regarding the popular prescription against "said-bookisms". While I try to follow it in my own writing, it is the case that much real-world E

I find myself torn regarding the popular prescription against "said-bookisms". While I try to follow it in my own writing, it is the case that much real-world English speech uses a limited vocabulary and relies on tone of voice to carry meaning. As such, simple dialogue described by verbs like "hissed", "grunted", "whined", etc. better reflects how people really speak than more literary alternatives, and there is a trade-off in verisimilitude that comes from relying entirely on words to convey mood.

mortenjorck 6y ago
What I tend to find most effective in supporting otherwise-minimal dialog is to focus on facial expressions and body language. Compare this: “You renewed the certs, right?” asked Alice. “I think I did,” stammered Bob. To this: ”You renewed the certs, right?” Alice said, eyes fixed on her screen as she typed something into a terminal window. Bob looked up from his laptop, eyes suddenly wide. “I think I did,” he said, a panicked look slowly coming over his face.