tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post3900899137629350623..comments2023-12-24T18:09:37.205+11:00Comments on Somebody Has To Say It: I Just Can’t Say It Enough – The Evil of SaidismsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436989031700445050noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-53649848857854099982012-07-11T07:31:28.999+10:002012-07-11T07:31:28.999+10:00Thanks for the post. I'm a new writer, and adm...Thanks for the post. I'm a new writer, and admit that I'm getting confused by all the conflicting advice. I've tried to keep the tags to a minimum when possible, but admit that I've been using quite a few 'saidisms'. Luckily I'm still on the first draft, so there's plenty of time to fix the problem. I hope I can find a great editor.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944384344925502010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-33539476928784736592012-06-23T12:02:28.612+10:002012-06-23T12:02:28.612+10:00editing myself. lol. "I'm not a fan OF eg...editing myself. lol. "I'm not a fan OF egregious saidisms". Sorry, just woke up.Rebeccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-58999886665125591162012-06-22T14:29:31.592+10:002012-06-22T14:29:31.592+10:00I can handle the occasional 'grumbled' or ...I can handle the occasional 'grumbled' or the rare 'said flatly', but together is unbearable, and as you've said, three pages of it is enough to make me want to stab someone. <br /><br />I'm reading Brandon Sanderson's 'Warbreaker' and I've noticed it's not as cleanly written as the Stormlight Archives, including a few saidisms. But they are rare enough that while I note them as I read them they don't spoil my enjoyment of the book.Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-77771760401428316752012-06-21T20:16:52.958+10:002012-06-21T20:16:52.958+10:00agreed. the only thing worse than these kind of &...agreed. the only thing worse than these kind of "saidisms" are saidisms that are also contain adverbs. aka things that end in "ly".<br /><br />e.g "He said stridently" "he tittered nervously" <br /><br />dialogue attributions (saidisms) which also contain adverbs are like crap carefully layered ontop of more crap... and after 3 pages of it in your manuscript its becomes like the compound interest of crap. Utter crap, if you will.Salmaan Dhttp://twitter.com/herodfelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-55066840713896798882012-06-21T09:40:49.083+10:002012-06-21T09:40:49.083+10:00It brings the scene alive so much better. I can...It brings the scene alive so much better. I can't stand 'talking heads'. You feel like two people are just frozen while they have a conversation and that's so unrealictic!Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-67890233224349683082012-06-21T05:06:51.267+10:002012-06-21T05:06:51.267+10:00Great post! using action tags keeps he story movin...Great post! using action tags keeps he story moving and creating a scene where you don't have to tell the reader who is speaking (because they can clearly see it) is at times tough but so worth it on a re read.MAJKhttp://twitter.com/Safirebladenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-83492334405127804982012-06-19T09:14:16.738+10:002012-06-19T09:14:16.738+10:00Glad to help, Amberr :-) Feel free to ask question...Glad to help, Amberr :-) Feel free to ask questions anytime.Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-19102196914369183792012-06-19T09:13:56.085+10:002012-06-19T09:13:56.085+10:00My pleasure, Monique. I assure you, I have manuscr...My pleasure, Monique. I assure you, I have manuscripts somewhere littered with saidisms, and I expect it's more than just my first! OK, I'm a slow learner, and I started young *shrugs* I think you are probably right - it's fear of not properly communicating the message. Also, lack of understanding of show don't tell (if at that stage the phrase has even been heard) and I was well into my 20s before I understood what it even meant!Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-7725724124464913822012-06-19T09:12:19.570+10:002012-06-19T09:12:19.570+10:00LOL we all have those moments. I can forgive the o...LOL we all have those moments. I can forgive the odd saidism here and there, and I'm more forgiving of the occasional adverb than a list of mused, ponderd, announced, noted etc. When the page is full of them, they get hard to ignore.Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-62889337044055412982012-06-18T19:00:53.031+10:002012-06-18T19:00:53.031+10:00Love this, and I just took a boatload of notes fro...Love this, and I just took a boatload of notes from this post. Thank you!Amberr Meadowshttp://www.amberrisme.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-9291605326314195792012-06-18T18:57:53.765+10:002012-06-18T18:57:53.765+10:00Excellent post! I am guilty of this, I admit! My s...Excellent post! I am guilty of this, I admit! My second and third books are written so much better because I learnt this lesson while writting my first! Unfortunately I have too many saidisms in my first book but, hey, it's all about learning and growing and that's why blogs like this are so vital to writers. I think as a new writer you're afraid that the reader will not get what you're trying to put across, but learning how to be good at creating atmosphere and emotion through the dialogue alone is what's important and makes excellent writing. Thanks, Ciara, for my lesson and reminder of the day!Monique Rockliffenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-11420895348659284522012-06-18T18:54:02.676+10:002012-06-18T18:54:02.676+10:00I find that bad habit chiefly in Urban Fantasy. I...I find that bad habit chiefly in Urban Fantasy. I have to admit though, I'm not a fan egregious saidisms and I do notice them ;-) especially when dialog inflection in the character's voice makes it obvious who said what.Rebeccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-43560476125660498412012-06-18T18:29:29.684+10:002012-06-18T18:29:29.684+10:00I've had a few comments to the same effect on ...I've had a few comments to the same effect on Twitter. It would appear I have struck a nerve.Ciara Ballintynehttp://ciaraballintyne.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2333982446003350398.post-62172672056463008282012-06-16T05:07:24.404+10:002012-06-16T05:07:24.404+10:00I love this post!I love this post!Julia Barrettnoreply@blogger.com