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Roisin
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Hi, I am looking to clarify the (British English) guidelines for format and punctuation with regard to dialogue. Many thanks 
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Lorraine
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You might find this post helpful: Punctuating DialogueEach new line of dialogue should be treated as a new paragraph and indented (although the formatting on here doesn't allow indents, so you would need to leave a line of space between paragraphs/dialogue instead).
This post was last edited by Lorraine, 23 Apr 2011, 09:19
Flash 500 Competition for flash fiction up to 500 words and Flash 500 Humour Verse Competition for amusing poems up to 30 lines
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notleyab
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Quote: Lorraine, Saturday, 23 Apr 2011 09:18You might find this post helpful: Punctuating DialogueEach new line of dialogue should be treated as a new paragraph and indented (although the formatting on here doesn't allow indents, so you would need to leave a line of space between paragraphs/dialogue instead). It's zap another thread time. That's that blogger's view. But commas get into more corners than crisps. I reckon a colon b4 the quote looks much neater. The golden rule is pick yr rule & be consistent. Off to crack another thread.
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Lorraine
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It's not a blogger's view, it's the industry standard for dialogue punctuation. I agree that colons introducing speech look good, but this post isn't about introducing speech, it's about the correct punctuation to use when writing the dialogue itself.
Flash 500 Competition for flash fiction up to 500 words and Flash 500 Humour Verse Competition for amusing poems up to 30 lines
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markgayle
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Indeed and you'll find similar industry standard info at: http://www.bookshedonline.co.uk/taxonomy/term/6As Lorraine points out, this is how you are expected to do it if you want to be taken seriously.
Now and then I write: http://www.mofanning.co.uk
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notleyab
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Alright, I've bn put in my place. I like a colon, which is widely used in journalism. Didn't realise the book publishing industry was so anal abt these things.
This post was last edited by notleyab, 24 Apr 2011, 23:43
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notleyab
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Quote: Lorraine, Sunday, 24 Apr 2011 19:37It's not a blogger's view, it's the industry standard for dialogue punctuation. I agree that colons introducing speech look good, but this post isn't about introducing speech, it's about the correct punctuation to use when writing the dialogue itself. You were secret abt that - didn't realise till checking it's yr book that states the rules on colons & commas. Just a question. How did you come to make this comment? Did you check with every single publisher? In every single English-speaking country? Or is it what you see as common/the most common practice? What I'm getting at is, who is God in this subject? I can see the comma appears to be accepted as standard practice. But, as you agreed, a colon to me looks good; especially in accentuating that the bit that comes next is definitely a quote. Otherwise, it cd just be any old pause in the sentence.
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Lorraine
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We're talking at cross purposes here. Nowhere in that post have I introduced a quote. The comma is there to indicate that the dialogue which continues after the dialogue tag [he said, she said and suchlike] is part of the same sentence. And, yes, Maureen and I had to do a massive amount of research prior to writing the book. I wasn't being secretive - I simply wasn't shoving the book's title down anyone's throat. The thread starter asked a question. I remembered I'd posted that excerpt from the book on the blog last year and thought it might provide the answer.
Flash 500 Competition for flash fiction up to 500 words and Flash 500 Humour Verse Competition for amusing poems up to 30 lines
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notleyab
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Quote: Lorraine, Monday, 25 Apr 2011 05:14We're talking at cross purposes here. Nowhere in that post have I introduced a quote. The comma is there to indicate that the dialogue which continues after the dialogue tag [he said, she said and suchlike] is part of the same sentence. And, yes, Maureen and I had to do a massive amount of research prior to writing the book. I wasn't being secretive - I simply wasn't shoving the book's title down anyone's throat. The thread starter asked a question. I remembered I'd posted that excerpt from the book on the blog last year and thought it might provide the answer. Don't get me wrong. (That's too often the problem with written statements, when you can't see the writer's face). Producing a ref book is a great idea, and it's refreshing not to have it shoved down yr throat. (A fishbone is bad enough, as the poor old Queen Mum wd have testified to). I really just wondered if all book publishing houses have agreed on a standard set of rules, especially when it comes to punctuation. Me, I just like to give my support to the dear old colon against the common old comma.
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Cinnamon
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Which of these is correct - this is something that always confuses me and different books seem to use different formats: Lorraine looked at me and said, 'This is how to punctuate.' Lorraine looked at me and said: 'This is how to punctuate.' Lorraine looked at me and said; 'This is how to punctuate.' (I'm pretty sure this one is wrong, but thought I'd throw it into the mix!)
E-asy Peasy?
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Dialogue - Format and Punctuation
23 Apr 2011, 08:42
