Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-30741304-20161213135509/@comment-7064562-20161217220851

*I was confused as hell why you said stated instead of state and began to question everything I have ever known about grammar until I Saw the edit to ignore that. I thought a new writing rule was made or something*

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" I thought that, when writing dialog, if the character who is saying the dialog is obvious/evident there was not a need to specify which caracter is speaking?"

 That's true. You don't have to state who is talking if you've established the characters and its easy for a blind reader to understand who is talking. Keep in mind though, you're the one who wrote this so you might just think it's easy to understand whos talking.

Grammar is hard because while writting you're thinking differently then the reader, so things that flow well for you don't actually look good on paper to someone whos blind. I sugest reading it outloud and checking the flow because a few sentances should have, instead of a period.

Tense are kind of a grey area because of what I said former. However the easiest trick to this is if it's happening now, don't be putting 'ed at the end and what not, because it's going on now, it didn't already happen.

Example

 “I don’t hear myself on yours, turn the volume up” I said  [say]. Dave had  [has]  already begun turning the radio volume up proving it to be louder than I believed it to had  [have]  been. I looked  [look]  at him puzzled, and I turn down the volume of the television as he tries to make a call to the front desk.

You use say beacuse you're saying it right now. Said only works if its from another character and it already happened. See this is a grey area because it changed over time and most authors used "said" all the time instead of "say", however you use "say" because it is being said at that momment and hasn't been established unti that point. Normally said is only used if the story already happened and is being told back to us. Seeing how your story is happening atm, "say is the best bet". The same is said about has and have. It's going on now, it didn't happen in the past.

https://www.grammarly.com/?q=writing&utm_source=youtube&utm_content=ccoverlay

This is a good tool that can be added to your google account to help with that, other mistakes and even improve your word choices. Personally I don't use past tense when my characters talk, because humans don't give a fuck when there talking about grammar, however it's important when explaining whats going on so people can establish what has and hasn't happened.

I"m not sure if I'm even allowed to post on these threads but after reading a few hoesntly yours was one of the best with not as many mistakes. Reading some of these I question if the writers even re-read there work. =3=

(you have been given 2 cents. Use it to start a company that sells dolphins to the poor.)