I’d like to feature author Marcha Fox, today. The Rave Reviews Book Club and I would like to shine a spotlight on this talented writer, and also mine her writerly knowledge. Every writer who includes spoken dialog must come to grips with how often to use the word “said.” To be sure, it’s a bland word, but the opposite is to write horrific things like:

“No, way!” Biff ejaculated.

“Yes, way!” Joe-Bob blurted.

“Get out of here!” Biff riposted.

“Uh-uh,” Joe-Bob negated.

“You sure?” Biff asked.

***shudder***

Here to save us is the wise Marcha Fox. Help, Marcha!

-Guy Worthey, 12 October 2018

154 Ways to Say “Said” Instead of “Said”

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away — in other words, back in 1977 — my mom gave me a copy of the Readers Digest “Family Word Finder.” As you’ve probably figured out from its title, it’s a thesaurus and its age certainly a witness to how long I’ve been writing. I recently had that book out and discovered a typewritten (yes, typed, like in manual typewriter) list. It contained alternatives (but not quite synonyms) for using “said” in dialog. (BTW, I wrote my first novel on a manual typewriter.)

I remember having a lot of fun creating this list. However, there’s a caveat, especially if you’re addicted to words like myself. Granted, using these appropriately can contribute to imagery, emotion, and clarity. However, using them too frequently can be as grating as having “he said” or “she said” on every line.

In other words, like adding herbs and spices to a soup kettle, use them sparingly, as flavor enhancers, if you will. Be subtle, not glaring, which makes them all the more powerful. Used improperly or excessively, you could wind up with the literary equivalent of adding cinnamon instead of cumin to your chili. Properly administered, they’ll help create dynamic and convincing dialog, a critical component of outstanding fiction.

Without further ado, here we go:

1. accused
2. acknowledged
3. added
4. admitted
5. advised
6. affirmed
7. agreed
8. announced
9. answered
10. apologized
11. argued
12. asked
13. asserted
14. assured
15. avowed
16. babbled
17. barked
18. bellowed
19. begged
20. blubbered
21. blurted out
22. bragged
23. breathed
24. burst out
25. cackled
26. called
27. cautioned
28. challenged
29. chattered
30. chirped
31. choked
32. claimed
33. chortled
34. clipped
35. coerced
36. complained
37. conceded
38. concluded
39. confessed
40. confided
41. consoled
42. continued
43. cooed
44. corrected
45. cried
46. croaked
47. decided
48. declared
49. demanded
50. denied
51. disclosed
52. divulged
53. drawled
54. echoed
55. emphasized
56. estimated
57. explained
58. exploded
59. figured
60. gasped
61. greeted
62. groaned
63. groused
64. growled
65. grumbled
66. grunted
67. guessed
68. gulped
69. hissed
70. hinted
71. hollered
72. implied
73. inquired
74. intimated
75. insisted
76. instructed
77. interjected
78. interrupted
79. iterated
80. joked
81. laughed
82. lied
83. maintained
84. mentioned
85. mimicked
86. moaned
87. mumbled
88. murmured
89. mused
90. muttered
91. offered
92. ordered
93. panted
94. parroted
95. pleaded
96. pointed out
97. pouted
98. prayed
99. probed
100. proclaimed
101. prodded
102. promised
103. proposed
104. protested
105. purred
106. quipped
107. rambled
108. ranted
109. recounted
110. reiterated
111. related
112. relented
113. retorted
114. reminded
115. repeated
116. replied
117. reported
118. resolved
119. returned
120. revealed
121. scoffed
122. scowled
123. screeched
124. shouted
125. shrugged
126. sighed
127. smirked
128. snapped
129. sneered
130. sniffed
131. snittered
132. snorted
133. sobbed
134. speculated
135. sputtered
136. squeaked
137. stammered
138. stated
139. stipulated
140. suggested
141. teased
142. theorized
143. threatened
144. uttered
145. vocalized
146. volunteered
147. vowed
148. wailed
149. warned
150. whimpered
151. whispered
152. wished
153. wondered
154. yelled

 

Marcha’s Bio:

Marcha Fox is an avid science fiction fan and author with over 20 years’ experience in positions ranging from technical writer to engineer to manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in physics, which was but a prelude to her interest in the unexplained mysteries of the cosmos. Inspired by science fiction to pursue a career in a technical field, she hopes to instill the same fascination in young readers, while providing older ones with classic hard science fiction.

Born in Peekskill, New York she has lived in California, Utah and Texas in the course of raising her family, which included fifteen years as a stay-at-home mom before returning to college in her 30s to obtain her degree, a feat accomplished while she still had six children at home. All are now grown with children of their own providing her with 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren so far. Never at a loss for something to do, besides writing she’ a professional astrologer who enjoys gardening, her two Bengal cats and a sassy tuxedo, and keeping up with family.

 

Marcha’s latest:

THE TERRA DEBACLE: PRISONERS AT AREA 51

https://books2read.com/u/b6QelW

Thyron is a flora peda telepathis (telepathic walking plant) from the planet Sapphira on an adventure gone terribly wrong. The bad decision of a human girl and her maniacal robot companion has stranded them on Earth, where his botanical cousins face horrible fates such as consumption by herbivores, incineration, and brutal annihilation for use as building material.

Following capture, Thyron is transported to Area 51, where NASA exobiologist, Gabe Greenley, studies his every move, ecstatic with the opportunity to examine an entirely new lifeform. In due course, the scientist makes a ground-breaking discovery, distressed by the fact he can never share it due to his security oaths and research agreement. Eventually, he’s confronted by an even worse ethical dilemma that forces him to make a treasonous and potentially deadly decision.

Will Thyron’s psychic powers be enough to save him? Is Greenley friend or foe? Or does the exobiologist have a few secrets of his own?

Find out in this unique combination of hard science fiction, suspense, and a touch of humor populated with memorable characters in a setting loaded with intrigue. Unexpected plot twists coupled with a unique ending make this an unforgettable tale whether you’re a science fiction fan, botanist, UFO aficionado, or simply enjoy a good story.

How to get in touch with Marcha:

Twitter: @startrailsiv

Facebook:  @marchafoxauthor

Website: https://www.startrailssaga.com

p.s., Read her books. They’re super. -GW