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Alternative Words for Said If you are a creative writer, then you’ve been faced with this problem over and over. (And if you’re a creative writer and haven’t been faced with the problem then maybe you should take another look at your work.) My one suggestion is not to worry about this too much during your initial phase of writing. The objective at this point is to just get your words down on paper. Don’t worry about your grammar or spelling too much at this point. Just write! The time to worry about using “said” too much is during your first edit or even second edit. (And I hope you edit your creations more than just once. It certainly pays off in the long run. My fantasy book for middle graders, The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck, went through about nine re-writes before I felt it was ready. And that didn’t even count changes suggested by my editor and friends!) There are many ways to use the word “said” and we have listed hundreds of them below. But remember, you don’t always have to even use the word “said” or even a substitute. Here’s an example: “You look funny in that clown costume,” Betty said to her husband. Why not this instead? Betty giggled hysterically as her husband stumbled into the room in his clown costume. “Now that’s funny!” We don’t need to use the word “said” because we can assume that it is Betty talking simply because of the preceding sentence. And, to take it a step further, you really wouldn't even need Betty to say anything as the sentence before describes the situation. It is always better to describe things rather than saying them! accepted accused acknowledged added admitted advised agonized agreed announced answered appealed applauded argued articulated asked bargained barked bawled beamed beckoned began begged bellowed beseeched blubbered blurted boasted bossed breathed called cautioned chanted chastised cheered chided chimed in chirped choked chortled chorused chuckled cited claimed clucked comforted commanded commented complained complimented concurred confessed confided consoled consulted continued conveyed cooed corrected countered cried cried out criticized croaked crooned crowed cursed debated decided declared demanded denied described dictated directed disagreed disclosed disrupted divulged drawled drawled dreamed droned echoed elaborated emitted empathized encouraged entreated estimated exaggerated exclaimed explained exposed expressed faltered feared finished forced foretold fretted frowned fumed fussed gawped giggled gloated glowered gossiped grieved grinned griped groaned growled grumbled grunted guessed guffawed hesitated hissed hollered howled implied implored informed inquired insisted instructed interjected interrogated interrupted invited jabbered joked judged lamented laughed lectured leered lied lilted lilted mentioned mimicked mocked mourned mouthed mumbled murmured muttered nagged narrated noted notified objected observed offered ordered out persisted persuaded petitioned pleaded pointed pouted praised prayed preached predicted prescribed proclaimed prodded professed promised prompted proposed protested purred pushed quaked queried questioned quipped quivered quizzed quote raged rambled ranted reassured reckoned recounted rejoiced related remarked remonstrated repeated replied reported requested responded restated resumed retorted returned roared ruled sang sang out scoffed scolded scowled screamed seethed shouted shrieked shrugged shuddered sighed slurred smiled smirked snapped snarled sneered snickered sniffled sniveled snorted sobbed spat speculated spluttered spoke spoke tightly sputtered stammered started stated stormed stressed struggled stumbled stuttered suggested sung swooned swore sympathized taunted teased testified thought threatened thundered told touted trailed trembled twitted twittered urged uttered vented verified vocalized voiced voted vowed wailed wailed warned wept whimpered whispered whooped wondered yawned yawped yelled yelped Copyright 2009 by Stan Swanson |
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