Said or Asked?

arjaybe · 09-18-2014, 07:13 PM

"How was it?" said Fran. "How was what?" said Maria.

or

"How was it?" asked Fran. "How was what?" asked Maria.

cromag · 09-18-2014, 07:36 PM

"Asked," said cromag.

crich70 · 09-18-2014, 09:45 PM

I think it could be either. The important thing is not to go thesaurus happy and come up with 20 or more ways to say it. ie. gushed, disclaimed, stuttered etc. when said or asked are more than sufficient some 90 + % of the time. Or at least that's what the various books I've read about it in the past have said.

gmw · 09-18-2014, 10:10 PM

I prefer "asked" where it is an actual question. I try to reserve "said" for rhetorical questions (where I don't want to attribute as "asked rhetorically").

arjaybe · 09-19-2014, 02:38 AM

I tend to say "said." I figure the question mark will take care of it. But not everyone sees it that way, so I end up using "asked" more often than I otherwise would.

HarryT · 09-19-2014, 07:49 AM

To my mind, "said" if it's a statement, but "asked" if it's a question. Or appropriate synonyms, of course.

mr ploppy · 09-19-2014, 08:33 AM

Asked, but the name usually comes first in adult fiction:

"How was it?" Fran asked.

Whereas child fiction is usually the other way round:

"How was it?" asked Fran.

Penforhire · 09-19-2014, 12:04 PM

I like asked but agree you need to be cautious. A lengthy Q & A dialog should use some said's and, like Crich said, don't go crazy with verbs beyond said.

HarryT · 09-19-2014, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

I like asked but agree you need to be cautious. A lengthy Q & A dialog should use some said's and, like Crich said, don't go crazy with verbs beyond said.

If it's a dialogue between two people, names are probably unnecessary beyond establishing who the speakers are at the beginning:

"Are you going into town this morning?", asked Anne?
"Why do you ask?", replied Peter.
"Just wondering if I could have the car."
"Sure."
"See you later, then."

Bilbo1967 · 09-19-2014, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If it's a dialogue between two people, names are probably unnecessary beyond establishing who the speakers are at the beginning:

"Are you going into town this morning?", asked Anne?
"Why do you ask?", replied Peter.
"Just wondering if I could have the car."
"Sure."
"See you later, then."

Is Peter going into town or not though?

HarryT · 09-19-2014, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Is Peter going into town or not though?

Yes, but it's a nice day, so he decided to walk.

arjaybe · 09-19-2014, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, but it's a nice day, so he decided to walk.

Ba-doom-tish. Good one.-)

Like you, I like the names to be dropped as soon as possible in a long dialog(ue.) But, because I have become lost when reading them, I'm careful to throw the names in here and there to prevent that.

arjaybe · 09-19-2014, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Asked, but the name usually comes first in adult fiction:

"How was it?" Fran asked.

Whereas child fiction is usually the other way round:

"How was it?" asked Fran.

I did not know this. Now I'm going to be looking for it.

eschwartz · 09-19-2014, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If it's a dialogue between two people, names are probably unnecessary beyond establishing who the speakers are at the beginning:

"Are you going into town this morning?", asked Anne?
"Why do you ask?", replied Peter.
"Just wondering if I could have the car."
"Sure."
"See you later, then."

Is there a reason why the first line ends with a question mark?
And then the second line doesn't?

FWIW, in the US there wouldn't be a comma there.

gmw · 09-19-2014, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Asked, but the name usually comes first in adult fiction:

"How was it?" Fran asked.

Whereas child fiction is usually the other way round:

"How was it?" asked Fran.

Where did you get this from? About 60 seconds browsing various adults books here shows a mix of both in all of them.

09-18-2014, 07:13 PM	#1
arjaybe Wizard Posts: 1,074 Karma: 12500000 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Okanagan Device: Sony PRS-650, Kobo Clara	Said or Asked? "How was it?" said Fran. "How was what?" said Maria. or "How was it?" asked Fran. "How was what?" asked Maria.

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09-18-2014, 07:36 PM	#2
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,765 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	"Asked," said cromag.

09-18-2014, 09:45 PM	#3
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I think it could be either. The important thing is not to go thesaurus happy and come up with 20 or more ways to say it. ie. gushed, disclaimed, stuttered etc. when said or asked are more than sufficient some 90 + % of the time. Or at least that's what the various books I've read about it in the past have said.

09-18-2014, 10:10 PM	#4
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I prefer "asked" where it is an actual question. I try to reserve "said" for rhetorical questions (where I don't want to attribute as "asked rhetorically").

09-19-2014, 02:38 AM	#5
arjaybe Wizard Posts: 1,074 Karma: 12500000 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Okanagan Device: Sony PRS-650, Kobo Clara	I tend to say "said." I figure the question mark will take care of it. But not everyone sees it that way, so I end up using "asked" more often than I otherwise would.

09-19-2014, 07:49 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	To my mind, "said" if it's a statement, but "asked" if it's a question. Or appropriate synonyms, of course.

09-19-2014, 08:33 AM	#7
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Asked, but the name usually comes first in adult fiction: "How was it?" Fran asked. Whereas child fiction is usually the other way round: "How was it?" asked Fran.

09-19-2014, 12:04 PM	#8
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I like asked but agree you need to be cautious. A lengthy Q & A dialog should use some said's and, like Crich said, don't go crazy with verbs beyond said.

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