As a fiction writer, you want to set scenes that capture your reader’s imagination and draw them into your world. You are telling a story and creating a mood. The words that you put into your character’s mouths help shape those characters into what you want them to be.
Dialogue tags and action beats can be confusing. Let’s see if we can make things clearer…
An action beat and a dialogue tag are used when writing speech in fiction. Both clarify who is speaking and can add depth to a conversation, but they function differently. Here’s how they differ:
Action Beat
An action beat is a separate sentence or phrase describing what a character does as they speak. It often replaces a dialogue tag by showing the character’s actions, expressions, or body language, which can add emotion, context, or mood to the conversation. Action beats stand on their own and are punctuated as a separate sentence.
Example of an Action Beat:
- "I can't do it." She crossed her arms defiantly.
- "Here they are!" He squinted into the sun, shading his eyes with one hand.
Here, the action beat gives more understanding of the character’s emotional state and behaviour without explicitly stating how the dialogue is spoken. Instead of relying on words like said or asked, it uses the character’s actions to show their feelings.
Dialogue Tag
A dialogue tag is a phrase attached to a line of dialogue to indicate who is speaking and, in some cases, how they are speaking. The tag typically contains verbs like said, asked, whispered, or shouted. A dialogue tag is part of the same sentence as the dialogue and is often punctuated with a comma.
Example of a Dialogue Tag:
- "I’m going to sit down," she said.
- "Are you finished yet?" he yelled.
What are the key differences?:
- Punctuation and Structure:
An action beat is a separate sentence and should be punctuated accordingly. A dialogue tag is part of the same sentence as the dialogue and is usually separated by a comma.
- Purpose:
A dialogue tag clarifies who is speaking and can indicate how they are speaking. An action beat shows what the character is doing while they talk, giving the reader visual or emotional context. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that dialogue tags can include verbs like ‘shuddered’, ‘grimaced’ or ‘smiled’. They can’t. A verb of utterance has to describe something you do to create words and sentences. You can’t speak by grimacing.
- Tone and Depth:
Dialogue tags are more straightforward, while action beats add depth and help an author show rather than tell how a character feels or reacts.
You can always use dialogue tags and action beats together:
Dialogue Tag + Action Beat:
‘I think I’m going to sit down,’ she said, her voice heavy with exhaustion, as she pulled a chair out.
Here, the dialogue tag (she said) clarifies who is speaking, and the action beat (her voice heavy with exhaustion, as she pulled a chair out) adds emotional depth, showing the character's physical reaction.
Both can work together or separately, depending on the tone, pacing, and focus of the scene you want to construct.
I hope that this has helped to clarify the differences between action beats and dialogue tags for fiction writers. Just remember, practice makes perfect (or better, at least!)
Next time, I will take a look at how to punctuate dialogue tags and action beats correctly. Meanwhile, you can always take a look at these past posts on Proofreading tips or Overcoming the 10 real problems that new authors face.
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