Dialogue
Said-ism Soup
Flags exotic dialogue tags that are used so often they lose their impact.
What It Does
Tracks 50+ exotic dialogue tags (exclaimed, whispered, growled, stammered, etc.) and flags any that appear 3+ times. Excludes "said", "asked", and "replied" which are designed to be invisible.
Why It Matters
An exotic tag used once is colorful. Used four times, it's a tic. "She exclaimed" is eye-catching the first time, but by the fifth, the reader is noticing the tag instead of the dialogue.
What Gets Flagged
| Severity | Example | Why | Suggested Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information | "exclaimed" appears 4 times | Readers start noticing the tag | Use "said" or replace with action beats |
Configuration
No configuration options. Threshold: 3+ uses of the same exotic tag.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Document-level frequency analysis
- Method: Keyword counting in dialogue-containing lines