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(by Unknown Contributor):

Words only function within their context. Words do the work in the story atop the structures we build for them. Like any other word, context is key. “Said” becomes as invisible as we make it. If every other dialogue tag is “exploded” and “wept” and “screamed”… a denouement of “said” might be quite powerful. It would inform the reader there was nothing else to be impassioned about, that there was no bite left to the thing. In a story about someone deeply contemplating a decision or an event or a choice, the narrator ultimately speaking might be marked rather loudly by “said”. The writer may have made the reader aware of a tumultuous internal conflict that persisted in silence. Allowing the narrator to finally speak could make “said” a very weighty word. Now, if we follow Leonard’s advice, yes—we can make “said” nearly invisible. It’s the dynamics that make all the difference, and you can intentionally play with those in poetry and prose.

Craft – Is the word “Said” invisible? Experienced writers argue it is a word readers mentally skip over, unlike “cried,” “retorted,” or “ejaculated,” which can be distracting. Elmore Leonard said “said” is the only acceptable dialogue tag.

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