REMOVE THE TAGS By Morgan Mandel

Since I'm working on manuscript revisions today, I'm enclosing a copy of my blog from MysteryTurtles.Blogspot.Com

BACK TO BASICS - Part Three- GET RID OF THE TAGS By Morgan Mandel

After you’ve been married a while, buying patterns emerge. When clothes that I like are on sale, I don’t wait for a special occasion. I just buy them. (Sometimes, even when they’re not on sale)

It’s come to the point so many new items travel into the house my husband can’t keep track of them any more.

However, there is one tip-off. If I leave the tags on, he almost always notices. Then I’m bound to hear a comment like, “Not another new whatever.” So I’ve learned it’s best to remove the tags to avoid notice. I need to do this very carefully, so as not to wreck the garment. Usually a scissors is the best instrument for this purpose. If I can’t find one, I’ve been known to use a set of nail clippers instead.

Good writers use the same approach. Whenever possible, they remove the tags.

WHAT IS A TAG?
To remove one, you need to know what it is.
Tags are those little phrases that come after a quote, which read something like, he said, she said, he replied, she replied.

HOW DO I GET RID OF ONE WITHOUT WRECKING THE MANUSCRIPT?
If a reader can tell who is saying something without your using a tag, you can safely remove it by using the delete button or back spacing.

Better yet, don’t put a tag on in the first place. (This doesn’t work with clothes purchases, of course.)

One way to avoid the use of tags is to assign some action to the person who is speaking, either before or after the dialog, so it will make sense to the reader,

Such as: Gary frowned at Missy. “Didn’t you just buy a dress last week?”

I NEED TO KEEP MY TAG, IS IT A GOOD ONE TO USE?

If you absolutely must keep your tag, another thing I wouldn’t recommend doing with clothes items, make sure it does not draw attention to itself. The best way to do this is by using common tag lines, such as he said, she said, not he shouted, she begged.
Some authors can get by without using the common tag lines, but for the unsure, it’s best to follow the tried and true rules.

Okay, after writing this, I’m in the mood for buying more clothes. Time to shop.
Until next time,
Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com/
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http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/morganmandel