Oh man. I haven't written in a while. Sorry about that guys. I lost track of time. (A whole month's worth of time ... )

Anyway, this will be fairly short. A subscriber asked me on how she/he could vary use of words in conversation, so I'm just going to leave some explanations and suggestions.

My understanding from this request is that the person wants to know how to use words other than "he said" or "she said". How many ways can the author describe a person who made an explanation? A person who made a declaration? A person who simply replied?

Normally when I write, the words will just come to me, but if it doesn't, I'll look for synonyms in the dictionary (The dictionary never fails!)

I'm going to give three example categories. I'll use the term 'he' and past tense for all of these.

Ways to pronounce an explanation:

• He explained
• He expounded
• He elucidated
• He clarified

Etc, the list goes on. I think some of you know that some words have negative connotations. For example, compare the words 'grotesque' and 'ugly'. Essentially, they mean the same thing. But grotesque has a different implication. It sounds a lot more horrifying than just describing a thing as ugly. Same goes for describing people in speech. You can say "He explained", but saying "He clarified" shows that the guy made an effort to make sure that the person to which he is talking is understanding what he is saying. Relatively the same word, but different connotations.

Ways to pronounce a declaration:

• He declared
• He stated
• He announced
• He proclaimed
• He asserted

Etc. Once again, similar words, but they give off different vibes. 'Asserted' sounds more commanding and firm than simply saying 'stated'. 

"I hate you," he stated.

Okay. Stated works fine. But if you use asserted, it gives off a different meaning and changes the sentence.

"I hate you," he asserted.

In that text, you can see that he's saying it with finality, that he's made a decision, and that he doesn't intend to go back on it. Whereas stated is less colorful, asserted paints a better picture. Of course, you can use 'stated' - he 'stated' that he hated someone, but did he really mean it?

You don't have to use colorful words everytime. Like I mentioned in the previous chapter, you can let the sentences flow without having to put in a 'he said, she said' description all the time. Sometimes it's good to have the reader determine their own story. So in terms of responses, there are the following options:

Ways to respond:

• He said
• He responded
• He replied
• He answered
• He remarked
• He returned

Etc. I'm going to use John Green as an example again. In his book, he normally says 'he said, she said' rather than always doing a 'he stated, she retorted' kind of thing. That's great. Everyone has their own writing style. If you want the reader to understand your story in a specific way, then define it. If you don't, then use vague words. This is all part of making a story visual. The book is a leeway for imagination. As an author, use your imagination, but don't rob the readers of theirs.

Until next time!