Cheese

For the writers struggling to rid themselves of the classic ‘said’. Some are repeated in different categories since they fit multiple ones (but those are counted once so it adds up to 100 new words). 

1. Neutral Tags 

Straightforward and unobtrusive dialogue tags: 

Added, Replied, Stated, Remarked, Responded, Observed, Acknowledged, Commented, Noted, Voiced, Expressed, Shared, Answered, Mentioned, Declared.

2. Questioning Tags 

Curious, interrogative dialogue tags:

Asked, Queried, Wondered, Probed, Inquired, Requested, Pondered, Demanded, Challenged, Interjected, Investigated, Countered, Snapped, Pleaded, Insisted.

3. Emotive Tags 

Emotional dialogue tags:

Exclaimed, Shouted, Sobbed, Whispered, Cried, Hissed, Gasped, Laughed, Screamed, Stammered, Wailed, Murmured, Snarled, Choked, Barked.

4. Descriptive Tags 

Insightful, tonal dialogue tags: 

Muttered, Mumbled, Yelled, Uttered, Roared, Bellowed, Drawled, Spoke, Shrieked, Boomed, Snapped, Groaned, Rasped, Purred, Croaked.

5. Action-Oriented Tags 

Movement-based dialogue tags: 

Announced, Admitted, Interrupted, Joked, Suggested, Offered, Explained, Repeated, Advised, Warned, Agreed, Confirmed, Ordered, Reassured, Stated.

6. Conflict Tags 

Argumentative, defiant dialogue tags:

Argued, Snapped, Retorted, Rebuked, Disputed, Objected, Contested, Barked, Protested, Countered, Growled, Scoffed, Sneered, Challenged, Huffed.

7. Agreement Tags 

Understanding, compliant dialogue tags: 

Agreed, Assented, Nodded, Confirmed, Replied, Conceded, Acknowledged, Accepted, Affirmed, Yielded, Supported, Echoed, Consented, Promised, Concurred.

8. Disagreement Tags 

Resistant, defiant dialogue tags: 

Denied, Disagreed, Refused, Argued, Contradicted, Insisted, Protested, Objected, Rejected, Declined, Countered, Challenged, Snubbed, Dismissed, Rebuked.

9. Confused Tags 

Hesitant, uncertain dialogue tags:

Stammered, Hesitated, Fumbled, Babbled, Mumbled, Faltered, Stumbled, Wondered, Pondered, Stuttered, Blurted, Doubted, Confessed, Vacillated.

10. Surprise Tags

Shock-inducing dialogue tags:

Gasped, Stunned, Exclaimed, Blurted, Wondered, Staggered, Marvelled, Breathed, Recoiled, Jumped, Yelped, Shrieked, Stammered.

Note: everyone is entitled to their own opinion. No I am NOT telling people to abandon said and use these. Yes I understand that said is often good enough, but sometimes you WANT to draw attention to how the character is speaking. If you think adding an action/movement to your dialogue is 'good enough' hate to break it to you but that ruins immersion much more than a casual 'mumbled'. And for the last time: this is just a resource list, CALM DOWN. Hope that covers all the annoyingly redundant replies :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

"it's all in the eyes i was once told"

catching the stare of someone across a crowded room

subtle furrowing of eyebrows beyond a blank facade

coldness easing into warmth

a fond mothering gaze

corner of the lip nudged upward

forced glower/glare as they break underneath

batting their lashes, playful

a boisterous laugh

intrigue piercing the stoic

proud smugness at the other's success

lingering glances

a childish joy bursting through

pupils dilate

eyelids shut in a look of peace, calm and trust

look of longing/betrayal

"there was once a time when they were mine"

terseness

features fold into a scowl

an urgent flinching back

coldness returns (as though the warmth had never come)

lips part then purse

invasion of shock

slow stare at the floor

the ripple effect of a swallow

frustrated breath/sigh

bitter laugh in reminiscence

dread tearing through the seams of their composure

look of hatred

"darkness"

mean smirk- teeth bared grimace- scowl

dismissive gaze

gaze of contempt/impatience

threat lowering the voice

sardonic goading grins verging on manic

rolling one's eyes

flicker of irritation in the eyes

stares stubbornly ahead despite distraction

gritted teeth, clenched jaw

fierce biting remarks

even measured complexions betraying no thought

strangling oneself back from violence

utter apathy

murderous silence hanging in the stare

snobbish laughter

Sight

harsh fluorescent lights casting sterile shadows

soft morning light filtering through blinds

pale walls

white sheets

more than one hospital bed

the aged white of medical equipment

monitors blinking

IV bags hanging

a clipboard at the foot of the bed

a wilted flower in a plastic vase

the differently coloured door of the bathroom

a tiny TV mounted on the wall

Hearing

beeping machines

footsteps echoing in the hallway

labored breathing or snoring from the person in one of the beds

whispered conversations

the rustle of sheets

a nurse's shoes squeaking

the TV running in the background

the sound of the hospital bed as it is raised or lowered

Touch

crisp sheets

cold metal bed rails

sticky adhesive from medical tape

uncomfortable feeling of an IV stuck in the back of the hand

a chill in the air

warmth from a hand held in comfort

pain, numbness, or the comforting weight of a blanket

coldness of a glass of water on their lips

Smell

disinfectant

rubbing alcohol

latex gloves

sweat

smell of sickness

stale air

the faint scent of flowers or food brought in by visitors

Taste

metallic taste from medication

bad taste in their mouth if they can't brush their teeth easily

dry mouth from anxiety or dehydration

bland hospital food

the sweetness of a visitor's offering

More: How to create an atmosphere

When someone is...

Sad

Face/Body:

Avoidant/reduced eye contact

Drooping eyelids

Downcast eyes

Frowning

Raised inner ends of eyebrows

Dropped or furrowed eyebrows

Quivering lip/biting lip

Wrinkled nose

Voice:

Soft pitch

Low lone

Pauses/hesitant speech

Quiet/breathy

Slow speech

Voice cracks/breaking voice

Gestures/Posture:

Slouching/lowered head

Rigid/tense posture

Half formed/slow movement

Fidgeting or clasped hands

Sniffing or heavy swallows

New Part: 10 Lethal Injury Ideas

If you need a simple way to make your characters feel pain, here are some ideas: 

1. Sprained Ankle

A common injury that can severely limit mobility. This is useful because your characters will have to experience a mild struggle and adapt their plans to their new lack of mobiliy. Perfect to add tension to a chase scene.

2. Rib Contusion

A painful bruise on the ribs can make breathing difficult, helping you sneak in those ragged wheezes during a fight scene. Could also be used for something sport-related! It's impactful enough to leave a lingering pain but not enough to hinder their overall movement.

3. Concussions

This common brain injury can lead to confusion, dizziness, and mood swings, affecting a character’s judgment heavily. It can also cause mild amnesia.

I enjoy using concussions when you need another character to subtly take over the fight/scene, it's an easy way to switch POVs. You could also use it if you need a 'cute' recovery moment with A and B.

4. Fractured Finger

A broken finger can complicate tasks that require fine motor skills. This would be perfect for characters like artists, writers, etc. Or, a fighter who brushes it off as nothing till they try to throw a punch and are hit with pain.

5. Road Rash

Road rash is an abrasion caused by friction. Aka scraping skin. The raw, painful sting resulting from a fall can be a quick but effective way to add pain to your writing. Tip: it's great if you need a mild injury for a child.

6. Shoulder Dislocation

This injury can be excruciating and often leads to an inability to use one arm, forcing characters to confront their limitations while adding urgency to their situation. Good for torture scenes.

7. Deep Laceration

A deep laceration is a cut that requires stitches. As someone who got stitches as a kid, they really aren't that bad! A 2-3 inch wound (in length) provides just enough pain and blood to add that dramatic flair to your writing while not severely deterring your character.

This is also a great wound to look back on since it often scars. Note: the deeper and wider the cut the worse your character's condition. Don't give them a 5 inch deep gash and call that mild.

8. Burns

Whether from fire, chemicals, or hot surfaces, burns can cause intense suffering and lingering trauma. Like the previous injury, the lasting physical and emotional trauma of a burn is a great wound for characters to look back on.

If you want to explore writing burns, read here.

9. Pulled Muscle

This can create ongoing pain and restrict movement, offering a window to force your character to lean on another. Note: I personally use muscle related injuries when I want to focus more on the pain and sprains to focus on a lack of mobility.

10. Tendonitis

Inflammation of a tendon can cause chronic pain and limit a character's ability to perform tasks they usually take for granted. When exploring tendonitis make sure you research well as this can easily turn into a more severe injury.

This is a quick, brief list of ideas to provide writers inspiration. Since it is a shorter blog, I have not covered the injuries in detail. This is inspiration, not a thorough guide. Happy writing! :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

Part IX

How to show being delighted

bright, sparkling eyes

smiling or grinning broadly

light, bouncy steps or movements

clapping hands or small, excited gestures

warm blush or flushed cheeks

soft, happy sighs or laughter

jumping up or small hops

eyes crinkling at the corners

open mouth, slightly parted in surprise or joy

leaning forward eagerly

staring at whatever delights them

spinning in a circle

How to show dread

rapid, shallow breathing or sudden gasps

sweaty palms or clammy skin

trembling hands or body

tightened jaw or grinding teeth

furrowed brows, tense forehead

wide, darting eyes or a fixed, unblinking stare

clenched fists or nails digging into skin

stiff, frozen posture or tense muscles ready to react

dry mouth or difficulty swallowing

sudden chills or shivers

heart pounding visibly or audibly (e.g., pounding in ears)

fidgeting or restless movements, pacing

nausea or tightness in the stomach

avoiding eye contact or looking away anxiously

voice trembling or catching in throat if speaking

How to show serenity

slow, deep breathing

soft, gentle smile or neutral, peaceful facial expression

softly gazing

smooth, unhurried movements

hands resting calmly, loosely folded or open palms

even heartbeat/pulse

slight tilt of the head, indicating calm attentiveness

relaxed jaw, no clenching or grinding

steady, balanced posture with relaxed shoulders

soft sigh or contented breath out

minimal fidgeting or twitching

How to show being alarmed

widened eyes

raised eyebrows

dilated pupils

quickened or shallow breathing

heart pounding or racing

trembling or shaking hands

stiffened posture or frozen still

sweating or cold sweat

sudden intake of breath or gasping

paleness or flushed face

lips pressed tightly or quivering

clenched jaw or fists

neck hairs standing on end

fidgeting or restless movements, pacing

mouth slightly open or dry mouth

rapid head movements, scanning surroundings

jumping or flinching suddenly

tightened throat or throat clearing

More: How to write emotions Masterpost

Physical Quirks ❖ Cracks their knuckles when thinking. ❖ Tilts their head too far when listening, like a curious bird. ❖ Always rolls up their sleeves; even when it’s freezing. ❖ Bites the inside of their cheek instead of nails. ❖ Writes with their non-dominant hand for notes/doodles. ❖ Compulsively counts stairs, tiles, or ceiling beams. ❖ Uses hand gestures way too big for the conversation. ❖ Stares just past someone’s shoulder instead of at their face. ❖ Always needs to fiddle with coins, rings, or a pen cap.

Speech/Language Quirks ❖ Uses outdated slang like it never went out of style. ❖ Slips into another language for swears or exclamations. ❖ Repeats the last word of someone else’s sentence under their breath. ❖ Adds a little whistle or hum between phrases. ❖ Ends most sentences as questions, even when they’re not. ❖ Misquotes famous sayings but insists they’re right. ❖ Can’t resist giving everything and everyone a nickname. ❖ Stutters only on words starting with the same letter as their name.

Behavioral Quirks ❖ Always chooses the same seat in any room. ❖ Eats one food at a time, in strict order, never mixing. ❖ Picks up random objects (salt shakers, paperclips) and rearranges them neatly. ❖ Never steps on cracks, lines, or patterned tiles. ❖ Hoards receipts, tickets, or fortunes from cookies. ❖ Stares at light bulbs until their eyes water. ❖ Reads the last page of a book first. ❖ Never finishes a drink—always leaves the last sip.

Psychological/Emotional Quirks ❖ Laughs during tense or uncomfortable silences. ❖ Refuses to say “goodbye”—always changes it to “see you.” ❖ Finds comfort in exact routines (same breakfast, same route). ❖ Talks to inanimate objects as though they’ll answer. ❖ Gets unreasonably angry at minor inconveniences (a pen running out, a sock slipping). ❖ Collects bizarre little “lucky” items like bottle caps or broken charms. ❖ Panics if they don’t have something in their hands. ❖ Over-apologizes, even when clearly not at fault.

✧ Broken ribs suck. You don’t just “walk it off.” Breathing hurts. Laughing hurts. Existing hurts. Characters with rib injuries won’t be doing heroic sprints.

✧ Concussions aren’t instant naps. Dazed vision, nausea, dizziness, maybe even personality changes, but they’re not going to collapse neatly like in the movies.

✧ Blood loss is sneaky. It’s not just about dramatic pools of blood. It’s dizziness, confusion, and the body getting cold as circulation tanks.

✧ Adrenaline lies. Someone can take a serious injury and not feel it until the fight’s over. That “I didn’t realize I was bleeding until later” trope? Very real.

✧ Twisted ankles are brutal. One bad step and suddenly running is off the table. Even walking hurts like hell. Perfect way to ground a chase scene.

✧ Burns linger. Even small burns hurt more than most people expect. Blisters, infection risk, constant pain, it’s not just a cool scar later.

✧ Dislocated shoulders = useless arm. Characters can’t keep swinging a sword or firing a gun. They’re basically fighting one-armed until it’s fixed.

✧ Shock is a thing. Pale skin, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and eventually disorientation. A character might not even realize how bad their wound is.

✧ Stitches aren’t magic. Getting sewn up is painful and recovery takes time. They’re not instantly battle-ready after a needle and thread.

☽ People hum or whistle without realizing. Half the time it’s the same tune on loop until someone else points it out.

☽ Nervous habits aren’t always obvious. Some tap their foot, others pick at labels, twist jewelry, or re-check their phone screen that hasn’t lit up.

☽ Everyone mispronounces a word. Even smart characters have at least one word they’ve been saying wrong their whole life.

☽ Sleep habits are personal. Some sprawl like starfish, some curl into tiny balls, some talk, kick, or even laugh in their sleep.

☽ Food quirks add personality. Characters might hate crusts, eat fries before the burger, or insist on separating all the M&Ms by color.

☽ People zone out mid-conversation. Not out of rudeness, sometimes their brain just… drifts. A perfect chance to show inner thoughts sneaking in.

☽ Signature laughs are a thing. Snorts, wheezes, silent shakes, a laugh can tell you as much about a person as their dialogue.

☽ Everyone has a “comfort item.” A ratty hoodie, a chipped mug, an overplayed playlist, something small that makes them feel safe.

☽ Body memory is real. Someone might instinctively check their pocket for keys, tug their sleeves down, or crack knuckles without thinking.

༒ that awkward shuffle before the first punch, where both fighters are waiting for the other to move first, and it looks like bad dancing.

༒ the first hit hurts both of them... knuckles split, ribs bruise, and nobody looks cool.

༒ someone tries to say a badass line mid-swing and it comes out as a grunt. intimidation ruined.

༒ the sting of sweat in your eyes when you least need it.

༒ missing a punch so badly you almost knock yourself off balance.

༒ that sharp gasp when someone actually connects with your nose. instant tears. instant rage.

༒ ugly sounds: wheezing, choking, gagging, a squeaky “oof.” it’s never cinematic.

༒ realizing halfway through that you’re more tired than you thought. your arms feel like bricks but the fight isn’t over.

༒ hair-pulling. shirt-grabbing. someone’s jacket becomes a chokehold tool.

༒ the raw panic when you hit harder than you meant to and wonder if you went too far.

༒ improvised weapons: a broken bottle, a rock, a chair, hell, even a shoe. survival invents fast.

༒ someone slips on gravel or their own blood. comedy in the middle of chaos.

༒ headbutts hurt both people.

༒ that terrifying half-second of silence when someone doesn’t get back up right away.

༒ biting. spitting. scratching. fights are dirtier than anyone admits.

༒ the crowd (if there is one) gasping louder than the fighters themselves.

༒ your lungs burn, your hands shake, and you realize adrenaline tastes like metal in your mouth.

༒ punches that land on bone make an awful sound, dull, wet, final.

༒ the aftermath: shaking so hard you can’t light a cigarette, tie your shoes, or even text straight.

༒ bruises blooming in real time, like ugly little flowers.

✮ "Oh, now you care? Where was that when I actually needed you?"

✮ "Don’t you dare act like the victim, you lit the match."

✮ "If you think I’m going to forgive you just because you’re sorry, you’re dumber than I thought."

✮ "You don’t love me. You love the version of me that didn’t talk back."

✮ "Every apology from you feels like a bandage on a bullet wound."

✮ "Do you even hear yourself, or do you just love the sound of your own excuses?"

✮ "I gave you everything, and you gave me nothing but regrets."

✮ "Don’t pretend this didn’t break me. You broke me."

✮ "You only want me now because you can’t stand losing."

✮ "Stop acting like the hero. You’re the reason I needed saving."

✮ "You don’t get to walk away clean. Not this time."

✮ "All your promises turned to ash the second things got hard."

✮ "You wanted the truth? You’re a coward, and I hate you for it."

✮ "You left me in the dark and still expect me to thank you for the light."

✮ "I’m not your second chance. I’m not your anything anymore."

✮ "You’ll never know the damage you’ve done, because you never cared to look."

✮ "You always come back when it’s convenient. I’m done being convenient."

✮ "You don’t get to miss me. You chose to lose me."