(Hey nonny! I think #2, 3 and 5 are what you’re thinking of specifically, but I wrote up a full guide so as not to confuse anyone.)

When and where to make a new paragraph, specifically in regards to dialogue.

1. Make a new paragraph if a brand new character speaks. 

You always, always do this. A simple example of this looks like:

“I’m saying something now!” Vasha glared at Dhargey.

She scoffed. “Yeah. I can tell.” 

What happens when there’s more going on here then dialogue and simple tags though? The general rule of thumb is to include the actions, thoughts, descriptions, etc, in the paragraph with the dialogue of the character who’s the subject of those sentences. Example:

“I’m saying something now!” Vasha glared at Dhargey. Damn, she could be such a pain sometimes. He tightened his grip around the armrest, turning his gaze to the front of the tent as the flap stirred. When no one entered, he looked back at her.

She scoffed. “Yeah. I can tell.”   

If actions, thoughts, descriptions, etc, from one character appear in between those of another character it’s advised (though not required) to either create a new paragraph for them or restructure them to make the first character the subject.

Example A:

“I’m saying something now!” Vasha glared at Dhargey. He turned his gaze to the front of the tent as the flap stirred. 

Dhargey tapped her fingers against the wood, before she slamming her hand onto the table in front of him.

Vasha looked back at her.

She scoffed. “Yeah. I can tell.”  

Example B:

“I’m saying something now!” Vasha glared at Dhargey. He turned his gaze to the front of the tent as the flap stirred.The tapping of Dhargey’s fingers against wood made him flinch. She slammed her hand onto the table in front of him, and he looked back at her. “What?!”

She scoffed. “Yeah. I can tell you’re saying something all right.”  

2. You can make one (or more) new paragraphs if the same character speaks two (or more) pieces of dialogue in a row, and it’s a long amount of text, and there’s a change a topic between these two parts of their dialogue.

Whenever you have the same character speak in two consecutive paragraphs, I highly recommend putting a dialogue tag in the second one, because if you’ve been alternating between different characters speaking (taking one new paragraph for each), and then suddenly give a single character two paragraphs it might confuse speedy readers. 

Example:

“I’m saying something now!” Vasha glared at Dhargey. Damn, she could be such a pain sometimes. He tightened his grip around the armrest, turning his gaze to the front of the tent as the flap stirred.

The tapping of Dhargey’s fingers against the wood made him flinch. At the slam of her hand onto the table in front of him, and he looked back at her. “What?!” He shouted.

* Note that in this particular case you could have also made a new paragraph for the “What?!” He shouted but it wasn’t absolutely necessary because the sentences about her still have Vasha as their subject. 

3. Make a new paragraph if the same character speaks, but their dialogue is “too long” to fit into one paragraph.

Honestly, what constitutes as “too long” is up to you (or your editor.) In this case though, you always, always leave the quotation off the end of the first paragraph’s dialogue to let people know it’s the same character just talking their chatty heart out.

Vasha glared at Dhargey. “I’m saying something now! I’ve been saying something for a very long time, but you haven’t been listening. I’m practically monologue here. And I’m just going to keep saying all these things for *blah blah blah blah blah for ten more sentences* and keep saying and saying them again.

“And another thing! I think saying things is a great way to talk. So are sign languages. Not writing though. Don’t write things kids. Writing things is just a terrible horrible *blah blah blah* way so don’t do it.” He finished with a huff, crossing his arms.

4. Make a new paragraph if two characters have been interacting without dialogue and then one of them speaks. 

Vasha and Dhargey glared at each other. She snatched up the plate and threw it at him. Catching it, he turned it in the air and slammed it on the table. It shattered into a million pieces.

“I’m saying something,” Vasha snapped. “Right now.”

5. Don’t make a new paragraph if the same character speaks two (or more) pieces of dialogue but the space between the parts of their dialogue contains only speech tags, actions, or thoughts in which the character is the subject (granted there’s no topic changes or extra long amounts of text).

“I’m saying something now!” Vasha glared at Dhargey. “I’ve been saying something for a very long time.” His chest caught and he dropped his scowl to the floor. “I’ve been practically monologue here, but you never listen. You never care.” 

6. Bonus: Don’t include the action of the character who speaks second at the end of the paragraph of the character who speaks first! (Or vice versa.)

At best it’s annoying yet forgivable, but at worst, the reader has no idea who is saying which pieces of dialogue and ends up very confused and angry:

“This is a thing that one of us says!” Vasha and Dhargey glared at each other. She tapped her fingers. 

“I sure is.”

If that was a lot, the key things to remember are:

Each character gets their own paragraph to hold their own dialogue, actions, and thoughts. 

This is generally a single paragraph. 

But if there’s too much to fit into a single paragraph or the topic changes drastically, make a new paragraph.

If characters are exchanging actions within a paragraph and then speak afterward, give the dialogue a new paragraph.

Any time it’s not obvious who’s speaking, throw in a dialogue tag.

Some cases won’t fit neatly into any “rule” and you just have to use your best judgement.