Thank you so much, this really helps!
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Thanks for the tips, this thread has been very helpful!
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Nope absolutely not a problem @Norwood515 As I said not an expert and I know that other know the rules as well or better than I.
Excellent use of examples!
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I used to do this a lot, but as you said it only works with two characters, otherwise things get confusing. A writer friend of mine said I got to the point of overusing this method, and if there is a pause in the action and the same character picks up the dialogue it can prove confusing.
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Oh gosh you guys! I had been planning on giving the initial posts some time and then asking if anyone wanted to work shop their dialogue pieces. It seems to have evolved that way naturally!
WOOTS!
Carry on and let’s keep the dialogue rolling!
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Hello! Bumping this thread so as to wake it back up again!
I know there are more people out there who might find this useful to them!
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Bumpity bump!
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Hello! Is this place open for business?
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HEH… I like to bump this each time I refer it to someone. 
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Oh, I see.
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But if you have dialogue you wish to workshop or have a specific question about dialogue you’ve definitely come to the right place!
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Hi again! I’ve been working on some Beta work and something that just occurred to me that might help solidify when to use a comma and when to use a period in dialogue!
EPIPHANY
Here we go.
If the action being taken has bearing on HOW the dialogue is delivered (IE What emotion is supposed to be carried by the words) use a comma.
EXAMPLE:
Angry for the subterfuge, she huffed, “Stop playing games and tell me what I want to know!”
Huffed implies frustration coming out in the words and therefore a comma should be used!
Now if the action DOESN’T have bearing on the emotion (the HOW) of the dialogue’s delivery then a period should be used.
EXAMPLE:
He threw up his hands as if that would ward off the charging horse. The rider pulled up just shy of running him over, and he glared through the thinning dust. “Hey moron! Watch where you’re riding!”
I hope this helps people clarify. I’ve understood this, but until now didn’t have a good way of EXPLAINING it. My brain… I tell you!
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Another bump for those who may just be finding Wacky! Hope it helps!
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thank you for this thread, it is a life saver XD
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Glad to hear you find it useful!
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One of the things I struggle with in dialogue is “titles” for people. In my story, there are mobsters and I get confused when people refer to their bosses or someone with a special alternate title. Like:
“Here ya go, boss.” Or is it: “Here ya go, Boss.”
And so one of the two main characters is the current boss of the family and inherited the role from the former boss who passed away. But they still reference the former boss, and because it gets confusing which “boss” I’m talking about, the underlings will refer to them by their names too. So it’d be:
“Things haven’t been the same since Boss Blaze passed.” Is that correct?
Then the alternate titles like:
“Atro’s Grand Champion went out for a smoke.” Or is it: “Atro’s grand champion went out for a smoke.”
This is the first draft that I’m writing, so I’m trying not to think too hard, and just focus on the writing. I do tend to edit here and there, but I’m trying not to linger or else I won’t write haha but this still bugs me. If anyone has any thoughts, it’d help me out. 
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I’ll be honest, there are so many capitalization rules and some of them conflict, so I’m going to defer to some references for this one:
This reference talks specifically about job titles.
Let me see if I can find something on Boss specifically.
Here go:
We talked about capitalizing names. But, what if you call someone doctor , doc , chief or boss ? Something along those lines, but you are not referring to them as just a doctor, or a chief or a boss,—maybe they aren’t any of those things—that’s just how you address them. Well, then they need a capital, such as: “How are you today, Boss ?”
This is from AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH CAPITALIZATION
Which is what I was leaning towards, because it is taking the place of a specific person. But I didn’t want to put my foot in my mouth on it.
I do have a doctor who gets called Doc a lot instead of Doctor Martin… and that’s the way I’ve been handling it.
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That is super helpful! I was capitalizing at first and then I started second guessing myself and stop doing it. Now I need to go back and make corrections. 
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Glad I could find us both some clarification on the matter! 
Sorry it’s given you more work. Such is the life of a writer, yeah?
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Hello there all a bit of a bump for people who’d like help or suggestions on their dialogue writing.
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