270+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing

Dialogue is one of the most powerful ways to introduce your characters and bring them to life for readers. When done well, it reveals personality, relationships, and motivations—all in a way that feels natural and engaging. Here are a few techniques to make character introductions through dialogue memorable, with examples from authors I’ve worked with.

Show Personality Through Speech Patterns

The way a character speaks—their tone, choice of words, and rhythm—can reveal a lot about who they are. In Losing Juliet by June Taylor, the dialogue between two adult female characters is a perfect example. One character is guarded and precise, while the other’s tone is more casual and assertive. This contrast instantly tells us about their personalities and sets up their complex dynamic. When editing, I often help authors create unique speech patterns that make each character’s voice distinctive.

Reflect Relationships Through Dialogue

How characters speak to each other reveals their relationship dynamics. In Losing Juliet, Taylor uses subtle hints in the dialogue to convey past secrets and tension without spelling it all out. Readers sense the history and conflict between the characters, making the dialogue feel rich and layered. When I work with authors, I encourage exploring these nuances in relationships, showing rather than telling.

Reveal Motivation Through Subtext

Great dialogue often goes beyond what’s explicitly said. In The Hanged Man Rises by Sarah Naughton, the children’s dialogue is filled with innocence and curiosity, yet it often hints at deeper fears and uncertainties. This subtle layer adds intrigue without needing direct exposition. I frequently work with authors to find opportunities for subtext, letting readers read between the lines to discover characters’ hidden motivations.

Show Conflict and Tension

Conflict in dialogue can reveal a character’s core traits. In The Hanged Man Rises, Naughton’s children’s dialogue shows both their vulnerability and resilience, heightening the story’s suspense. In Losing Juliet, conversations between the protagonists highlight simmering anger and unresolved issues, offering readers a glimpse of what drives each character. When editing, I encourage authors to think about how characters might speak differently under pressure—revealing who they are when emotions run high.

Balance Dialogue with Actions and Reactions

Dialogue is most impactful when paired with physical cues. In Losing Juliet, Taylor often uses gestures and subtle actions to deepen the impact of what’s said (or left unsaid). These small cues add depth, creating a more immersive experience. I often advise authors to integrate these details, as they can make dialogue feel more real and relatable.

Reflect Character Growth in Speech

As characters evolve, so should their dialogue. In The Hanged Man Rises, Naughton’s young characters’ dialogue changes as they face challenges, reflecting their growth over the course of the story. This shift makes their journey feel authentic, and I often encourage authors to consider these changes as they develop characters’ arcs.

My favourite from my writing has been "etiolated." It's a word that describes a seedling starved of sunlight - thin and pale and reaching up. It contains a lot of layers of imagery which were useful for describing a character at their lowest point.

As an editor and a writer, the physical items I’ve carried with me have changed over the years. Back when I was a 90s teen, I always had a small notebook and pen in my car, purse, or backpack to jot down lines. I also almost always carried a physical book with me—what I was reading in school or for fun at home. Whether it was Great Expectations or The Mirror of Her Dreams, a book on the go filled the void and loneliness of the pauses in my teen life. The book I carried with me also gave me joy and energized me to do my own writing later when I was at home alone, listening to Spin Doctors or Jewel on my clunky CD-tape player.

Nowadays, a smartphone can do a lot for you and me if we let it. The Notes app on iPhones or other writing apps on Androids are great for taking down any poetic lines or other plot aha moments you might have while out with friends or coworkers or running around town getting errands done. As a mom, I often have to wait for my kids to get out of school or classes, so I read a book I’ve downloaded or an article on Substack on my phone to pass the time. (I also just scroll endlessly sometimes. Both things are totally fine!) The same can be done if you’re working nine-to-five and biding your time for a meeting to start.

If inspiration strikes, jot down what you’re thinking to get it out of your head before the bell rings or the meeting starts and life revs up again, the precious idea lost to cleaning out lunchboxes or putting out fires at your job.

If you’re having trouble using your phone as a writer’s tool, delete all your social media apps for a week, and see if it goes better. Do you find yourself writing more and scrolling less? Did you already try that and it not work? Then try to follow more writers on social media for inspiration. Even seeing writers’ day-to-day lives can be inspiring. What did they do yesterday? What shoes did they just buy? Sometimes even little things can motivate you to be in writer-mode.

Also, snacks. Never forget the snacks.

Write it anway!

The market for books is huge and each writer's voice is unique. You will have a different way of presenting the informaiton or telling the story, even if it's similar to someone else's.