Punctuating Dialogue

Punctuating dialogue in your novel is actually very simple. I'm sure you are already familiar with at least some (if not all) of the "rules" listed below, but it is worthwhile refreshing your memory.

There is nothing worse than great dialogue ruined by poor punctuation.

1. Keep Punctuation Inside the Quotation Marks

Like this: "Hello," said John. "How are you?"

Not this: "Hello", said John. "How are you"?

2. Start a New Paragraph for a New Speaker

Why? Because it makes life so much easier for the readers of your novel(and doing that is the whole purpose of punctuating dialogue well and laying it out correctly).

Starting a new paragraph whenever the speaker changes looks like this:

"Hello," said John. "How are you?"
   "Can't complain," said Eleanor. "Well, I could, but nobody listens to a word I say."
   "I'm just on my way to the coffee shop. Want to join me?"
   "I'd love to, John, but I'm already running late."

The same thing applies even if one of the characters doesn't speak:

"Hello," said John. "How are you?"
   "Can't complain," said Eleanor. "Well, I could, but nobody listens to a word I say."
   "I'm just on my way to the coffee shop. Want to join me?"
   "I'd love to, John, but I'm already running late."
   John smiled. He couldn't stand Eleanor, and he was certain she hated him. But with John's brother being engaged to Eleanor's best friend, they at least had to pretend.
   "How about next time?"
   "Looking forward to it already," said John.

Keep reading for more on punctuating dialogue in fiction, including advice on how to punctuate a long speech and whether to use single or double quotation marks...