Question about dialogue (breaking paragraphs between speakers)?

Question

Is it necessary to break to a new paragraph whenever somebody speaks? Can somebody speak at multiple different points in one paragraph, or can two people speak in one paragraph?

I ask this because, as an English major, I get exposed to many different writings, modern and not-so-modern. This exposure is affecting my writing, where I might have two people speak in the same paragraph (only where I feel it fits). I've been told before, on Answers and by other students, that this occasional clumping of dialogue is not correct. Again, I only do this in moderation, and though I have grown very adapted to this in my reading and writing, I'm not sure if it works with everybody - especially the more "modern" audiences.

Have you ever come across a work that includes multiple instances of dialogue in one paragraph, and does that seem wrong to you? Should I be concerned about this in my writing?

Answer 1

The modern convention, currently in use, is to attribute one speaker per paragraph. The reason (well, one of them anyway) is to try to minimize speaker attributions -- i.e. John said -- to allow the focus to remain on the content of the dialogue rather than keeping track of which character is speaking.



Multiple speakers in a paragraph usually occurs in older pieces of writing, and it largely comes down to changes in writing conventions over the years. Speaker attributions and more straightforward prose tended to be favored even as recently as fourty years ago, whereas today authors are expected to fade into the background, meaning keeping attributions to a minimum and showing rather than telling (this has always been true, but now more than ever).



To sum: Stylistically, it's a big booboo and an editor going over your work would point it out immediately. Gramatically, there's nothing wrong with it, but breaking it up does help keep dialogue clean and flowing without having to go back and scan the paragraph for an attribution to figure out who's talking.

Answer 2

So far as I know dialog from different speakers should be broken up. You shouldn't have two different people speak in the same paragraph.



You can however have the same person speak more than once in the same paragraph.



there are some exceptions I think though (I'm no expert on this stuff, but I read a lot so I'm speaking from what I've seen from experience). If the narrator is explaining that someone said something it can be in the same paragraph.



The biggest issue when were talking about creative writing (where some rules can be broken) is clarity. Make sure the reader will be able to understand who is talking. And don't put too much dialog together. You want to break it up to make it easier to read.

Answer 3

Different Paragraphs

Answer 4

Honestly, I find it more understandable to keep different speakers separate. It induces clarity. However, if the paragraph is pertaining to the person who is speaking, it is perfectly fine to have them speak multiple times throughout(until the subject changes or there needs to be a break in the section).



It makes no sense to have someone speak while the narrations pertain to another person.

Example: "I told her to just leave the girl alone," said Margret. Fredrick's brows knitted. "Of course," continued Margret, "she didn't listen."



See, it gives the audience the impression that Fredrick is about to speak. It's much easier to keep flow by doing this:

"I told her to just leave the girl alone," said Margret.

Fredrick's brows knitted.

"Of course," continued Margret, "she didn't listen."



Obviously I'm referring to a larger scale of dialogue and narrations. If the person is in the process of explaining something tedious(long), and you have to interrupt them to give action or voice to the other character, it's still a necessity to start a new paragraph.

:)

As I said, if the narrations pertain to the speaker, it's fine to have the dialogue tacked on.

Example: "I've never been to Dublin," he said. Henry had spent the early years of his life mopping floors in a unisex Catholic school. It hadn't occurred to him that there was a vast plane outside the rot iron gates of St. Louis High. "I don't often leave my house," he continued. "I guess I'm kind of an introvert."



~~ ††AnkhesenKheper††

Answer 5

In most cases different speakers require different paragraphs.

Now, you can have one speaker, some action, and the same speaker continue, in the same paragraph.



However, for the most part (always exceptions) each speaker gets their own.

It avoids confusion.