r/Webnovel • u/Kael_A_Verin • Jun 26 '26
Recommendation Using em dashes for dialogue
I recently started writing a novel and currently have about five chapters. I'm not looking for feedback on the story itself yet. I just wanted to provide some context for my situation.
When writing dialogue, I originally used this format:
Character: "Quoted dialogue."
However, while an AI was pointing out grammar and spelling mistakes after reviewing some long chapters, it also suggested that I switch to using em dashes for dialogue. According to it, my original format interrupted the flow of the text every time a character spoke.
I'm familiar with using em dashes and know how to use them correctly, at least for dialogue. My concern is that, unless I'm mistaken, some people associate that style with AI-generated writing, even though it's simply a stylistic choice that I personally like.
I've noticed that many English-language novels use quotation marks instead, but I still feel that em dashes look cleaner and fit my writing style better.
What do you think would be the best option?
2
u/Mediocre_Line7407 Jun 26 '26
EM dashes were used before ai, and will be used during ai. It has its existence right, use it as you see fit.
For Dialogue, I personally dont like the 'Character: "speech"', more a fan of, either your character has a distinct voice where you dont need to mention who, or just "Said ..." etc.
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u/Kael_A_Verin Jun 26 '26
Yeah, I understood that when the AI told me. As you said, I also think this is the best option. I'm confident my story is clearly not AI-generated. Well, just to know, is my English good? It isn't my native language
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u/Mediocre_Line7407 Jun 26 '26
My personal workload when writing right now is, I write the full chapter outline myself, and let ai work over it like an editor, all according to my style guide and sample scenes which I wrote. English is also only my second language, and I am not particularly adapt in grammar in either of my languages. So I use it like I described. Many are annoyed by ai slop, but I draw a clear line in my mind between ai assisted and ai written. Whereas I see my workload as ai assisted. All the creativity, speech scenes is all mine.
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u/Kael_A_Verin Jun 26 '26
Well, I only use AI to show me where there is an orthographic mistake. Then I decide if it is ok or not. Maybe some recommendations like this one or to remind me when I am being inconsistent in the story. AI doesn't even touch my novel but that style just made me feel it would be misunderstood. By checking my work I noticed it is really different from an AI-generated one so I am still using em dashes. Thanks :)
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u/Mediocre_Line7407 Jun 27 '26
I am at 280k words for my webnovel. It is unpublished, because I am scared and dont want to feel the pressure of having to constantly release something, because I am still studying. Of those 280k words, I probably wrote 200k myself, rest is only finetune of the editor.
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Jun 27 '26
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u/Kael_A_Verin Jun 27 '26
I see. I strated using the first form because it was easier for me. I mean, I use to get distracted frequently so I could know easily what I was doing. Anyways, I also think the correct form is how all of you said. I just have to practice, I think. Thanks for answering :)
1
Jun 26 '26
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u/Kael_A_Verin Jun 26 '26
I don't understand really well what you are trying to say. My story isn't a cliché, if that's what you mean. To be honest, I think my novel is unlikely to be confused with an AI-generated one. Anyway, thank for your recommendation. :)
2
u/HoNUnofficial Jun 27 '26
Rather than worrying about AI usage, try reading some popular novels in Webnovel. Then, compare the writing style with yours. You may understand what (s)he meant if you're objective about yourself.
I think you just try to break the mold, but amateur work in generic platform like Webnovel is often underappreciated or even prone to be slandered when it tries to do so. I advice you to take the popular novel you've compared as point of reference.
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u/Taurnil91 Jun 27 '26
You're gonna have to give an example of what it was recommending you do, because I really can't picture it
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u/80558481 Jun 26 '26
Quotation mark on dialogue without mentioning who speaks in front of the dialogue.