When To Use Periods At the end of a Dialouge

[Esaul]

I know how to use , with quotations, i just get confused where.

i.e. "Do as I told you."

I know that would not need a comma since it had nothing after it.

"Do as I told you," his mother said.

I know that is right.

"Do as I told you." His mother walked over to her.

Is that right or is this?:

"Do as I told you," his mother walked over to her.

[zerobytes]

This might help:

http://www.mcrw.com/lovenotes/dialoguedemo.htm

[TWErvin2]

Give this article a try: Dialogue Basics (http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/dialoguebasics.html)

Terry

[mammamaia]

"Do as I told you." His mother walked over to her.

Is that right or is this?:

"Do as I told you," his mother walked over to her.


...first is right... second is wrong, because 'his mother etc....' is not a dialog tag and has no business being tacked onto the line of dialog... the mother didn't 'walk' the line of speech, did she?...

...all you have to do to learn how to write dialog properly, is read/study books/stories by the best writers... then, do it the way they do...

...but you should still keep a copy of the writer's bible handy... strunk and white's 4 ed. is a must for all writers... add a good punctuation guide, and you'll be all set...

love and hugs, maia