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Writing “hahaha” versus describing the laugh
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When posting an excerpt of my book on a critiquing site, someone commented on my use of "hahaha" inside the dialogue instead of just having a laughing verb after or before it. They said it took them out of the reading. Obviously, this is subjective, so rather I will ask this:
Which alternative is the most popular and professional? Which do you see the most in writing?
dialogue description
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
add a comment |
When posting an excerpt of my book on a critiquing site, someone commented on my use of "hahaha" inside the dialogue instead of just having a laughing verb after or before it. They said it took them out of the reading. Obviously, this is subjective, so rather I will ask this:
Which alternative is the most popular and professional? Which do you see the most in writing?
dialogue description
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
add a comment |
When posting an excerpt of my book on a critiquing site, someone commented on my use of "hahaha" inside the dialogue instead of just having a laughing verb after or before it. They said it took them out of the reading. Obviously, this is subjective, so rather I will ask this:
Which alternative is the most popular and professional? Which do you see the most in writing?
dialogue description
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
When posting an excerpt of my book on a critiquing site, someone commented on my use of "hahaha" inside the dialogue instead of just having a laughing verb after or before it. They said it took them out of the reading. Obviously, this is subjective, so rather I will ask this:
Which alternative is the most popular and professional? Which do you see the most in writing?
dialogue description
dialogue description
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
edited 5 hours ago
Cyn
21.7k146102
21.7k146102
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
asked 6 hours ago
A. KvåleA. Kvåle
684520
684520
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Dialogue quotes are for things a character actually says.
If your character says "hahaha" then fine. But I've never heard anyone do that. You might get a single "ha!" but that's an exclamation not a laugh. Or someone might say "ha ha" (or even "ha ha ha") sarcastically. Again, not a laugh.
If you want to tell your readers that your character laughed then, yeah, you need to just say so. If the laughing comes during the dialogue, you can use a laughing tag. Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic "said" or "asked" but you can get away with a few.
"It's...I can't even explain it," Griselda laughed.
Or you can describe the action directly.
Griselda laughed. "That's...just wow."
Using the phrase "hahaha" to indicate that someone is laughing is perfectly legitimate in texts, emails, and other informal settings. Don't use it in your writing.
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
add a comment |
+1 to Cyn, much my answer; use a tag. I can add, I use a single "Ha!" a handful of times in a book. You can also describe the laugh in more detail; Griselda laughed, and covered her mouth as she did for a few seconds. "Oh my god!" I would increase the visual of that, there must be twenty kinds of laughing.
To me this goes for all verbal sound effects; I find it off-putting in novels when an author tries to simulate the sound of screams, moaning (in pleasure or pain), singing, grunting, or inarticulate anger.
Use tags, or just say "Mike grunted." Or describe them, use a metaphor, or an adjective.
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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Dialogue quotes are for things a character actually says.
If your character says "hahaha" then fine. But I've never heard anyone do that. You might get a single "ha!" but that's an exclamation not a laugh. Or someone might say "ha ha" (or even "ha ha ha") sarcastically. Again, not a laugh.
If you want to tell your readers that your character laughed then, yeah, you need to just say so. If the laughing comes during the dialogue, you can use a laughing tag. Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic "said" or "asked" but you can get away with a few.
"It's...I can't even explain it," Griselda laughed.
Or you can describe the action directly.
Griselda laughed. "That's...just wow."
Using the phrase "hahaha" to indicate that someone is laughing is perfectly legitimate in texts, emails, and other informal settings. Don't use it in your writing.
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
add a comment |
Dialogue quotes are for things a character actually says.
If your character says "hahaha" then fine. But I've never heard anyone do that. You might get a single "ha!" but that's an exclamation not a laugh. Or someone might say "ha ha" (or even "ha ha ha") sarcastically. Again, not a laugh.
If you want to tell your readers that your character laughed then, yeah, you need to just say so. If the laughing comes during the dialogue, you can use a laughing tag. Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic "said" or "asked" but you can get away with a few.
"It's...I can't even explain it," Griselda laughed.
Or you can describe the action directly.
Griselda laughed. "That's...just wow."
Using the phrase "hahaha" to indicate that someone is laughing is perfectly legitimate in texts, emails, and other informal settings. Don't use it in your writing.
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
add a comment |
Dialogue quotes are for things a character actually says.
If your character says "hahaha" then fine. But I've never heard anyone do that. You might get a single "ha!" but that's an exclamation not a laugh. Or someone might say "ha ha" (or even "ha ha ha") sarcastically. Again, not a laugh.
If you want to tell your readers that your character laughed then, yeah, you need to just say so. If the laughing comes during the dialogue, you can use a laughing tag. Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic "said" or "asked" but you can get away with a few.
"It's...I can't even explain it," Griselda laughed.
Or you can describe the action directly.
Griselda laughed. "That's...just wow."
Using the phrase "hahaha" to indicate that someone is laughing is perfectly legitimate in texts, emails, and other informal settings. Don't use it in your writing.
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
Dialogue quotes are for things a character actually says.
If your character says "hahaha" then fine. But I've never heard anyone do that. You might get a single "ha!" but that's an exclamation not a laugh. Or someone might say "ha ha" (or even "ha ha ha") sarcastically. Again, not a laugh.
If you want to tell your readers that your character laughed then, yeah, you need to just say so. If the laughing comes during the dialogue, you can use a laughing tag. Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic "said" or "asked" but you can get away with a few.
"It's...I can't even explain it," Griselda laughed.
Or you can describe the action directly.
Griselda laughed. "That's...just wow."
Using the phrase "hahaha" to indicate that someone is laughing is perfectly legitimate in texts, emails, and other informal settings. Don't use it in your writing.
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
answered 5 hours ago
CynCyn
21.7k146102
21.7k146102
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
add a comment |
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
"Stylistically, many people recommend against using tags that aren't your basic 'said' or 'asked' but you can get away with a few." Really? I've always heard the opposite, that "'said' is too boring, use other words whenever possible, like exclaimed, announced, complained, shouted, explained, etc."
– Redwolf Programs
28 mins ago
add a comment |
+1 to Cyn, much my answer; use a tag. I can add, I use a single "Ha!" a handful of times in a book. You can also describe the laugh in more detail; Griselda laughed, and covered her mouth as she did for a few seconds. "Oh my god!" I would increase the visual of that, there must be twenty kinds of laughing.
To me this goes for all verbal sound effects; I find it off-putting in novels when an author tries to simulate the sound of screams, moaning (in pleasure or pain), singing, grunting, or inarticulate anger.
Use tags, or just say "Mike grunted." Or describe them, use a metaphor, or an adjective.
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
add a comment |
+1 to Cyn, much my answer; use a tag. I can add, I use a single "Ha!" a handful of times in a book. You can also describe the laugh in more detail; Griselda laughed, and covered her mouth as she did for a few seconds. "Oh my god!" I would increase the visual of that, there must be twenty kinds of laughing.
To me this goes for all verbal sound effects; I find it off-putting in novels when an author tries to simulate the sound of screams, moaning (in pleasure or pain), singing, grunting, or inarticulate anger.
Use tags, or just say "Mike grunted." Or describe them, use a metaphor, or an adjective.
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
add a comment |
+1 to Cyn, much my answer; use a tag. I can add, I use a single "Ha!" a handful of times in a book. You can also describe the laugh in more detail; Griselda laughed, and covered her mouth as she did for a few seconds. "Oh my god!" I would increase the visual of that, there must be twenty kinds of laughing.
To me this goes for all verbal sound effects; I find it off-putting in novels when an author tries to simulate the sound of screams, moaning (in pleasure or pain), singing, grunting, or inarticulate anger.
Use tags, or just say "Mike grunted." Or describe them, use a metaphor, or an adjective.
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
+1 to Cyn, much my answer; use a tag. I can add, I use a single "Ha!" a handful of times in a book. You can also describe the laugh in more detail; Griselda laughed, and covered her mouth as she did for a few seconds. "Oh my god!" I would increase the visual of that, there must be twenty kinds of laughing.
To me this goes for all verbal sound effects; I find it off-putting in novels when an author tries to simulate the sound of screams, moaning (in pleasure or pain), singing, grunting, or inarticulate anger.
Use tags, or just say "Mike grunted." Or describe them, use a metaphor, or an adjective.
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
answered 4 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
61.3k678195
61.3k678195
add a comment |
add a comment |
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