Typos

The most common typos that come up in proof edits involve dialogue punctuation between dialogue tags, action beats and descriptions. I’ve gathered this list as I’ve been doing more and more writing and using the rule to never let an uninterrupted monologue run for too long.

1. ⁠”Dialogue starts,” he said, “and then the dialogue ends.”
2. ⁠”Dialogue starts,” she said, doing something. “Dialogue ends.”
3. “Dialogue starts,” she said. A description. “Dialogue ends.”
4. “Dialogue.” Her description.
5. “Dialogue starts.” She performs an action. “Dialogue ends.”
6. “Dialogue starts,” she said. Then, “Dialogue ends.”
7. ⁠He performs an action. “Dialogue starts.”

8. ⁠”Dialogue?” he asked.
9. ⁠”Dialogue!” he said.

10. ⁠He said, “Dialogue.”
11. ⁠He said, “Dialogue.” He performs an action. “Dialogue ends.”

12. “Dialogue starts”—he interrupts with an action—“dialogue ends.”
13.“Dialogue is interr—” he said.
14. “Dialogue trails off . . .” he said.
15. “Dialogue that trails off but asks a question…?”

16. ⁠”Dialogue contains ‘subdialogue.'”
17. ⁠He does an action, saying “dialogue.”
18. ⁠He said some dialogue.
19. Oh. “Dialogue.”

20. “Dialogue,” she said.
⁠”Dialogue,” he said.
“Her dialogue.”
“His dialogue.”
She performs action.
“Dialogue,” he said.

21. ⁠”Dialogue starts,” he said, “the dialogue continues.” He does an action. “Dialogue ends.”

22. “Dialogue starts,” he said, doing something, “the dialogue continues.” A description. “Dialogue continues.” He does another action. “Dialogue ends.”