Conventional writing wisdom dictates we stick with 'said' for attributions. I don't know about you, but I get a little sick of 'said'.
Props to The Writer's Beat for a useful page which I stumbled upon recently, entitled '200 Words Instead of 'Said''. I borrowed the idea, rearranged them alphabetically, pruned a few that made no sense and replaced them with a few of my own so that we stick to the 200 number.
The highlights are mine - these are words I would definitely consider using instead of 'said'. Some of these may not be perfect as attributions, but work great as a set-up. For example, I probably wouldn't ever use 'yawned' as an attribution like this:
"What time is it?" Shelby yawned.
but I would consider this:
Shelby yawned. "What time is it?"
So here they are. Any additions?
200 Words To Use Instead of 'Said'
| abnegated | added | advised | agreed | allowed |
| announced | answered | apologized | argued | asked |
| assented | assessed | assured | ||
| bandied | barked | bawled | began | begged |
| bellowed | bit | blasted | blathered | bleated |
| blurted | blustered | boasted | breathed | burbled |
| cackled | called | carped | caterwauled | challenged |
| chanted | chatted | chewed | chirped | chirruped |
| chuckles | coaxed | communicated | commanded | complained |
| concluded | confessed | continued | countered | countermanded |
| cowered | cried | cursed | cussed | |
| decided | declared | deliberated | delivered | demanded |
| denied | disagreed | drawled | dribbled | dripped |
| egged on | elocuted | encouraged | exaggerated | exclaimed |
| faulted | finished | flirted | fretted | |
| gasped | giggled | gloated | goggled | grimaced |
| griped | grizzled | groaned | grumbled | grunted |
| gurgled | ||||
| harped | hesitated | hinted | hissed | howled |
| hollered | hounded | huffed | ||
| implied | implored | informed | inquired | insisted |
| interrupted | insinuated | intoned | ||
| joked | ||||
| lamented | laughed | lectured | lied | |
| mewed | mimicked | moaned | mourned | mumbled |
| murmured | muttered | |||
| nagged | nattered | negated | ||
| objected | observed | offered | ogled | oozed |
| ordered | ||||
| persisted | pestered | pleaded | pondered | prattled |
| prayed | proclaimed | prodded | promised | pronounced |
| proposed | protested | |||
| queried | questioned | |||
| rasped | rattled on | recalled | reflected | related |
| remarked | remembered | reminisced | repeated | replied |
| responded | riposted | roared | roasted | rumbled |
| sang | scolded | screamed | shouted | shrieked |
| simpered | slurred | snapped | snarled | sneered |
| sobbed | spelled out | spluttered | spoke | sputtered |
| squeaked | squealed | stammered | started | stuttered |
| sulked | swore | |||
| teased | tempted | threatened | thought | tittered |
| toasted | told | tormented | twittered | |
| urged | uttered | |||
| wailed | warbled | warned | went on | wept |
| wheezed | wished | whimpered | whined | whispered |
| wondered | wooed | |||
| yawned | yelled |
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