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Q&A Where to break paragraphs in dialogue?

I'm going through an editing something I wrote and am stuck on where to break paragraphs containing dialogue. I know I need to break when a new character speaks, but I'm not sure where to start a n...

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by Govika‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T06:14:02Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/27163
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Govika‭ · 2019-12-08T06:14:02Z (over 4 years ago)
I'm going through an editing something I wrote and am stuck on where to break paragraphs containing dialogue. I know I need to break when a new character speaks, but I'm not sure where to start a new paragraph when there is description mixed with dialogue.

For example:

> He nodded. "Thank you for returning the bicycle. You see it was my son's and he would love to ride it one more time."<sup>1</sup> My heart pained at this, and I looked up at my dad who seemed unmoved.<sup>2</sup> I looked back at Mr. Houston.<sup>3</sup> "Of course. I apologize I didn't give it back in time. I was scared."

Where is the best place to split this paragraph?

1. After the first speaker finishes
2. Between the two non-dialogue sentences
3. Just before the second speaker begins
4. Somewhere else?
#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-03-15T01:33:00Z (about 7 years ago)
Original score: 1