Can dialog tags go ahead of the dialog?

[Sultry23]

Would this be correct or would it put you off?

The pert young woman asks “Hello, how are you today? Do you have a reservation?”

 

[StillStunned]

Not if you add a comma after "asks".

 

[KeithD]

Would this be correct or would it put you off?

Yes, but with a comma after the "asks."

 

[Sultry23]

Not if you add a comma after "asks".

Yes, but with a comma after the "asks."

Thanks, I always have trouble with commas

 

[Devinter]

Would this be correct or would it put you off?

The pert young woman asks “Hello, how are you today? Do you have a reservation?”

I have to say that - to me - it would put me off if you did this too frequently. It feels amateurish, at least if you don't switch it up a lot. Once or twice is fine per dialogue, but too many "asks" and "said" isn't painting an interesting picture. Why not go with something like:

The pert young woman smiled brightly as I approached. "Hello, how are you today? Do you have a reservation?"

The pert young woman snapped to attention. "Hello, how are you today? Do you have a reservation?"

The pert young woman put down her phone and groaned with annoyance. "Hello, how are you today? Do you have a reservation?"

"Hello, how are you today? Do you have a reservation?" It was clear the pert young woman had spoken the exact same line a thousand times from how rehearsed it came across.

(Basically, anything that shows a glimpse of the character's personality.)

Other authors and readers might disagree because all of my examples adds length to the dialogue - and maybe they just want to get it over with so they can get to the sexy parts - but a few little details like this can really make a character come across in a completely different light, bringing them to life on the page.

 

[SimonDoom]

It's fine if you insert the comma.

I disagree with Devinter. As far as I can tell from my reading, most of the pros use "said" and "asked" most of the time. Not all of the time, but most of the time. Elmore Leonard, no slouch as a pro, said you should pretty much stick with "said" and "asked." I don't go that far, but I think there's a lot of wisdom to that. To me, when you go out of your way to avoid using "said" and "asked," it seems contrived. I notice it, and I don't want to notice it.

I think a good general rule with dialogue is to let the spoken words do the heavy lifting, and let the other words recede into the background. So, in general, the quoted language should come first, followed by an unobtrusive dialogue tag.

I would suggest not leading your quote with narrative and a tag most of the time. Do it just some of the time. Most of the time, you'll want to do this:

"Hello, how are you today?" the pert young woman asks. "Do you have a reservation?"

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

In a sultry voice, the vixen whispered in my ear, "You've got three options."
I moaned as her breath teased my cheek.
"Vary them from," she paused just long enough to nip the lobe, "phrase to phrase."
This was too much. My body quivered.
"It will make your story more interesting." She drove her tongue into my ear, making me shudder.

 

[Devinter]

It's fine if you insert the comma.

I disagree with Devinter.

To each their own. I do agree that "Hello, how are you today?" the pert young woman asks. "Do you have a reservation?" sound better than the original example as well, and that the dialogue should do MOST of the heavy lifting.

However, I will say this: A big part of what sets reading a dialogue apart from - say - watching two people talk on a TV screen, is that you can add things like thoughts and emotions to it. Personally, I think it is important to utilize that sometimes. Therefore, things like "It was clear the pert young woman had spoken the exact same line a thousand times from how rehearsed it came across." is quite unique to the written word. Such things are very difficult to get across without narration. I think not using that tool - and somewhat frequently at that - is short-sighted, but of course I respect that others will have different opinions. I'm the guy that likes adding unnecessary adverbs too.

 

[alohadave]

I disagree with Devinter. As far as I can tell from my reading, most of the pros use "said" and "asked" most of the time. Not all of the time, but most of the time. Elmore Leonard, no slouch as a pro, said you should pretty much stick with "said" and "asked." I don't go that far, but I think there's a lot of wisdom to that. To me, when you go out of your way to avoid using "said" and "asked," it seems contrived. I notice it, and I don't want to notice it.

We notice them especially since we are writing, but readers pretty much glide over and ignore them.

 

[Djmac1031]

I can see both @Devinter and @SimonDoom 's points.

It's good to mix it up sometimes and use Devinters suggestions to help set the tone.

But sometimes writers go out of their way to fancy something up when a simple "she said" would do.

 

[SimonDoom]

We notice them especially since we are writing, but readers pretty much glide over and ignore them.

I don't agree with that AT ALL. I think careful, discriminating readers notice when authors go out of their way to avoid simple routes and choose more complicated routes that they think, for misguided reasons, are more artistic. I think it's a false aesthetic, and I think that careful readers notice it when it's practiced.

 

[mildlyaroused]

As others have said, tags can go before dialogue if punctuated.

On the topic, though, it can feel awkward referring to her as the pert young woman in full here.

The fact you've said the woman tells me she's been introduced (or noticed) before this moment. If so, I'd say drop words until you're mentioning her in the simplest way possible.

If there are no other unnamed women present, just call her the woman. If there are, try to use only one adjective before woman. If you've already called her (and only her) pert, then readers will know who you mean if you say the pert woman. Likewise for young, or any other adjective specific to her in this scene.

It just pays to keep tags before dialogue short, or it can feel a little clunky.