Whomp Whomp

Writing Tips

Punctuating Dialogue

✧

➸ “This is a sentence.”

➸ “This is a sentence with a dialogue tag at the end,” she said.

➸ “This,” he said, “is a sentence split by a dialogue tag.”

➸ “This is a sentence,” she said. “This is a new sentence. New sentences are capitalized.”

➸ “This is a sentence followed by an action.” He stood. “They are separate sentences because he did not speak by standing.”

➸ She said, “Use a comma to introduce dialogue. The quote is capitalized when the dialogue tag is at the beginning.”

➸ “Use a comma when a dialogue tag follows a quote,” he said.

“Unless there is a question mark?” she asked.

“Or an exclamation point!” he answered. “The dialogue tag still remains uncapitalized because it’s not truly the end of the sentence.”

➸ “Periods and commas should be inside closing quotations.”

➸ “Hey!” she shouted, “Sometimes exclamation points are inside quotations.”

However, if it’s not dialogue exclamation points can also be “outside”!

➸ “Does this apply to question marks too?” he asked.

If it’s not dialogue, can question marks be “outside”? (Yes, they can.)

➸ “This applies to dashes too. Inside quotations dashes typically express—“

“Interruption” — but there are situations dashes may be outside.

➸ “You’ll notice that exclamation marks, question marks, and dashes do not have a comma after them. Ellipses don’t have a comma after them either…” she said.

➸ “My teacher said, ‘Use single quotation marks when quoting within dialogue.’”

➸ “Use paragraph breaks to indicate a new speaker,” he said.

“The readers will know it’s someone else speaking.”

➸ “If it’s the same speaker but different paragraph, keep the closing quotation off.

“This shows it’s the same character continuing to speak.”

More royal medieval tf2 ramblings

Countries/Areas

New France- Scout’s Ma, Scout’s siblings, Scout, Spy

Scotland- Demo, Demo’s parents, Soldier

Germany- Medic, Heavy, Heavy’s sisters, Engie, Pyro

New Zealand- Sniper, biological parents, adoptive parents

Other characters- Saxton Hale, Maggie, Merasmus

Scout’s Ma

She’s the queen

Technically Scout’s oldest brother rules but she helps

Deals mostly with finance and foreign affairs

She may not run the country but she certainly runs the castle. She makes sure all the servants are doing what they’re supposed to without overworking themselves

Scout’s siblings

Again, the oldest one is the current king

Everyone else is a prince

All the other siblings have various high-ranking jobs and help the eldest (Scout’s the only one without a specific position)

Scout

Because he doesn’t have a set job, he just helps wherever and however he can

He may be last in line to the throne, but he’s learned to be fast enough to be first to everything else

He‘s the biggest mama’s boy you’ve ever seen. He helps her out all the time and loves her SO much. It’s great

He also helps the servants sometimes

Knows how navigate the entire castle from outside, using roofs and the tops of towers or just plain old running through the gardens

Occasionally just runs through the castle when he’s bored

Best fighter in his family (technically he’s tied with Spy but he doesn’t know that Spy’s family)

Spends a fair amount of time with Spy just from helping him, and actually thinks he’s pretty cool. Part of him sees Spy as a father figure, but the other part buries that feeling because he just KNOWS his real dad is alive somewhere (and doesn’t know it’s Spy) so he feels bad for seeing Spy as a dad

Spy

Technically the king- was king of Old France, when the Gray Nation invaded he was the primary target

Gray Mann still wants him so he’s gone underground, staying disguised and working as the Ambassador

As pathetic as always

Only Scout’s Ma knows it’s him

Scout was like. 2 when Gray Nation invaded and he had to go underground, so he never really got to know him that well. Now he spends a fair amount of time trying to learn more about Scout

punk shiperscout designs + punk soldier!!! :D!! tf2 punk au goes crazy

Hey I know you did a hug series pretty recently, but can we get a red medic/scout hug that’s like, super super affectionate (ship even?), chin-on-top-of-head big ole hug? :D

Maybe scout’s upset about something and needs comfort from doc idk

Sorry babe, youre in Blu territory now (I had already drawn my Blu Scout before noticing you said Red specifically lmfao).

success baby turned 18 today

happy birthday to one of the founding fathers

SNIPERMEDIC

love at first deathtaunt

ranking the best things I have had heard surgeons say mid-surgery:

"Five second rule!" while scrubbed, after dropping a sterile scalpel on the floor (no they did NOT pick it up again but I swear everyone's buttholes puckered)

(spoken during the closing of a particularly long and difficult case) "Nurse - my tunes." :heavy metal starts blasting:

Gently to a fretful patient, pre-anaesthesia: "It's going to be okay. I promise, I've dealt with worse." As soon as the patient is unconscious: "This is literally the worst thing I've ever seen."

[okay this one was a med student] "Wowwww, that's so gross!!" Reg: ""[xxx], "Please remember that the patient is awake for this procedure." Student to patient: "Oh my god. I am so sorry, that was really unprofessional - " Patient, cheerfully, also engrossed with what's happening inside them on the screen: "Nah - it's, like, super gross, right?"

[another procedure where the patient couldn't be anaesthetised] Patient: *starts singing country roads midway through the procedure* Surgeon: *shrugs and joins in with surprisingly good harmony*

Can I ask for Mediscout where Medic is talking about one experiment or the other because someone else asked about it and Scout retains the information, because well, sue him for being interested, it's interesting to hear the doctor talk (and if it gives him him reason to stay a little closer and watch a little longer, thats no ones business. Especially you, Spy.) And later, when someone asks what the newest idea from Medic is, Scout answers instead of Medic without thinking

Of course! Mediscout is one of my faves to write💞

Warnings: None!

Rating: General

Scout pulled his favorite seat out from the kitchen table as he sat down with his plate of breakfast. He scoots in between Heavy and Soldier, squished by the massive men as they eat their share. The youngest of the three takes a few bites, mindlessly eating before a faint voice grows louder.

“Why are you so worried? All I have to do is inject octopus skin cells into yours, and your cloaking will be seamless!” It was Medic, carrying several sheets of paper with diagrams, charts, and sporadic research. He was following Spy into the kitchen, and the Frenchman looked utterly sickened by the proposition.

“Doctor, I spent a minimum of an hour exfoliating, moisturizing, and beautifying my skin. I will not have my work destroyed by…whatever it is you plan.” Spy, admittedly, tuned out the doctor’s rambling. He isn’t the first of their team to do so though. Whenever Medic goes on and on about his discoveries or experiments, most of the team has learned to drone him out. Even Heavy is guilty of losing focus when Medic word vomits his projects.

“You’re being irrational! The octopus cells go underneath your normal skin. I can manipulate them into becoming part of your body, and once the burning sensation fades, you will be the best Spy in the world!” Medic holds out one paper, hoping it would at least persuade Spy into reconsidering. He spent a whole month developing this! Sure, its still highly experimental and could potentially leave Spy with an unsavory complexion, but that’s science! Anyone with a brain can see why they should absolutely trust his work.

“The answer is no. A squid has no place in my body except when I order calamari. Good day.” Spy swipes his plate of breakfast, reaching past Scout to grab the jar of marmalade set on the table. Toast smeared with the sweetness, he promptly leaves the team to enjoy their food. Scout rolls his eyes at the rude parting. He could at least think on it and give Medic’s work a bit of validation.

The man works tirelessly, day and night to improve the team. Scout has found him passed out in his office, hair astray and face tucked into his arms. So many times he wanted to reach out and brush the strands back into place, but he can’t! That’s too weird. Coworkers don’t play with each other’s hair, unless they’re hairdressers. Scout is pretty sure neither of them are in that profession.

“Octopus.” Medic mutters his correction, stacking his papers into a neat pile and heading back to the lab. He gives a disheartened sigh. Maybe he should have offered to do a test strip of skin. Somewhere on Spy’s arm to visualize the comparison and reconsider. He just gets so excited!

“Mornin’, lads.” Demo proclaims to the kitchen as he struts towards the fridge. He rummages through it for a moment before producing a bottle of morning whiskey. With a quick pour into a cup of coffee, he slips the alcohol back inside the fridge and takes a gulp of his drink.

“What was that thing Medic was talking about?Something with seams.” Engineer drums his finger against the table, trying to recall what the man was planning. As his silence grows, he desperately looks for help. Soldier is stuffing his face, Sniper is pretending to sleep, and Heavy is taking far too long to sip his water.

“Doc wants to put octopus skin on Spy to make his invisibility better, but the Frenchie is too fancy for it.” Right as Scout finishes his explanation, he sees the doctor standing in the doorway. His trip back from the clinic was shorter than anticipated, and Scout feels his face burning up. God, he sounded like such a geek just now, and not for the experiment.

Medic stares at the young man in shock and a bit of adoration. Since when did Scout ever listen to him, or anyone for that matter? The runner revolves around himself, focused on his own greatness and incredible strength, which he completely lacks. Everyone comes second to Scout, so how did he perfectly encapsulate Medic’s experiment when no one else could?

“Ja, he’s right.” Medic takes a closer look at Scout. His cheeks are tinted red, and his left hand is shaking more than the right. His head stays lowered as he shovels the last bite of breakfast into his mouth. Before Medic gets a chance to ask how Scout remembered, the man is rushing away. Once again, Scout is too quick for the German.

“Uh, see ya.” Oh, that won’t do. Someone finally gives Medic the time of day to listen, and they try to run off? Not on this doctor’s watch. Breakfast shoved in the fridge for later, Medic’s white lab coat flutters behind him as he hurries after Scout. His leather boots clacking against the floor with every step.

To no one’s surprise, Scout tries to run. His walk turns into a jog, rounding corners with too sharp of turns. Medic huffs, following right on his heels. Scout might be the fastest class, but there’s only so many turns he can make before hitting a wall, which he does. Literally. Too distracted by dodging the German, Scout smacked face first into the wall leading to the showers.

“Scout? May we speak?” Medic calls out as the boy cups his sore nose. Scout presses to the offending surface, unable to pull away as the doctor steps closer. His gloved fingers adjust the circle glasses framing his gray eyes. Scout gulps, trying not to look him in the eye. Damnit, why is he so attractive?

“I want to thank you for listening. It seems as if you’re the only one these days.” That little praise does Scout in. His blushing face goes fully red, and he slinks against the wall. Damnit, damnit! Focus, Scout! Its just Medic. Why is he so weird about the man as of late?

“Yeah, well, uh, you know me! I’m the pro at listening. Like, you see these ears? Always open and listening. Its my middle name actually. Well, no, my Ma picked Tyler, but if I could make it my middle name—“ And he’s off, spilling tangent by tangent. Scout looks up to see if Medic was bored of him, yet the doctor remains neutral. In fact, Scout can even see a smile forming on his face. The American nervously laughs, not used to such a positive face during his rambles.

“Ja, you are very good. It’s sweet of you, actually. ‘Keep at it’ as they say, hase.” Medic leans in, pressing lips right to Scout’s forehead. His latex hand cups his cheek as if Scout would try to run from this. The boy is completely frozen, mouth agape with those adorable buck teeth sticking out. Such a cute little bunny.

“Uh, uh, you-y-you got it, doc. I’m gonna, uh, get you back for this though. You better be ready, cause I’m a ninja. I got a black belt in kissing.” It’s actually a blue one from when he tried karate as a boy before discovering baseball. An awkward grin forms as Medic turns to leave.

“Oh, how frightening! I hope you show mercy, Herr Scout.” Medic grins, walking away as Scout tries to collect himself. He’ll be waiting for that kiss, and he certainly hopes its when Scout checks in on the doctor during his late nights in the office.

Hope you enjoyed this!! -H