“Ralph, are you sure you want to publish this?” Alice interrogated. “Yes,” he smiled.

“But I thought you said –,” she said with confusion.

“Ignore what I said. I never mean what I say,” Ralph intoned.

“Really? It’s plagiarism,” she exclaimed.

“Oh,” he stuttered, “in that case, I guess we shouldn’t,” he added.

CUT WHEN SPEAKER IS CLEAR, USE BEATS INSTEAD, USE SAID, RESIST EXPLAINING, START A NEW PARAGRAPH