Hello! Here are my thoughts:
Replacements for look: Depending on the context, intention, and overall personal writing style, you could try:
– more formal: expression, demeanor,
– If the person is looking over at something or someone: glance (e.g., a judgmental, blank, or loving glance)
– You can also play around with things like, “Her face went cold,” or “his eyes softened.” Overall, I think variety is key. Sometimes using adjectives + noun (e.g., “cocky smile”), while other times using phrases/specific actions (e.g., “she furrowed her brow”).
Thoughts on ‘said’ replacements: I like the words you mentioned, such as, “hiss,” “growl,” “cackle,” etc. These words have a lot of strength behind them. I think it’s okay to occasionally use “said,” because using too many replacements can distract from the dialogue.
Facial Features: Parents: When having a character refer to their parent in introspection, do you use ‘his father’ or the father’s actually name? I tend to use both.
She said vs said she: I much prefer the former (the latter sounds like passive voice to me for some reason), but it also has a unique sound and sometimes I do like it. I noticed that older writing uses the latter much more often than newer writings, but what are y’all’s thoughts? Some of my cousins say they like a mix of both.
He gave a tight smile vs he smiled tightly: This is entirely a personal preference, but I like “tight smile” better.
Chapter Names: Again, there’s no strict right or wrong answer; but personally, I prefer to include chapter names because it provides new creative opportunities, so I’m not sure why authors don’t seem to use them nowadays.
Inches, feet, meters, etc.. in medieval fiction: I don’t write medieval fiction, but the words “pace” and “span” have a nice ring to them.
Voice Description: Similar to my answer on “said” replacements, I generally prefer descriptive verbs (such as “hiss,” “growl,” “cackle,” etc.) more than adjectives/adverbs (such as, “he said gruffly”).
Direct (italicized with I’s and me’s) vs indirect thought: Right now, I’m reading a book that uses both of these techniques, and I like the variety.
"May it be mercy I show for it is mercy I've been shown." - Written to Speak
