One more note about dialogue and paragraphs

Alicia says--
Just one more note to add to the complexity--

There is a rule that says you end the paragraph with an open quote (no quote mark) if the speaker's speech goes on into a second paragraph.

Example:

Brian slammed the door shut and explained, "There's only so much I can take. I mean, a man's a man, and if you're a real man, you don't just sit back and let someone insult you.

"So when the boss told me I was incompetent, I didn't just take it. I told him he was the incompetent one! That's what I told him!"

Well, what I'd say is... don't ever have dialogue run that long. First, it looks stupid, that open quote, and many readers aren't going to know the rather obscure rule, thus they won't know who says the second paragraph.

Second, dialogue isn't a lecture. It's a conversation. The other speaker should be involved. So unbroken paragraph after paragraph of speech isn't going to look, sound, or feel like a conversation.

So the open quote -- while perfectly right technically-- is a signal to revise. Remember... conversation, not speech. So consider how to break up that paragraph pair with an interjection from the other speaker (NOT just "the listener"-- conversation, remember?):


Example:

Brian slammed the door shut and explained, "There's only so much I can take. I mean, a man's a man, and if you're a real man, you don't just sit back and let someone insult you."

"Yeah, man," Paige said, buckling her seatbelt. "That's what my dad always said."

"So when the boss told me I was incompetent, I didn't just take it. I told him he was the incompetent one! That's what I told him!"
---

If Brian's mood is such that he's going to get this out fast, have him interrupt Paige:

Brian slammed the door shut and explained, "There's only so much I can take. I mean, a man's a man, and if you're a real man, you don't just sit back and let someone insult you."

"Yeah, but--"

Brian ignored her interruption. "So when the boss told me I was incompetent, I didn't just take it. I told him he was the incompetent one! That's what I told him!