Diana Gabaldon, in her book "I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes, emphasizes the importance of using dialogue tags in writing. She suggests that maintaining clarity in conversations is essential for reader understanding and engagement. Without tags, long stretches of dialogue can confuse readers about who is speaking and disrupt the flow of the narrative.
Gabaldon's guideline highlights that having no more than four consecutive lines of dialogue is ideal before incorporating a tag. This ensures that readers can easily follow the interactions between characters, enhancing their overall experience and comprehension of the story's dynamics.