Answering the Phone

Question

If you're writing out a scene where a character answers the phone and then it cuts to the interior of the home of the person making the phone call, is it okay to write "He answers" for the recipient before cutting to the person calling, instead of something like "He answers: 'Hello"? To me, it seems kind of redundant to always have to write "Hello" every time, since that's how most people answer, anyway - with either "Hi," "Yes," or "Hello." In the cut-to of what I'm talking about, the interior of the caller's home is described before she responds to the person picking up.

Thanks.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I would only say He answers if the person is actually seen to answer..
I would only write 'Hello' if the person actually says that.

Clive

Snarf · Answer

As to your first answer, what do you mean by "actually seen to answer?" He indeed answers prior to the cutting to the place where the caller is, yes, that's why "He answers" is being written in the first place. Or am I not understanding you properly?

As to your second point, is it OK to leave how exactly he answers up to the reader, that is, maybe he says, "Hello," maybe he says, "Hi," maybe he says, "Yes," etc. All the reader is told is that he answers the phone, which happens after the reader is told that the character looks at the number on his cell phone to see who it is.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

You spoke of 'writing out a scene'. I took that, along with your queries, to mean writing a screenplay, eg for a movie.

I'm a bit lost as to the details of what you are asking about, but you seem to know what you want to write, so if you don't mind I'll leave you to it.

Clive

Snarf · Answer

No, it's in a novella, but I referred to it as a "scene" 'cause I didn't know what else to call it.  It's just what's happening at the given moment is all.

Answering the Phone

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