New authors often receive advice on attributions, commonly known as dialog tags. They are advised to almost exclusively use the word “said” rather than such words as “muttered, exclaimed, yelled,” and so on. This is because “said” is nearly invisible to readers, allowing them to concentrate on what is most important—the dialogue itself. 

Don’t overuse “he said” or “she said” at the end of every line of dialogue. If there are two speakers, only use them every few lines. However, don’t underuse them, either, because readers will be confused as to who is talking.