So here is my attempt to be vaguely useful to other newbie writers: 37 synonyms for "said".
said
replied
answered
asked
stated
told
remarked
discussed
demonstrated
explained
expressed
clarified
illustrated
spelled out
uttered
announced
advertised
declared
proclaimed
asserted
shouted
yelled
gasped
murmured
mumbled
spluttered
whispered
grumbled!
muttered
commented!!!
quoted !!!!
repeated
declared
aired
exclaimed!!!!!!!!!
shrieked
cried
called / called out
Some of these only work in certain contexts, but contexts certainly exist within a piece of writing. The exclamation marks show how shocked I was to discover I'd forgotten the word and how many different dictionary attacks it took for me to find it again. ("Exclaimed!" will be my new pet, I think.)
Any other good ones? Feel free to contribute, that's the whole point of public journal entries :)