and, thanks for the comment on my blog. your story about the book your reading led to one thought that led to another that morphed to another and now I have a hilarious (and yet somehow intense) scene idea for my novel. How cool is that?
and, as I've been following your whole Query Ninja persona I have to say how talented you are. Have you ever considered editing?
I don't use em dashes all that much...well at all really. I'll admit that I'd really rather use commas than the em dash, or a parenthetical comment. Sorry:(
I'm an em-dasher and not ashamed one bit because I know the rules (comma v. semi-colon v. period). I just get tired of using them. Bad? Maybe because I suppose everyone should know the rules before they break them and I may not be helping in that "learning" effort. Hmmm. Maybe I'll edit my latest ms and see about being more traditional. Maybe not.
31 comments:
Did i miss some announcement that it is brevity week? :)
*raises hand*
I am an em dash abuser. I blame my day job as a graphic designer and my habit of interrupting myself.
dashes rock -- totally.
and, thanks for the comment on my blog. your story about the book your reading led to one thought that led to another that morphed to another and now I have a hilarious (and yet somehow intense) scene idea for my novel. How cool is that?
and, as I've been following your whole Query Ninja persona I have to say how talented you are. Have you ever considered editing?
I fully admit that I have no idea how they're using em dashes these days. I use them sparingly but I hear their in vogue right now.
I'm unabashedly in love with em-dashes. They make stuff pop.
Umm, here is my word verification. Anyone care to take it on?
bedgent
Count me in. I'm pretty sure I overuse em-dashes.
I love em-dashes, too. They are so fun to use (much better than a comma).
Oh my gosh, your posts this week have been an absolute gem! Sorry that your revisions are being so yucky!
Lol, you are too funny. Yes, I'm a fan of the ol' em dash.
I'm with you on the em-dashes. I love them and I'm not giving them up. No way.
I love me some em-dashes! — :)
I love - absolutely, positively - me some em dashes. Like how I put them in my comment??? I'm so clever sometimes it's frightening! : )
Corey, no announcement. Just for fun. :)
Melanie, phew. I'm so glad I'm not the only one that interrupts herself.
Tess, I'm so glad you got something out of it!! Yay for you!
L.T. Well, vogue or not, the em-dash rulez.
Casey, Wait. One can overuse em-dashes? Oh, crap...
Scott, you are--so--clever!
I'm glad you all like em-dashes as much as I do. Spread the <3!!
Em-dashes rule and commas drool! ;)
I hate the comma. I was recently reprimanded for misuse of the hideous creature.
:D
Here, Here!
~ Wendy
A comment on dashes - I hate, absolutely HATE (yes, I love all caps too) (and parenthetical remarks as well - does that make me a LISP programmer?)
Ummm, where was I? Oh, yes - I HATE how MS Word tries to use it's 'smart quotes to point the WRONG way when I end a quote with a dash.
Ex: "You've got to be kidding! Paul is coming here right-"
Paul came storming into the room, interrupting the unnamed character above.
Wassup with that? Why can't it figure out that you can end an interruption with a dash? I end up using an ellipsis...
(and why doesn't an ellipsis look like an ellipse, anyway?)
I tend to abuse the ever wonderful ellipsis more than the em-dash...but I'm always open to new punctuation marks :D
I am a dash person- my WIP was littered with them and it was hard to sweep them away. :)
It's like one thought- that just keeps going!
I don't use em dashes all that much...well at all really. I'll admit that I'd really rather use commas than the em dash, or a parenthetical comment. Sorry:(
I'm more of a parenthetical girl myself.
And semi-colons! All em-dashes and semi-colons rise up.
Tru dat (Gangsta style)
Oh, I parenthetical with the best of them. I'm all over that.
And MisterChris, you've just gotta put a letter there and then delete it. I've discovered all the ways to trick Word so I can keep my own sanity.
run on sentences are nice dont you think they really get the point across at least in my mind.
I like semi-colons.
sf
I love em-dashes! Perhaps a little too much...
I'm an em-dasher and not ashamed one bit because I know the rules (comma v. semi-colon v. period). I just get tired of using them. Bad? Maybe because I suppose everyone should know the rules before they break them and I may not be helping in that "learning" effort. Hmmm. Maybe I'll edit my latest ms and see about being more traditional. Maybe not.
Thanks, Elana!
Seems to me that a dash works better than an ellipsis, when attempting to communicate an interruption.
Traditionally, the ellipsis is used to... sorta... fade away...
:-)
Word Verification - audath. Doeth the word verification prothethor have a lithp? I have the audathity to uthe m-datheth...
LMAO! I like how you think.
I am a fan of em dashes also—they're just so right when you want to showcase an interruption in thought.
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