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Punctuation in Stories

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Zodia195

Really Experienced
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
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200
In my latest upload, I got an anonymous comment about that I should have a comma instead of a period at the end of lines said by my characters. Like this-

"I love you,"

I will admit though, I don't understand why there has to be a comma there, unless you do something like this.

"I love you," Bianca started, "but I don't know if I am the best person for you."

Plus I do have an editor and he never pointed that mistake (and believe me he does notice other mistakes). Also I read A LOT of published work and I never recall seeing a comma in those places.

So am I really suppose to have a comma to end my sentences? It really doesn't make sense and it confuses me.
 
Zodia195 said:
In my latest upload, I got an anonymous comment about that I should have a comma instead of a period at the end of lines said by my characters. Like this-

"I love you,"

I will admit though, I don't understand why there has to be a comma there, unless you do something like this.

"I love you," Bianca started, "but I don't know if I am the best person for you."

Plus I do have an editor and he never pointed that mistake (and believe me he does notice other mistakes). Also I read A LOT of published work and I never recall seeing a comma in those places.

So am I really suppose to have a comma to end my sentences? It really doesn't make sense and it confuses me.
Click to expand...
anonymous is wrong. (as usual.)
 
In most of his/her manifestations, Anonymous is an idiot. Just keep doing what you are doing. :)
 
Tsk, tsk, guys. You probably should have looked before slamming Anonymous. The OP has misrepresented the comment on her story. This is how four paragraphs of her story actually read:

"I'll never get tired of seeing this piece. It's amazing how such a small piece could hold so much power." Commented Aamir.

"It is impressive, but I still think the Jade is the best one." Added Cyrus.

"You're just saying that because it's your kingdom's fragment."

"No, I am saying that because it's true." Teased Cyrus.

In this case, it's not the anonymous commenter who is off base, and I suggest the OP needs to go looking for a more experienced editor.
 
Can you tell me why though? I am fine with corrections as long as they make sense to me. Why in those cases was the Anonymous person right?
 
Anonymous included how to do it correctly in the comment.

"I'll never get tired of seeing this piece. It's amazing how such a small piece could hold so much power.[comma instead of period]" C[lower case c]ommented Aamir.

"It is impressive, but I still think the Jade is the best one.[comma instead of period]" A[lower case a]dded Cyrus.

"You're just saying that because it's your kingdom's fragment."

"No, I am saying that because it's true.[comma instead of period]" T[lower case t]eased Cyrus.

(and Anonymous took the time to show this as well). It's the correct way to do it, because the dialogue slug is part of the dialogue sentence, not a separate sentence. (The dialogue slug alone wouldn't be a proper sentence anyway.)

Anonymous is a better editor then your editor is, I'm afraid. And that Anonymous made the effort to point out exactly what was wrong and how to make it right in the comment on your story is probably a reason to thank him/her.
 
Last edited:
Zodia195 said:
Can you tell me why though? I am fine with corrections as long as they make sense to me. Why in those cases was the Anonymous person right?
Click to expand...

I agree with Pilot, or if I missed something then I'll learn something,too. The quotation is part of a sentence. If it ends the sentence then it can end with a period. If there is a continuation within the sentence then it needs to end with a comma or question mark, or exclamation point.

"'I need you,' Howard said." is correct.

"Howard said 'I need you.'" is also correct.

"I need you.' Howard said." isn't right because the sentence doesn't end with "I need you"
 
OHHHHHH!!!! Okay thanks. Sorry if I came off rude there. I tend to get frustrated when people correct me without reason. This way I prevent myself from making those kinds of mistakes in the future.

Also about the capitalization thing, my Microsoft Word automatically does that and it I keep trying to correct it, but it still does that. I really hate auto-correct. So I just got tired of fixing it and gave up.
 
Your system did that because you used a period--incorrectly in that case. It assumes you've used the period correctly.
 
sr71plt said:
Tsk, tsk, guys. You probably should have looked before slamming Anonymous. The OP has misrepresented the comment on her story.
Click to expand...

You are quite right, Pilot.

Although, I still think that, in most of his/her manifestations, Anonymous is an idiot. ;)
 
Zodia195 said:
OHHHHHH!!!! Okay thanks. Sorry if I came off rude there. I tend to get frustrated when people correct me without reason. This way I prevent myself from making those kinds of mistakes in the future.

Also about the capitalization thing, my Microsoft Word automatically does that and it I keep trying to correct it, but it still does that. I really hate auto-correct. So I just got tired of fixing it and gave up.
Click to expand...

That is why you turn most auto-correct options off. It forces you to be more cognizant of what you are doing and, more importantly, doesn't do something you don't want to do.

I can't tell you the number of times I wanted to do something simple in Word and it wouldn't let me because auto-correct thought it knew better. About the only thing I have turned on is for dates such as April 8th where the 'th' is put as a superscript.

Turn off auto-correct. You'll be happier.
 
someoneyouknow said:
That is why you turn most auto-correct options off. It forces you to be more cognizant of what you are doing and, more importantly, doesn't do something you don't want to do.

I can't tell you the number of times I wanted to do something simple in Word and it wouldn't let me because auto-correct thought it knew better. About the only thing I have turned on is for dates such as April 8th where the 'th' is put as a superscript.

Turn off auto-correct. You'll be happier.
Click to expand...

Publishing doesn't use superscripting.
 
Punctuation is for Oxford and Cambridge.
Just do your own shit, if it's your story it's your punctuation!
Anybody feels the need to correct you? Tell them straight their wrong, even if they may be right.
Your story your punctuation!
No arguments
 
Exescort said:
Punctuation is for Oxford and Cambridge.
Just do your own shit, if it's your story it's your punctuation!
Anybody feels the need to correct you? Tell them straight their wrong, even if they may be right.
Your story your punctuation!
No arguments
Click to expand...

That's not very good advice for someone wanting to learn. Punctuation is a fundamental writing skill, it makes sense to at least try to get it right if you want people to read your work.
 
Exescort said:
Punctuation is for Oxford and Cambridge.
Just do your own shit, if it's your story it's your punctuation!
Anybody feels the need to correct you? Tell them straight their wrong, even if they may be right.
Your story your punctuation!
No arguments
Click to expand...

As an author it's your prerogative to make your work as difficult – if not as impossible – to read as you wish. It is also your publisher's prerogative to reject it and your audience's to refuse to read it – you have to be a fairly renowned writer to get away with it, otherwise, you'll be wasting your time writing the stuff in the first place. The best you can hope for on Lit is that you'll get adverse comments (as the OP discovered) and a low score for your efforts.
 
Exescort said:
Punctuation is for Oxford and Cambridge.
Just do your own shit, if it's your story it's your punctuation!
Anybody feels the need to correct you? Tell them straight their wrong, even if they may be right.
Your story your punctuation!
No arguments
Click to expand...

^^^
This!

But only if your doing some kind of artsy fartsy thing with a variety of fonts, type sizes and random boldfacing.
 
Exescort said:
Punctuation is for Oxford and Cambridge.
Just do your own shit, if it's your story it's your punctuation!
Anybody feels the need to correct you? Tell them straight their wrong, even if they may be right.
Your story your punctuation!
No arguments
Click to expand...

Getting punctuation right is a courtesy that makes it easier and more enjoyable to read. If you don't want readers to enjoy the story, why bother posting at all?

Also, poor punctuation can get stories rejected by the moderator.
 
For the love of God, please use correct punctuation or you mess up the meaning of the sentence and confuse your reader.

"I helped my uncle, Jack, off a horse."

"I helped my uncle jack off a horse."

See what I mean?

OP, Anonymous is correct in this instance, like the broken clock is right twice a day.

Use commas if the dialogue is followed by a speaker tag. Speaker tags are he said/she said or variations thereof.

"I helped my uncle, Jack, off a horse," he said/exclaimed/declared/shouted/whispered, etc.

You wouldn't use a comma if the dialogue is followed by an action on the part of the speaker.

"I helped my uncle jack off a horse." He looked down at his shoes as a smirked pulled at the corners of his lips.
 
Green_Knight said:
Note cues?
Click to expand...

Read novels printed in the last twenty years and let me know if you find any with super- or subscript in the text. The definitions of superscript and subscript in the Chicago Manual of Style says that is for use in mathematical and scientific renderings (p 903). Review the CMS section on numbers and ordinals and let me know if you find any ordinals in the examples that are superscripted.

Note cues on guidance you have found opposing what I give, please. (tit for tat)
 
jomar said:
^^^
This!

But only if your doing some kind of artsy fartsy thing with a variety of fonts, type sizes and random boldfacing.
Click to expand...

And then only when you plan on self-publishing it at your own expense and risk. :D
 
Be yourself; don't be owned, don't feel you owe anybody!

There lies a lesson in punctuation.
 
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