posted
I've noticed recently with a few things I've critiqued, and a few things I've seen on this site in the F&F section, that writers are starting to use all capitals for emphasis or yelling. I know this is common practice in emails and instant messaging, but I was taught that this is unacceptable for published works unless it's part of a sign being read or something like that.
I was wondering if this practice has become acceptable now, or is it still taboo? Has anybody ever been rejected or had to edit this kind of thing out of a story to get it published?
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I appologize to everyone. I thought I was in that Forum when I posted this. Guess I'm getting old.
Posts: 326 | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
LOL! Can I adapt the text of this conversation for my novel? It's a perfect example of one focus character's sense of humor.
Posts: 470 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
There are some errors that keep recurring, and there's no need, because they're so easy to fix.
One is using all caps for shouting. Not standard. Underline, if you really need more than a simple exclamation point. (Multiple exclamation points ("!!") or combining with question marks ("?!"), also non-standard.
Adding a name without a comma, as in, "Whatever you say Will." Non-standard.
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Ahhh... punctuation peeves. That one bothers me too Will.
Don't get me started about apostrophes.
This reminds me, I was deeply chagrined recently to learn that I've been WRONG about something. I know, it probably shocks you as much as it shocked me. I have always felt a little superior because I know (I thought) how to use apostrophes properly. Imagine my dismay when I recently read Stephen King's "On Writing" and learned that you NEED to add an "s" to the end of a proper name that ends in "s" when indicating possessive. I always thought the "s" dropped off if the name ended in "S". For instance:
"Santa Claus' reindeer" should really be: "Santa Claus's reindeer.
How in the world did I grow up to be this age and not figure that out? It's embarrassing, that's what it is. Right up there with the day I realized the period goes on the INSIDE of the quote mark, not the outside.
Ahh, well. I have to have one or two faults, or else I'd be perfect. And no one likes someone who is perfect.
posted
According to Strunk & White, we should cut you some slack: your old way is OK for names that have been around a while; probably (my guess) because it used to be OK for all of them.
"For Jesus' sake" is OK. But if this were a new name, we'd need to say "Jesus's."
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