How do you use punctuation to make your writing unique?

Question

As we develop or style, structure and word usage our punctuation often evolves to best suit those changes. Yet we also develop "tricks" that make our writing more clear and fluid to our readers -- often using punctuation to those ends. I will admit that I lean towards the dash as a way to make my writing visually easier for readers.

What "tricks" do you have in your literary arsenal and how do you use them?

I think "Eats Shoots & Leaves" is an outstanding resource. Very close to being up there with "The Elements of Style" I feel.

Answer 1

Be careful with puncutation. It can really help the rhythm of your writing, and clairify meaning, but it makes you look like a dolt if you don't use it properly.

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves is an excellent book. Every writer should have a grammer textbook handy. Semi-colons are under-rated, but my grammer teacher always said that dashes are only for informal usage. Use a semi-colon properly and most readers will look up to you -- most people screw it up. Commas are easy. A lot of different rules, but easy on a cheat sheet if you and separate a sentence into it's parts.

Punctuation is like spelling. Get it right, and no one notices. Get it wrong, and you look like an idiot and lose all credibility.

Answer 2

I agree with the person above me - bad punctuation may be unique, but it is completely maddening to readers. There are writers who completely overuse the M dash. They have them in virtually every sentenc. Most of the time, the M dash can be replaced with a period and a new sentence. Long sentences are also frustrating to readers. Look at the simple, clean style of Hemingway who wrote for the masses rather than the elite readers.

My trick is to use correct punctuation and focus more on the words I use -- keep a thesaurus open while you write and dont re-use words - vary them. Cutsey punctuation tricks will tend to get red penned by your editor anyway. Avoid it. Pax - C.

Answer 3

I have a tendency (not a great one, I admit) of writing long sentences, so I am very fond of dashes and commas, but especially the semicolon. I love the semicolon.
& what a great question. I'm currently reading "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss as I am a punctuation (& grammar) stickler. It's nice to know of someone else who appreciates the power of punctuation. Clear writing style, too. A relief & pleasure to see!

Answer 4

Basically - get it right! I use punctuaion to 'see' how I expect people to 'hear' what I write. If you read aloud anything you have written and find yourself tripping over the punctuation it is wrong and needs corrected. Punctuation is the written version of breathing and intonation - listen to what you have written and it will ring true if the punctuation is correct.

Answer 5

I do not know whether it is precise, however it is the kind that I like: practical, now not overly certain and tells the tale. If I attempt to do anything else to regulate this kind, I get simply careworn in my possess tale, quit writing and cross clean..

Answer 6

i enjoy using all lower case. especially with "i". i have also been using dashes quite frequently of late- they just seem to be the way to go. no "tricks" really, but i will be anxious to see some of the other answers here...