Writing: The Fear of Punctuation

The Fear of Punctuation

Written by Jane Straus

The Fear of Punctuation By Jane Straus

If you have a sentence followed by a list, do you use a semicolon or a colon? The answer: That depends…Did you introduce repparttar list with an introductory word such as such as? Did you have a complete sentence before you began repparttar 128687 list? Is your list part of your sentence or did you indent repparttar 128688 items on repparttar 128689 list in tabular form? Those are a lot of factors to consider for one measly punctuation mark, which is why most people need help in repparttar 128690 form of a reference book, website, or trusted associate. People have reason to fear punctuation because repparttar 128691 rules have changed and they continue to do so. Who has repparttar 128692 right to change these rules? Rumor has it that repparttar 128693 rules about placing periods and commas inside quotation marks was changed 30+ years ago by repparttar 128694 typesetters’ union because figuring out inside vs. outside for repparttar 128695 comma or period was apparently too complicated and time consuming. So, all of a sudden, we were told to put all commas and periods inside quotation marks. The British apparently didn’t buy this excuse and continue to follow logic. This makes their lives more difficult because they actually have to think. Americans can just put that period or comma inside repparttar 128696 quotation mark with no worries. However, we Americans are not completely off repparttar 128697 hook. We still have to use logic with quotation marks when repparttar 128698 sentence has question marks, exclamation points, or, heaven forbid, a semicolon. Then, of course, repparttar 128699 advent of computers has brought numerous changes in punctuation. This is why we now have just one space after repparttar 128700 period before starting a new sentence. The programmers’ reasoning for this change is that repparttar 128701 computer spaces every letter and punctuation mark according to its actual size. So repparttar 128702 reader’s eye sees enough space between repparttar 128703 period and repparttar 128704 next capital letter such that he/she is not confused. But I have people writing emails to me every day questioning this decision. They ask me, “Is it a rule?” My answer: “It is now.” We are all familiar with those annoying red and green squiggly lines we see under words and punctuation marks. Often, when you right-click on repparttar 128705 squiggly line, you will receive a suggestion that is confusing or just plain wrong. The bottom line is that repparttar 128706 English language is a living, breathing entity, much like an animal responding to its environment. It must adapt in order to survive.

Do You Long To See Your Books Published And Selling From The Major Chains?

Written by jim Green

To have your work accepted for hard copy publication is a thrilling achievement but to have it bomb at repparttar

bookstores is to see your reputation go down repparttar 128685

tubes simultaneously.

And so to avoid this unpleasant scenario, I have developed over repparttar 128686 years a series of 160 vital steps; steps that not only get my books published and into repparttar 128687 major chains but selling online and offline as bestsellers in their genre.

How’s this for convincing evidence of repparttar 128688 power of these unique steps?

My latest work ‘Your Retirement Masterplan’ (How To Books ISBN 1857039874) is not only published but already an online bestseller just three weeks after publication. It ranks at No.3 out of 3142 competitive titles on Amazon.co.uk - proof positive that it is also selling from repparttar 128689 shelves of major book chains world wide.

How can I claim that?

Here’s how:

Amazon is an amazingly accurate online barometer of what is happening with book sales offline…as is confirmed by repparttar 128690 highly encouraging initial sales statement from my publisher.

What I have learned above all in repparttar 128691 development of my 160 Vital Steps is that there are no random events on repparttar 128692 road to successful publication. Everything is pre-planned; everything progresses in logical pre-ordained sequence; from sketching out an initial outline to acceptance and publication in hard copy format.

Now I am offering these ‘160 Vital Steps to Getting Published’ in repparttar 128693 shape of a virtual toolbox which can be downloaded and installed in seconds.

Here is a small sample from a random selection of just 10 out of repparttar 128694 160 vital steps you will be following sequentially in your quest to become a published author in repparttar 128695 realms of niche non-fiction:

oHow to crash through repparttar 128696 barriers that hold you back from getting your work accepted by traditional publishing houses

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