If I Were Your Writing Coach, I’d Take Away Your Exclamation Point

 

Exclamation point abuse! It happens to far too many writers! It seems they just can’t help themselves!

Okay, look, you get one exclamation point per year or per book. That’s it. And I just used up my three-year allotment. Unless you are illustrating a point of a character who always seems to be in exclamatory mode, a character who is a joke and a punchline, then you might use more exclamation points to show what an idiot he is. Otherwise, just don’t. Exclamation points should be treated like saffron: Just a few bits go a very long way.

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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):
    Is making fun of the Internet outrage mentality okay?

    Making fun of things is usually okay.

    • #61
  2. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):
    Is making fun of the Internet outrage mentality okay?

    Making fun of things is usually okay.

    And often obligatory.

    • #62
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):
    Is making fun of the Internet outrage mentality okay?

    Making fun of things is usually okay.

    And often obligatory.

    Especially if you do it on the Internet.

    • #63
  4. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Percival (View Comment):

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):
    Is making fun of the Internet outrage mentality okay?

    Making fun of things is usually okay.

    And often obligatory.

    Especially if you do it on the Internet.

    More so in the PIT.

    • #64
  5. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Arahant (View Comment):
    Cause, how you going to interrobang in Spanish without the inverted interrobang?

    Phrasing.

    And be careful, at your age too much interrobanging and you could throw out your back.

    • #65
  6. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    I’d rather ban those who call it an “exclamation mark.”

    But then what would you do to those that call it a “Bang”?

     

    Biden can adopt Jeb’s exclamation point and run as Joey Finger!

    Also,

    A new form of the interrobang!

    • #66
  7. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Inverted interrobanging is still illegal in some states.

    • #67
  8. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    Is making fun of the Internet outrage mentality okay?

    “Trump is Hitler!!!!11!1!1!!11!!eleventy!!!!11!!”

    It is getting hard to distinguish the line between actual outrage and faux ironic outrage.  We’re up against the theoretical limits of the parody speed.

    • #68
  9. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Percival (View Comment):

    Inverted interrobanging is still illegal in some states.

    I do it for medical reasons.

    • #69
  10. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    SkipSul (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Inverted interrobanging is still illegal in some states.

    I do it for medical reasons.

    You need a doctor’s note.

    • #70
  11. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    I once embraced the punctilious use of interpunction. I was a slave to grammatical conformity and self-restraint. I believed, as I had been taught, that the em hyphen was to be used sparingly, never more than twice in a sentence, and never in more than one sentence in a paragraph — best not to exceed once per page, in fact.

    Then I read John Irving and was unblinkered; the em dash can be used boldly and often — even in sentences containing a semi-colon.

    I will never go back.

    (And you can have my exclamation point when you pry it from my cold dead caps-shifted left pinky.)

    • #71
  12. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    Percival (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):
    What if I’m shouting or screaming?

    You usually only do that with the zweihander.

    Or the bec de corbin.

    I haven’t seen a bec de corbin in years. Thanks for reminding me…

    • #72
  13. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Hartmann von Aue (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):
    What if I’m shouting or screaming?

    You usually only do that with the zweihander.

    Or the bec de corbin.

    I haven’t seen a bec de corbin in years. Thanks for reminding me…

    Check behind the sofa.

    • #73
  14. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    You’re fancy pants, alla youse.*

    You got periods,  You got commas.   You got question marks.  I don’t know whose bringing in the exclamation points.  Maybe the Los Angeles combine, I dunno.**

    *Movie reference.

    **Same movie. 

    • #74
  15. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):

    You’re fancy pants, alla youse.*

    You got periods, You got commas. You got question marks. I don’t know whose bringing in the exclamation points. Maybe the Los Angeles combine, I dunno.**

    *Movie reference.

    **Same movie.

    It’s gettin’ so a businessman can’t expect no return from a fixed fight.

    • #75
  16. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    SkipSul (View Comment):
    And be careful, at your age too much interrobanging and you could throw out your back.

    Now you tell me. And, so that’s what did it?

    • #76
  17. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    SkipSul (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    Is making fun of the Internet outrage mentality okay?

    “Trump is Hitler!!!!11!1!1!!11!!eleventy!!!!11!!”

    It is getting hard to distinguish the line between actual outrage and faux ironic outrage. We’re up against the theoretical limits of the parody speed.

    Poe’s Law.

    • #77
  18. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Arahant (View Comment):

    SkipSul (View Comment):
    And be careful, at your age too much interrobanging and you could throw out your back.

    Now you tell me. And, so that’s what did it?

    Gentlemen, this is a family site!

    Maybe Gambino. Maybe Manson. But still a family site.

    • #78
  19. CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker
    @CarolJoy

    Arahant, I am seriously puzzled as to how someone whose alter ego is a pirate could ever be against exclamation points.

    Without the exclamation points one who writes  about the Pirate King would need to enlarge the type whenever the hell bent and  adventurous one wishes to exclaim anything to his colleagues.

    Argh. Matey.

     

    This brings me to musing that perhaps you are you but you happen to have an

    Evil Twin.

    Feel free to ‘fess up now, or leave me to my musings.

     

     

     

    • #79
  20. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    Argh.

    *Sigh* It’s “Arrr.” It’s a rhotic form of, “Aye.” Also, if it is dialogue, it might be appropriate. As Michael said above:

    Michael S. Malone (View Comment):
    That the only time to use a “!” is in a direct quote when someone is shouting or screaming.

    If the pirate king is doing so, fine.

    • #80
  21. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    Percival (View Comment):
    It’s gettin’ so a businessman can’t expect no return from a fixed fight.

    Nailed it.  Nuthin’ but net.

    • #81
  22. CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker
    @CarolJoy

    Arahant (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    Argh.

    *Sigh* It’s “Arrr.” It’s a rhotic form of, “Aye.” Also, if it is dialogue, it might be appropriate. As Michael said above:

    Michael S. Malone (View Comment):
    That the only time to use a “!” is in a direct quote when someone is shouting or screaming.

    If the pirate king is doing so, fine.

    I stand corrected as far as the exclamation being proper when someone is shouting or screaming.

    But I still am not yet convinced you do not have an inner evil twin !

    • #82
  23. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    But I still am not yet convinced you do not have an inner evil twin !

    Inner?

    • #83
  24. CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker
    @CarolJoy

    Arahant (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    But I still am not yet convinced you do not have an inner evil twin !

    Inner?

    So are you sure you meant “Inner?” rather than “Inner

    • #84
  25. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    So are you sure you meant “Inner?” rather than “Inner

    Maybe.

    • #85
  26. Dennis A. Garcia (formerly Gai… Inactive
    Dennis A. Garcia (formerly Gai…
    @Gaius

    Arahant: Unless you are illustrating a point of a character who always seems to be in exclamatory mode, a character who is a joke and a punchline, then you might use more exclamation points to show what an idiot he is.

    “My characters are merely exuberant! That doesn’t make them jokes!” scoffed the writer, throwing down his stylus and tablet in disdain.

    “Loudmouthed and otherwise highly emotive people DESERVE sensitive fictional treatments!!” His colleague raged, and when words proved inadequate to the need of his righteous indignation, shoved his head forcefully though the drywall.

    • #86
  27. CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker
    @CarolJoy

    Arahant (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    So are you sure you meant “Inner?” rather than “Inner

    Maybe.

    I’m sulking. Spouse just pointed out that perhaps I am channeling my inner evil twin, but projecting that out to you.

     

    • #87
  28. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Thread Hijacker (View Comment):
    So are you sure you meant “Inner?” rather than “Inner

    Maybe.

    I’m sulking. Spouse just pointed out that perhaps I am channeling my inner evil twin, but projecting that out to you.

     

    Arahant’s secret is both twins are evil.

    • #88
  29. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    Dennis A. Garcia (formerly Gai… (View Comment):

    Arahant: Unless you are illustrating a point of a character who always seems to be in exclamatory mode, a character who is a joke and a punchline, then you might use more exclamation points to show what an idiot he is.

    “My characters are merely exuberant! That doesn’t make them jokes!” scoffed the writer, throwing down his stylus and tablet in disdain.

    “Loudmouthed and otherwise highly emotive people DESERVE sensitive fictional treatments!!” His colleague raged, and when words proved inadequate to the need of his righteous indignation, shoved his head forcefully though the drywall.

    Okay, help me out, here. Whose head got shoved through the drywall?  I mean, I’m a fan of pushing faces through drywall, but I’m lost.  Who got pasted?  The guy hollering, or the guy putting up with it?

    • #89
  30. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):

    Dennis A. Garcia (formerly Gai… (View Comment):

    Arahant: Unless you are illustrating a point of a character who always seems to be in exclamatory mode, a character who is a joke and a punchline, then you might use more exclamation points to show what an idiot he is.

    “My characters are merely exuberant! That doesn’t make them jokes!” scoffed the writer, throwing down his stylus and tablet in disdain.

    “Loudmouthed and otherwise highly emotive people DESERVE sensitive fictional treatments!!” His colleague raged, and when words proved inadequate to the need of his righteous indignation, shoved his head forcefully though the drywall.

    Okay, help me out, here. Whose head got shoved through the drywall? I mean, I’m a fan of pushing faces through drywall, but I’m lost. Who got pasted? The guy hollering, or the guy putting up with it?

    Who cares? The point is, jobs were created! Every hole punched through drywall is an opportunity, a kind of gypsum stimulus, for some enterprising mud-slinger to pick up a few bucks and feed his family. Keep those dollars moving, buddy!

    • #90
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