Some tips to help new writers with grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc...

[Wiglaf]

The part about different rules in different countries maybe accurate. I believe there is a difference with usage of single and double quotation marks.

 

[Erin99]

Yes!!! Over here in the UK we write single quote marks around speech and double quotation marks for a quote within speech, whereas in America you do the reverse, which, if I was honest, is the better way.

UK: 'My mother said "Don't talk to strangers", so I'm not allowed.'

America (and perhaps Canada?): "My mother said 'Don't talk to strangers', so I'm not allowed."

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I was taught two spaces after a period or colon, but that seems to be changing. While things are in a state of transition, I don't think it's a big issue whether you use one or two.

(And I'm not changing over until -- and unless -- I have to.)

 

[JDP]

That's odd. I'm British, but was always taught in school to use double quotes around speech. If I remember right, they were even often referred to as 'speech marks' as opposed to 'double quotation marks'. eg:

"What the hell are 'speech marks'?" blurted Larry. "Are you talking about double quotation marks? You're not s'posed to use them for speech, you know; you're s'posed to use quotation marks."

JDP glanced back down at his paper, shamefaced.

 

[Erin99]

I was taught the same thing at school, JDP. But in publishing nowadays, the UK require single quote marks for speech. If you send your manuscript in and it isn't set to the correct format, however, and agent/editor would not reject you based on that; it's a simple process of getting the typesetter to change single quote marks for double, and vice versa, should they decide to publish your novel.

Many years ago UK publishers also used speech marks (I prefer the term inverted commas) for speech, like America does, but somewhere along the way we broke from tradition.

 

[Sephiroth]

I use two spaces after colons, full stops and exclamation marks, and one after semicolons and commas.

I use the inverted commas for speech, and this recent fad does not amuse me. It doesn't look right, IMO.

 

[Erin99]

You're telling me! I had to find and replace my " with ' and my ' with ". Not amusing AT ALL.

And I noticed your use of double spaces. When you're posting on a forum, though, it doesn't show up, so it's pointless. But it's a habit, I suppose.

 

[Sephiroth]

And yet, I still do it every time!

And I hate that it doesn't show!!

 

[Giovanna Clairval]

Oh, my..... oh my.....

 

[Erin99]

What, Gio? Have you used " in your manuscript? Well, you are sending off to American agents/editors, so that's correct. Unless you used the single quote mark?

As I said, though, it's not a big deal. The typesetters alter your punctuation to suit their House Style, and no one would reject your work because of it.

 

[Giovanna Clairval]

I didn't, and now the poor thing is editing it

I am bad

 

[Erin99]

You can plead ignorance.


Then again, I think he's in love with your manuscript, so I doubt he's even noticed the mistake.


Ooh, I really want to ask you how that's going, but I can't here. You'll have to, in your B/D thread, tell me about your latest e-mails from God. By the sounds of it, once he's finished he'll put you in contact with Big People.

 

[Giovanna Clairval]

Of course, when you want.

 

[Erin99]

*rushes to B/D thread*

 

[Ursa major]

Many years ago, a secretary told me that she had been taught to put three spaces after a full stop for certain types of correspondence.

I usually use just the one, except in emails, where I've developed the habit of using two. (I don't why. )

 

[Giovanna Clairval]

Because you are wise, Ursine Being.

We just put one space after full stops, in the non-Anglish world.

 

[Sephiroth]

I just find two makes the whole thing easier to scan.

 

[Wiglaf]

Everything has a format. I am trained on essays, term papers, and the like. Professors will give you a format that you must use under penalty of death. Some times that format changes over time, but typically that is over citations. The rules that I've seen for submitting something for publication are simular, but not as numerous. I figure if a publisher doesn't specify something, I will go with the currently accepted academic standard in the U.S.. As for British publishers, I don't know the British rules completely. It seems to me that if they do change the puncuation and format to British standard, then they need to change the spelling to British standards as well. If I see single quotes in a book, then the spelling is invariably British. The spelling and punctuation is never mismatched. It is American spelling and American punctuation or British spelling and British punctuation. Pick a standard and then be consistant.

As for the secretary, the three spaces are probably a requirement of management to facilitate clarity for internal documents. If it is for the company's own use, they can make whatever rules they please.

 

[Lith]

I've been told the double spaces at the end of the sentence are a holdover from the typewriter era, where monospace typefaces left a lot of empty space in words, so the double space made it more distinctive. Nowadays, with computers able to set letters closer together in a word, it isn't so important (as long as you're self-consistent!)

It's perfectly ground into my brain- I don't think I could quit using them even if I wanted to- it just doesn't look right.

 

[Ursa major]

Ah, now I remember why I use double spaces after full stops in Emails: I tend to use a monospaced font. Thanks for getting my old tired brain into gear (for once!).

Oh yes, and it's also because I am wise; apparently.