No punctuation?

[Chris Guillory]

On two occasions now, I've noticed in my WIP that if a character says a single word, the editor removed my punctuation mark. Is this correct? For example:

"Jeff" was all he said before jumping on his broomstick.

No comma or period after Jeff? Not an actual sentence from my WIP.

 

[J Riff]

"Nope." answered Jeff's agent.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Actually it's

"Nope," answered Jeff's agent. A saidism ie descriptor of the dialogue uses a comma as a link - it's only a full stop if you're going to an action ("Nope." Jeff's agent stood and stretched.)

Chris, how have you found this editor and what are their credentials? Dialogue punctuation is pretty basic stuff and something people often get wrong and an editor should know both to watch out for it and how to use it correctly. I'd be very worried about the advice they were giving, if what you're taking from their advice is correct. And, actually, that's the other thing - have you asked them why they've advised the change? If you think something is wrong you're quite in your right to ask for an explanation. It's just, in the past, I've adjusted dialogue punctuation when beta-ing and the people I've done it for haven't understood why I did it (my bad) and have applied it incorrectly. Perhaps post the example?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Actually I've thought further - no punctuation might be okay IF it is reported speech ie the character is relating what was said by someone else. We'd definitely need to see it to bd sure.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I concur with Springs.

 

[Ursa major]

Actually I've thought further - no punctuation might be okay IF it is reported speech ie the character is relating what was said by someone else.

I'm not sure about this. I've seen reported speech dealt with in two ways, with and without quotation marks, but not without the comma. This would translate to either:

"Jeff," was all he said before jumping on his broomstick.

Jeff, was all he said before jumping on his broomstick.​

And I can't say I like the second version.

Besides,

"Jeff" was all he said before jumping on his broomstick.

just doesn't look right to me (whether or not it's 'correct').

 

[Chris Guillory]

Actually it's

"Nope," answered Jeff's agent. A saidism ie descriptor of the dialogue uses a comma as a link - it's only a full stop if you're going to an action ("Nope." Jeff's agent stood and stretched.)

Chris, how have you found this editor and what are their credentials? Dialogue punctuation is pretty basic stuff and something people often get wrong and an editor should know both to watch out for it and how to use it correctly. I'd be very worried about the advice they were giving, if what you're taking from their advice is correct. And, actually, that's the other thing - have you asked them why they've advised the change? If you think something is wrong you're quite in your right to ask for an explanation. It's just, in the past, I've adjusted dialogue punctuation when beta-ing and the people I've done it for haven't understood why I did it (my bad) and have applied it incorrectly. Perhaps post the example?

Thanks, Springs. I went through CreateSpace. For better or for worse. This will be my first publication, and I went with them due to the attraction of a package that includes all services. Unfortunately, the edit is a one-time revision and further consultations would come at a cost (which I don't have). I wouldn't say I regret my decision, however, for the future I may seek other editing services. There are some folks here, I believe that offer them. Sadly, I did not know people like @Teresa Edgerton until after I committed to them .

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I'm saving up for a Teresa now that I have read Goblin Moon...

I know I can't edit my own work even to fix things I do know how to do. I read too fast.

 

[tinkerdan]

My experience with Xlibris has been the same.

Thanks, Springs. I went through CreateSpace. For better or for worse. This will be my first publication, and I went with them due to the attraction of a package that includes all services. Unfortunately, the edit is a one-time revision and further consultations would come at a cost (which I don't have). I wouldn't say I regret my decision, however, for the future I may seek other editing services. There are some folks here, I believe that offer them. Sadly, I did not know people like @Teresa Edgerton until after I committed to them .

The first rounds of edits are free and then anything after starts the ticker running.

As to that particular one I would have chosen to tell Xlibris that it needed to stay as it was, though I can almost see what might have happened there.

That's technically not dialogue in the sense that it is someone explaining what someone said. After all who actual said that he said Jeff when he said this. If it is the narrator then that does cause a bit of a puzzle.

Other wise if it were a character saying this it might look like.
" 'Jeff' was all he said before jumping on his broomstick."

But this could also look like a thought.
Jeff(Jeff in italics)was all he said before jumping on his broomstick.

What the editor put in looks like quotes in lieu of italics.
Depending on the style guide it could be single or double quotes.

Possibly seeing the context would make this clearer.

I think they meant well.

It could also be the complexity of the sentence. It's almost a complex as a passive sentence.

Is it possibly that. He said, "Jeff," before jumping on his broomstick.
No need to explain that it is all he said because; it's all he says.