Enhanced Punctuation Question (Ellipsis, EM dash, Semicolon, colon)...

[-K2-]

Hi, I'm Kay, and I'm an ellipsis abuser...

Okay, so, I admit it. I'll abuse an ellipsis every chance I get. It's not that I have anything against them, or lack respect for them, I simply can't help it (well, I really don't care ) in casual settings like a forum post, casual email, etc.. However, now that I'm trying to write like I'm serious about it, I continually recheck what I'm doing in my manuscript to try and get things right. Unfortunately, I keep running into conflicting information.

Such as:
Place the dots next to one another, and/or use a space between them. Bob...Mary -or- Bob . . . Mary -or even- Bob... Mary -or- Bob ... Mary
Same issues with an EM dash breaking up a sentence (and I'll use double hyphens here). Bob said-- no wait -or- Bob said--no wait -or- Bob said -- no wait

And so on. I looked in the Chicago Style Manual hoping to firm usage up, but, then I look at numerous other references and I'm finding a LOT of contradiction, and as far as examples in use, they even go so far as to say one thing while showing another. And frankly, what it stated in CSM goes against published examples I've encountered.

So, where can I find what are preferred use rules as applied to and sought by '(scifi) fiction publishers?'

Thanks for your help. I'm getting a little tired of going back and changing countless lines to reflect the 'new/old usage rule version' I keep running into.

K2

 

[tinkerdan]

I find this site best for those types of issues

Hyphens and Dashes // Purdue Writing Lab

The Purdue University Online Writing Lab serves writers from around the world and the Purdue University Writing Lab helps writers on Purdue's campus.

owl.purdue.edu

usually they have good examples.

 

[Mouse]

As long as you're consistent in what you use, it doesn't really matter. Your publisher might end up changing it anyway.

 

[DannMcGrew]

Using Chicago will never be wrong if you haven't got a style manual from a specific publisher. As Mouse said, your publisher's editor will bring your mss into line with their style. Just pick a style. In the US: Chicago or AP and stick to it. But Chicago is the standard for book publishing.

 

[-K2-]

Thanks for the responses everyone. With that thought in mind, I guess I'll go back and apply sweeping changes to my EM dashes, ellipsis', semicolons, colons, etc., INCLUDING the application of non-breaking hyphens and spaces as the CSM suggests. And then, let anyone who disagrees (publishers/editors if there is one), sort it out.

Thanks for the advice.

K2

 

[Danny McG]

 

[CTRandall]

Previous posters gave good advice on style but my suggestion for ellipses is...

Don't use them.

I read Tade Thompson's Rosewater last week and I found his overuse of ellipses in a couple of early chapters annoying and off-putting. I got past it and ended up really enjoying the book (the ellipses also disappeared in later chapters--yay for the editor!) but if they had shown up at the start, I probably wouldn't have made it past the sample.

My problem with ellipses is that their meaning is ambiguous. They are, in essence, a rhythmic device, usually indicating a pause in speech. But if you're not careful, a reader won't know if that pause is an uncertain hesitation, a deliberate choice to leave something unsaid, a moment to think or something else. Further confusing the issue is the fact that some authors use ellipses to show interruptions, which usually quicken the pace of a conversation. (Tade Thompson's use of ellipses thoroughly disrupted a couple of conversations and were utterly pointless.)

When used carefully, em dashes work well. Same for colons, though you have to be even more careful.