Interpretation in writing
I am annoying – I know that for a fact, and to anybody reading this article I doubt it will come as much of a surprise! I ask too many questions — especially about technical things that most people couldn’t care less about… — quiz people who don’t want to be quizzed, and generally annoy people. Yep, that’s me. One thing which really annoys people is when I quiz them about what they really want their writing to mean…
All these sentences are slightly different in tone, and, therefore, effect. There are literally sometimes dozens of ways to write the same sentence
I am annoying – I know that for a fact, and to anybody reading this article I doubt it will come as much of a surprise! I ask too many questions — especially about technical things that most people couldn’t care less about… — quiz people who don’t want to be quizzed, and generally annoy people. Yep, that’s me. One thing which really annoys people is when I quiz them about what they really want their writing to mean and suggest (I’m talking about writing friends, here…sometimes people with way more writing experience than me, too). Because, if you ask me, there are different ways to write the same thing. There doesn’t always have to be one right answer; in fact, sometimes there can be more than a few and you need to be aware of how they might come across. Well, if you ask me, anyway. The comma needs to be in the right place, you know! Some people still care about that kind of thing!
Look at this example: David went for a wander on the beach and, stopping to pick up a supremely shiny stone, he gazed out to sea and thought to himself Oh dear, it would seem that man is drowning. It’s a shame I can’t swim!
Now look at this next example: David went for a wander on the beach and stopping to pick up a supremely shiny stone he gazed out to sea and thought to himself Oh dear, it would seem that man is drowning. It’s a shame I can’t swim!
And now this: David went for a wander on the beach and, stopping, to pick up a supremely shiny stone, he gazed out to sea and thought to himself Oh dear it would seem that man is drowning. It’s a shame I can’t swim!
See what I mean now? All these sentences are slightly different in tone, and, therefore, effect. There are literally sometimes dozens of ways to write the same sentence. It isn’t that one way is righter, it’s just that commas can be great to slowing the writing down, or speeding it up to make a point. Sometimes they are used – as my pal rowan dartington goes on about – as you would in a conversation. This adds impact and dramatic effect when the pause occurs.
Which is why you always need to pay attention to the message you are getting across!
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