Grammar, punctuation -- Is it important?

[ellenjames]

Friends,

Are grammar and punctuation important in writing?

Wrong spelling and punctuation usually leap out to me from a page of writing! And wrong punctuation can leave a person scratching his/her head wondering what is this guy/gal saying. Wrong punctuation can give the reader confusing messages.

My cousin recommended to me a book about punctuation. "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss, a British bestseller. I expect to learn a lot from reading this book.

Have you read this book? And is punctuation a priority in your writing?
Thanks for your responses.

Ellenjames

[Merry]

I try to keep it in mind, but when I write the priority is getting the idea out. I tend to write very fast when I'm 'in mode' and try to clean it up later. But it is important because it can cost you the reader's attention. I recall one of the 'snarkier' comments I received when Doc DIlly was in the WorldView contest last year ran along the lines of, "Well! Someone needs to learn where to put an apostrophe'!" After thinking..."Puhleeeze..." I knocked it off because the responsibility for the story is mine. And if I left land mines around that caused distraction, then that was a problem.

So I'm still famous for messing them up, but I keep working on it. I don't think anyone gets it perfect, but the fewer 'little' mistakes, the better.

[wgjones3]

Bad writers don't ever follow any rules.

Good writers always follow all the rules.

Great writers break the rules when they need to.

To break the rules, you must first know the rules.

[ellenjames]

Merry!

I know about writing fast! Many times my brain works faster than my hands and I end up leaving out words! But you're right: it's important to get it on paper. One can always go back and make corrections. Perhaps that is the reason editing takes longer than writing?

Ellenjames

[ellenjames]

WG,

You are correct! But first one must know the rules in order to know which ones to break!
Right?

Ellenjames

[paulchernoch]

When I get stuck with a punctuation dilemma, I occasionally consult a grammar guide like the Chicago Manual of Style. But my usual recourse is to simplify the sentence, break it into several smaller sentences, or completely rewrite it. Once you have mastered the basics of punctuation and grammar, the more advanced rules will only clarify the meaning to a reader who similarly understands those rules. So if you need to follow a complex rule to express your thought grammatically, you will probably lose readers unfamiliar with that rule.

That being said, I will still sink into the more complex constructions most often when I am trying to render something poetically and am giving special care to the rhythm of a paragraph. That's where those pesky semicolons and commas most easily offend.

- Paul

[LLFriday]

I agree one must know the rules.
I also agree when my mind gets into gear I just let it go...then I go back and fix all the messes. :rolleyes: