Tips For Writing On Wattpad

Nitty Gritty: Commas

Nitty Gritty: Commas 
Did I already mention that grammar was my personal nightmare? Well, meet its best friend, the comma.

This is a comma: ,

Looks pretty small and insignificant, huh? That is just a disguise, don't fall for it. It likes to be underestimated.

The comma has the power to break apart and rearrange sentences.

With power comes great possibility - and endless potential for confusion.

A Warning: Whatever you do, do not rely on my stories for examples of proper comma use. I was taught to write with minimal punctuation and had to relearn a lot of it over the years - and many of my stories haven't been updated. This isn't exactly a bad thing on Wattpad, but it would give any high school English teacher (or editor/proofreader) nightmares. So, in this case, do as I say and not as I do. If in doubt, Google is your ally, you can use a writing guide, or you can even consult with an English teacher if you are still in school.

I have found Grammarly's guide to be one of the clearer, and more helpful, guides: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/comma/

I've started relying on the Chicago Manual of Style for consistency.

Contrary to popular belief, commas don't just signify a pause in the sentence.

There are actual rules as to when to use commas, but that involves a lot of jargon and terms such as clause, conjunction, and verb. I won't bore you with such technical terms. If you are curious as to the fine details or would love to learn all the proper terms, Google would love to tell you all about it.

    Repeat after me: I love commas. (When you believe it, come find me...) 

For comma use around dialogue, please refer to the previous chapter.

Here are some other comma basics.

Comma use with lists:
When listing things, use a comma between the words.

Example: I bought oranges, apples, and rutabagas.

The comma before 'and' is called an Oxford comma. It is optional depending on your writing style, but it is preferred in most published novels.

You don't need a comma if there are less than three terms, you simply join them with 'and'.

Correct: I grabbed the keys and bear spray.
Incorrect: I grabbed the keys, bear spray.
Incorrect: I grabbed the keys, and bear spray.

Commas when describing something:
I gazed at the small, blue butterfly. [because the two words describe the butterfly, there is a comma between them.]

Or we can reword it if you don't like that comma: I gazed at the blue butterfly, surprised by how small it was.

A few more examples:
I gently pet the soft, grey rabbit.
Wrapping up in the warm, fluffy blanket, I fell asleep.

Commas to join two short sentences:
Commas are weird. Sometimes they can even replace periods in some situations. Sometimes they allow you to break a sentence in half and put the back half at the front.

Example: When I looked to my right, I saw a bear.
Example: I scratched my head, trying to understand the confusing lesson.
Example: Walking slowly, I watched the sun set.
Example: While jogging along the path, I listened to music.