Writing tips

Grammar 101 Series: Punctuation

Jodi Brandon Editorial

Grammar 101 Series: Punctuation

Punctuation is weird. I know. That doesn't make it unimportant, though. As an entrepreneur, why should you care? Because good punctuation helps with clarity. And whether you're writing for your business blog, your email newsletter, or your book, clarity is obviously important.

Good punctuation helps with clarity. - @jodibrandon

Punctuation marks create sense in your writing for your readers. They illustrate the end of a sentence, the end of a thought or idea, or a transition to a new idea -and so much more. Most people have the basics down (period, comma, question mark), but unless you're currently taking a middle-school English class, you might need to brush up on the usage of some of the others.

The Series Comma Battle
Commas aren't generally confusing, but the battle of the series (sometimes called the Oxford) comma is real. Some style guides prefer its use; some don't. What we in the book publishing industry refer to as "Chicago style" (aptly named after The Chicago Manual of Style) DOES use the series comma. Not sure what I mean? Take a look at this example:

SERIES COMMA: The pie was made with strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and cherries.

NO SERIES COMMA: The pie was made with strawberries, blueberries, peaches and cherries.

Without the series comma, the second sentence COULD be read as a list of three items:

Strawberries

Blueberries

A combination of peaches and cherries

This is a simplified example. Sometimes it's more complicated and you'll need to re-read a sentence to be sure how many items are actually in a list. Re-reading means slowing down, which is sometimes inefficient.

If you have a marketing background, you're likely more familiar with AP style, which doesn't use the series comma. If you decide to write a book, your copy editor will want to change this, but otherwise, you do you.

Punctuation is weird. I know. That doesn't make it unimportant, though. As an entrepreneur, why should you care? Because good punctuation helps with clarity. And whether you're writing for your business blog, your email newsletter, or your book, clarity is obviously important. | Jodi Brandon Editorial
Hyphens, Dashes, and More - Oh My!
Dashes seem to really confuse some people. Here's an oversimplified breakdown:

EN DASH: Used to indicate time spans and ranges of numbers, as well as connecting a compound phrase (e.g., Nobel Prize-winning author). Longer than a hyphen; shorter than an em dash.

EM DASH: Used in place of a comma, parentheses, or a colon to draw attention to a piece of text (e.g., When his mother realized how many questions he missed - 23 out of 40 - she called his teacher.) Often used in pairs.