Today's Writing Tip Is on Exclamation Marks!!!

Sometimes people use too many exclamation marks. When they do, it may detract from the impact of a dramatic statement. It's best to use exclamation marks sparingly and to save them for emphasis.

For example, "John returned home from work and turned on the TV! He was so hungry that he ate his dinner standing at the counter! Then he wondered where his wife was; he smelled something odd and went into the garage and saw that she was sitting in the car with the engine on!" Clearly, the last line would have more punch if it were the only one with an exclamation.

Other people shy away from using exclamation marks at all. They think they look juvenile. I'm not one of those. I am fond of the exclamation mark, but I use it judiciously and I never use two or three in a row.

Sigrid Macdonald is the author of three books, including Be Your Own Editor http://tinyurl.com/7wnk5se and two short stories which she wrote under the pen name Tiffanie Good. Silver Publishing just released "The Pink Triangle," a tale of friendship, lust, and betrayal. You can view her story here: http://tinyurl.com/6v65rgr