The Ailments of Style

If you like writing, you may know what style is. If not, it is simply an expression of the words you have on paper: the way a manuscript is formatted (ie, paragraph indents, chapter lengths), spelling, grammar, and punctuation. There are certain elements of style that are often overlooked, from the correct use of a comma, to the syntax of a sentence. Consider this example:

He watched a lion eating a chocolate bar.

Who exactly, is eating the chocolate bar: the lion?

During my lifetime, I have written eighteen novels. A half dozen of these are lost forever through hard drive failures and misplaced manuscripts. Each novel teaches. Each sentence is absorbed into the psyche, and as more and more words flow out, so do routines, good and bad. The love of writing isn’t without difficulty. A writer needs to know how to use punctuation, how to spell, and the correct use of grammar. I didn’t care much about these things when I first started to write novels. I just wanted to write, and technicalities like grammar didn’t interest me. My first novel took nine days to write, and hit the 120,000 word count. It was riddled with errors. A few years ago, I started to care and wanted to refine my style.

So, when is it more advantageous to use a semi colon instead of a comma or full stop? Not all novelists have the same style, although there are common traits. When I read a book, I find that a spelling mistake makes my brow twitch. Poor grammar will make me read faster, to find a better hook in the prose (and if it is very bad, I may skip the entire sentence or paragraph). Bad punctuation will frustrate the hell out of me. Consider this:

They are all yellow the sun a lemon and an autumnal leaf.

Wha …? Who agrees that the above sentence is difficult to read?

They are all yellow: the sun, a lemon, and an autumnal leaf.

The sentence is a poor one regardless, but the use of punctuation makes it better. The colon indicates there is a list to follow. Each member in the list is succeeded by a comma. The conjunction (‘and’) is no reason to omit a comma, because each member of the list is separate (at school, I was taught that the word ‘and’ replaces a comma. The hell it does!) Each comma is a pause, and the sentence is much more readable. The comma, regardless of the word ‘and’, adds to the rhythm of a sentence.

Punctuation is also great for pace. Using what I have said before, consider the following:

One, two, three, four.

We are counting, right? There is a brief pause after each list item. There are four apples, four dead bodies, four seconds until I come out and play hide and seek. Now:

One, two, three and four.

What is this? A dance step? We’re still counting, right? If this was dialogue, would the tone of voice differ over each word? Why is there no comma after the word ‘three’? It changes how a reader perceives the sentence.

So. We have already broken our first rule about commas, but it is still style, and all style is dependent upon is how one is trying to reach their audience. By using simple rules, we can ensure readable prose, and we don’t inadvertently put a comma outside of a quotation mark, or a comma after an exclamation. Of course, like many rules, there are exceptions and at times, the wrong use of punctuation gives greater effect to a sentence. What I am saying, is that one should learn the rules before one understands the better use of breaking them.

I believe the key to style is punctuation. It is the ringmaster of style, but all the other players still have an important job.

There are two things an aspiring writer like me must do: read and write. Writing gives experience; reading allows one to absorb different styles, ideas, and methodologies. Not all novels are created equal, and a writer ought to pay attention when reading a novel. Constant style not only enhances the readability of a manuscript; it provides consistency. A by-product of wide reading will enhance one’s knowledge on the variations of style, both modern and past. Charles Dickens’s style, for example, is different than my own. I would loathe writing sentences that don’t use full stops for as long as some of Dickens’s work.

Oliver Twist is a very good example. There are frequent long paragraph without full stops, but they are carved with other marks of punctuation. I haven’t read a modern novel that uses such exhaustive sentences. Was Dickens right in not using full stops? In the modern novel, pace can be amplified by a constant use of full stops. His style was different, but very easy to read, even the huge sentences.

People talk about prose having a pulse, a rhythm, or a beat. Stephen King mentioned it in his book ‘On Writing’, as have others. It is not only the way in which the sentence is written, but the style that affects that sentence. Perfect prose sings, and even songs need to be punctuated.

Whatever thoughts you have about style, it is worthwhile spending time to consider the above information in conjunction with your own writing practices. Of course, this depends on the publisher, too, as they may have their own style guide that a writer must adhere to.

Due to the numerous variations in punctuation and style, I am constantly developing my own style guide. It conforms to what appears to be naturally accepted, but it also entertains my own personal style of writing. For example, using a comma after a list item unless the rule needs to be broken.

Back to Dickens. Another thing that made my brow twitch were words used instead of ‘said’. For example:

“I don’t care!” he ejaculated.

Oh no! One of the greatest writers of our time makes its characters ejaculate dialogue. Perhaps in his day, it was commonly accepted. I don’t know, nor do I care. My style guide has a rule for this:

Said, replied, asked

Approximately 95% of dialogue should use said, replied, asked, or to be left blank when telling the reader who is speaking.

Examples:
“I think you’re hot,” said Bill.
“You’re an idiot,” Mary replied.
“Am not.”
“Are.”
“Do you really think I’m an idiot?” Bill asked, stroking his nose with a thumb.

Now, I did say 95%, because there are situations where other words should be used, ie, ‘he shouted’, ‘he demanded’, etc, but most should be said, replied, asked. Sometimes, nothing is warranted.

Well, these are just a few thoughts on style and specifically punctuation. It is interesting, and it is difficult for a new writer to come to grips with, but remember that rule No. 1 on writing will never ever ever ever ever change.

What is rule number 1 for a writer?

One of my favourite singers is Tina Arena. Such a beautiful voice. I could listen to it all day. In her song Burn, she sings, ‘If you want to be a poet, then write’.

So. Rule number 1 for a writer: ‘If you want to be a writer, then write’. It isn’t about learning to write. You don’t learn to write by reading how to do it. No cricketer plays for his country because he read a thousand books on how to play cricket. He played cricket, and he ‘got good’.