So I just finished reading a published book, and no, I won’t say which one was it, and I found a GREAT amount of m dashes (—) and ellipses... especially in dialogue, through the whole novel.
So it kind of read like this (I'm exaggerating, of course):
“What do you mean? Could it actually—”
“What do you mean? Could it actually—”“I mean—yeah, it could happen.”
“Oh right. So I think—I think that… wait. Did you see that?”
I had the impression everyone was stammering while they spoke. And seriously? Sometimes I didn’t even have a clue about what the characters were going to say because the writer interrupted the dialogue plenty of times. And the flow—the flow—was… was terrible for me.
So I guess that I’m just saying that I prefer when the dialogue “sings” till the end (most of the time), and we aren’t left wondering what the hell the character was going to say.
Okay, so maybe that was just a pet peeve of mine. What do you think?
PS: A lovely thirteen-year-old writer interviewed me for her blog--if you want to check it out, go here. ;)
PS: A lovely thirteen-year-old writer interviewed me for her blog--if you want to check it out, go here. ;)
I've found myself using them a lot in my current WIP (first draft, aka word vomit.) There are scenes where one character is (trying to avoid) talking about something he wants to tell and doesn't want to tell or acknowledge happened, for that matter.
ReplyDeleteAs I write it, it makes so much sense that he stops himself a lot, but when I go back and read it out loud, I hear how choppy and weird it sounds. I've been fiercely eliminating and keeping only the most necessary ones.
Argh, I know exactly what you mean! It just sounds so--so--so--so ... so ... INFURIATING! LOL ;) As Leah said, reading the work aloud really helps with dialogue and sentencing. I also dislike (but don't hate) when characters finish each others' sentences ALL THE TIME. For example:
ReplyDelete"It was in the lake -"
"- at midnight, on the -"
"- Fourth of July, with -"
"- a boat! I knew it! I -"
"Yeah, I know, you had a dream about it." Or whatever. Sometimes it works. But most times, it's just chaos. Le sigh. Great post :)
I like em dashes (or so my betas tell me) but try not to over use them in dialogue. Only if a character is getting cut off. As for ellipses i try to avoid them, mostly.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! I've found that a lot of writers like to use them, but they are very rarely necessary. Why use them when they detract from the reading and pull the reader out of the story?!
ReplyDeleteBeats me. Huge pet peeve, too.
I like them fine in moderation. Definitely prefer them over monologue type dialogue that is far more unrealistic.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'm rather over-fond of both, myself, but I can certainly understand how too many of either can get annoying. I always do an em-dash and ellipsis purge when I'm through writing a book, and try to only keep the necessary ones.
ReplyDeleteOf course, my definition of "necessary" may be different than most. ;)
Leah, I think I'm like you... in the first word-vomit, I use them a lot. And then I eliminate most of them. But not all... I think that they sound good in moderation. :)
ReplyDeleteCaitlin! LOL! You know what? There's this mom at my kids' school who ALWAYS tries to finish what I'm saying. And with your comment you reminded me of her! hahaha!
Chelsey,
As I told Leah, I like em dashes when used in moderation too. :)
Juliana, right! Totally! LOL. I mean, as I said, this was a published book. By a huge publisher, to top it off. And I really couldn't get why the author overused them. :P
Bane of Anubis, I think that's a great point. And all in moderation is great, IMO :D
Linda, I'm sure your definition of "necessary" is just like my own! ;)
I completely agree. That would make it sound like the characters were stuttering. I think just like anything else in writing, it's best used sparingly to give it more impact.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally guilt of using these in first drafts but I try to edit out as much of them as I can, because I know how annoying they can be! Yikes.
ReplyDeleteYes! I totally agree. I just read a book by an author that I usually love, but she had so many ellipses, that I think she was using them in place of commas. It bothered me so much (I kept thinking: Are all of these characters like really breathy?) That I haven't read this author's next two books. I might break down and get them still,but just hope it's not so bad this time.
ReplyDeleteStuffs -- and ... in pocket and hides from lynch mob. :o)
ReplyDeleteYou already know that I'm addicted to them...but don't worry...I'm receiving treatment for it...
ReplyDeleteI use a LOT of dashes if forget to restrict myself--erm, like that. I've found instances where there were something like five or more per page in unedited material. :P
ReplyDeleteNew follower!
He he I wonder if it's the book I'm thinking of! I read one recently that had that issue. It was like every line of dialogue was cut off with a --. Oh well, so we learn from things we get hung up on too, right? :D
ReplyDeleteYahong, right. I think they don't even realize it!
ReplyDeleteHeather! YAY, I'm glad you don't think I'm crazy, lol.
Jenny! Ha! In case you were wondering, it isn't your book, lol. I thought you barely used them, :)
Kaylee, I love that word you used: "breathy." That's exactly what an overuse of ellipses make you feel!
Kim: ROTFL!
Holly! No you aren't! ;)
The Golden Eagle! Hi! *waves*
And lol, yeah, sometimes I find like 5 em dashes in a page, too. And I have to start slaying!
Lisa, oh, now I'm curios as to what book you read!
And totally--this was on out list, right? (I talking about your post, of course ;D)
Oh man, in a conversation or two where one person is trying to say something but can't get it out? That I understand. But through the whole thing? I hate it when stuff like that ruins a good story for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm so guilty of this, but like others have said, I cut most of them afterward. It's like the first draft gets them out of my system.
ReplyDeleteHi...my name's Scott and I'm an ellipses abuser. <>. ;)
ReplyDeleteI really am. I use them all the time. I don't think of it as stuttering, but it all depends on how you write it. I know few people who speak without some nuance of hesitation.
I don't mind em-dashes and use them once in awhile (in narration, not dialogue). But I really don't like ellipses. I understand dashes - sometimes people get cut off. But...how many times to people just trail off (none, in books - it's boring). :)
ReplyDeleteerica
That would drive me nuts too. I use them in dialogue, but only if necessary. And that's not very often.
ReplyDeleteI agree, they are fine in early drafts but they just distract if used too often!
ReplyDeleteOh man, I'm so guilty of overusing ellipses. I just love them because in dialog, for me, they feel like the speaker isn't sure how to finish their sentence, which really does happen.
ReplyDeleteBut too many dashes is a total turn off. BTW you know what other author uses excessive ellipses? JK Rowling. All the HP books have tons of them, along with tons of adverbs.
MY CPs always mention my love affair with ellipses, and I spend the next rounds of revisions breaking it off with them. :(
the ellipses, that is, not the CPs. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI think if you use anything too much it's distracting eg. parenthesis, dashes, italicize etc. All those things can be effective, but only used sparingly. Just my opinion though.
ReplyDeletePatti Nielson
I use a ton of dashes and ellipses in my dialogue, but only in my first drafts. I always have to smooth it out in subsequent drafts because it drives me crazy! I think it's fine occasionally, but too much is just too much.
ReplyDeleteHey Jolene! Yeah! It was through the whole thing! I just couldn't believe it, lol.
ReplyDeleteChery, yeah, it seems, by reading the comments, that we're all guilty of this, but later we kill some of those ellipsis and dashes. YAY us! :P
Scott! Funny first line ;)
Erica, Carrie and Patti, AGREED! :D
Stina, so maybe I'm already nuts because I finished reading that book? LOL
PK, really? It's been a while since I read HP, but now I'm curious! LOL. I guess she knew how to do it well without messing with the flow ;)
Shallee! Join the club ;)
<3
Ooo, when I blog I use the junk out of them. I try not to use them in my wip's but thank goodness for editing because they do end up in there and they frustrate me too. I like them at times, but not all through the novel.
ReplyDeleteI also heard if you use one in a wip you should stick to just that one and not switch back and forth. I wonder how much truth there is to that?
I think too many can do exactly what you describe. If overused they interrupt flow and distract from the words. Correctly placed, they can help the reader "hear" the dialogue.
ReplyDeleteHey Deana! Oh I haven't heard that (RE: not switching back and forth.) But I'll look into it, thx! :D
ReplyDeleteRebecca! Totally right! Also, I think that when you place them correctly, you don't even notice them.
Ha ha! That's hilarious. It always puzzles me how picky agents/editors are, yet they let something like this go by.
ReplyDeleteOne of my crit partners absolutely hates the ellipsis and so now I'm very conscious of it (I hardly use it). She made me realize how unnecessary it is most of the times. I am a chronic em-dasher, though.
Lorena
Oh...the ellipse...and now---the dash---there's just no winning these days. Perhaps its because people interrupt so much more these days?
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, Christa (and probably true!)
ReplyDeleteLorena
Lorena, RIGHT! It amazes me that the editors let those things go by!
ReplyDeleteAnd Christa, LOLOLOL! Totally. Everyone interrupts these days! :P
This bugs me too. And I just finished a major book that had lots of adverbs in it. I mean, a lot. I suppose if they're well placed and all....
ReplyDeleteOops! Sorry :D
Julie, too bad that we can't discuss which books were they, right? And lololol!
ReplyDeleteDashes, ellipses, parenthesis - oh my. They drive me nutty when I read a piece riddled with them. I try to avoid them when I write, but when you need them, you need them. Who invented these things? Probably the same person that invented some of those algebra concepts that you NEVER use in real life.
ReplyDeleteI'm super guilty of overusing em-dashes. My crit mates had to put me in rehab for it... ;) I think the only place they don't bother me is when someone is in the middle of talking and someone cuts them off, they don't belong in the middle of a sentence, though.
ReplyDeleteLeslie!! Ha! Your comment comparing algebra to ellipses and parenthesis is hilarious! :D
ReplyDeleteSteph, right. when someone cuts a sentence with an em dash, it's difficult to know what the character wanted to say! (Lol about rehab! :P)