One Rookie Writing Mistake to Avoid!

 One Rookie Writing Mistake to Avoid!

Did you see what I did in the title?

No?

Look again!

I did it again...

Yes, it is the exclamation point. The "EP" is a punctuation mark best avoided in serious writing. You can use it in your stupid texts and Instagram posts until the cows come home, but we don't want or need to see it in every paragraph of your novel.

EP's are like drugs. Use them once, okay. Use them twice, you start itching to use them more. I need my EP fix! Hit me! YES! 

Please don't sell your kidney for EPs...

Look through the works of great authors, hell just decent ones, and you will see very few EP's.

You may be asking "why can't I use exclamation points? They show excitement, don't they?"

EP's are more tell than show. Punctuation is not a substitute for good writing and EP's are an indication shitty dialogue (sometimes). 

This is only a problem when rookie writers overuse them and they lose their impact. Can EP's be effective? Yes, but only when wielded at just the right moment. Honestly, people do not shout all that often, nor are we expressing great excitement in our everyday talks. 

Here is an example of using an EP correctly to indicate a strong feeling of excitement or surprise: 

"Yes, I will marry you!"

They are also used for interjections:

"Ouch!"

EP's can be avoided by using explicit (not XXX, perverts) language which conveys the excitement or urgency.

    "I have to finish this paper today!"

versus

    "Its crucial for me to finish this paper today."

In professional writing of any kind, DO NOT do the following (this isn't social media):

?!

.!

!!!!

!!

I think you get it.

There are many, more in depth explanations out there on the web. Check them out if you want to delver deeper, but for now I hope this gets you started. I also hope I made a case...and that I do not break my own rules.