Exclamation Points – Do you use them and when?

Man, I had a rude awakening a couple years ago when I submitted the draft of the manuscript for my first book to the editor. About five pages in, she made a note in the margin telling me to can the exclamation points – all of them. In short, she feels that exclamation points should never be used, except on very rare occasions in dialogue. I never knew. Silly me, I thought that since they existed they should be used. But now I have to say that I agree, and I cringe when I read something where pretty much every sentence ends with one.

Any thoughts on the Great Exclamation Point Debate?

Tags: editors, exclamation, grammar, points

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Yeager on February 10, 2010 at 4:04pm: Micheal - That shows an interesting difference in the way our minds work ... not to mention how we spend our free time.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sindy E on February 10, 2010 at 4:48pm: I agree. In dialogue only and only one at a time.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Billy Joe Bowling on February 10, 2010 at 5:24pm: Hi, Interrobang IS a major metal band, but before this Dutch group adopted it, interrobang was the mutant glyph child that resulted from the marriage of a question mark and an exclamation point.; ▶ Reply to This

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