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As a proofreader, I come across some pretty spectacular uses of quotation marks. Of course, I expect the typical typos, missing quotation marks or extra quotation marks. But then, there’s the weird and the wonderful: British vs American English nuances, quotes within quotes (within quotes!), misuse of quotation marks, quotation marks for emphasis, quotes from Shakespeare, Louis Pasteur, 1800’s architects, a bus driver on Queen Street…and everything in between. The real problem I see in all the prose that I read and edit though, is consistency. Here’s the thing. You guys aren’t using quotation marks wrong per se just inconsistently. There are a tonne of style books that are supposed to dictate what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to the English language. But the answer is not always clear cut. My best advice is it’s up to you, the author, to choose your style. And the only thing that really matters is that once you’ve made your choice, stick to it veraciously. It doesn’t matter so much if you mix up styles, just be consistent. British English tends to prescribe the use of single quotation marks around direct quotes and speech and the use of double quotation marks for quotes within quotes. This all sounds relatively simple. Next, comes the punctuation of quotes – also fairly simple − the punctuation (commas, full-stops…) come after the closed quotation marks. And then comes the atrocity of exceptions. What do we put around words for emphasis? Specialist terms? To indicate sarcasm? What if the quote has multiple sentences? Where does the punctuation go if I have half a sentence? What are quotes even? And then, there’s the American way. Double quotation marks go around quotes and speech. The punctuation is contained within the quotation marks. Again, fairly simple. Single quotation marks may be used for quotes within quotes and everybody is happy...and that’s where the questions pick up all over again. So, let me leave you with a few practical tips. The modern English language is so much more forgiving, so if you aren’t a quotation mark and stylistic guru, and you haven’t been given strict publication criteria, here are some really simple rules to follow: 1. Determine if your publisher (or University) has style criteria. If so, follow this. If not, read on. 2. Decide if you prefer single or double quotation marks. 3. Decide if you prefer your punctuation inside or outside your quotation marks. 4. Be consistent. Always. The English language is constantly evolving so the lines between British and American English are getting more and more blurred. Generally, its OK to use single quotation marks for an American English book just like it’s OK to use double quotation marks for British English manuscripts. You can choose to put your punctuation inside or outside quotation marks. At the end of the day, you are the author and it’s your writing, so just be consistent and enjoy it. If you are looking to consult a good style guide, Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage is a great starting point.
In today’s age of “Spellcheck”, “Autocorrect”, and “Grammarly®”, you may be wondering, “Do I really need a proofreader?”. Of course, the obvious answer coming from a proofreader-by-trade is, an emphatic yes! But, what do we do that your computer can’t? And, why do you even need us? It’s the small things that matter: missing letters, double words, incorrect use of words, punctuation errors, and words that have been autocorrected inappropriately. Simple spellchecking programs miss these mistakes . And it’s a problem. In fact, this problem is so widespread that these errors have infiltrated e-mails, advertisements, signage, newspaper and magazine articles, menus – the list is endless, and it’s embarrassing. Have we gotten lazy? Complacent perhaps? Maybe, we’ve stopped caring. After all, they’ll still get the general message – right? But, when you read a book, an article or even an e-mail and pick up on those errors as the reader, how does it make you feel? Frustrated? Like the writer hasn’t done their job properly? It’s unprofessional. Here’s one worse: What if it was your piece of writing? Take it from me. As a proofreader, I use a proofreader. In fact, one of the team will be going over this very text before we go to print – or publish – is perhaps more accurate. Which begs the question, shouldn’t my own writing as a proofreader be flawless? Now, let me tell you, the human brain works in funny ways . It doesn’t see our own mistakes. Repeated statements, overuse of words (think of the number of times you use “actually” or “quite” in your prose), sentences that are way too long, missing punctuation (I'm sure I have some here). The list goes on. Our brain has drawn up the plan, typed out the words, and ignored those little mistakes. And your proofreader can fix it. So, thanks for the words brain, and off to one of the team at Doclins for a decent once-over.
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