Colons - Semi Colons

   Colons, and Semi Colons 

Today’s request is from young Giles Pettifer, who would appreciate clarification on the correct usage of colons, and semi colons; in their differential to commas. Thus we shall refer to the Oxford Compendium for Grammar and Punctuation.

To start we shall look at colons: their prime objective is to separate main clauses where there is a step forward from the first to the second, especially from introduction to main point.

Prime Examples:

There is something I want to say: I should like you all to know how grateful I am to you.

It was not easy: to begin with I had to find the right house.

The weather was bad: so we decided to stay at home.

He could not believe all he had overheard: could it be true?

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Colons are useful as introduction to an informal list. In this use a — should not be used.

The following will be needed: a pen, pencil, rubber, piece of paper, and ruler.

Chloe collected most items she had required for hockey: her boots, her shorts, her shirt, and forgot her hockey stick.

The Colon is also used to introduce more formally and “emphatically” than a comma would: in speech or quoted material it adds dimension to pause, thus lengthens that moment of suspension mid sentence.

“I told them last week: ‘Do not in any circumstances open this door’.”

It was written down in large lettering: Step through this gate at your peril.

He vacated his chair: “How dare you imply that: when I have bent over backwards to oblige you?”

(However, a — would serve purpose for the last example)

He vacated his chair: “How dare you imply that— when I have bent over backwards to oblige you?”

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Now to the semi colon: the main role of its usage is to unite sentences that are closely associated, or that compliment or parallel each other in some way, as in the following examples.

In the northern part of the city there is a large industrial area with little private housing; further east is a university.

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

But, let us not stop there; the semi colon has usage as a stronger division in a sentence that already includes divisions by comma usage. In both the following examples it divides action from passive, and provides emphasis for drama or thoughtful consideration within prose, and dialogue.

He came out of the house, which lay back a good way from the road, and saw her at the end of the path; but instead hid until she was gone.

She glanced out of the carriage window; unsure how much farther it was to the next coaching inn.

The semi colon has its uses within lists; a stronger demarcation between items, names, and places.

I should like to thank my managing director, Stephen Jones; my secretary Mary Cartwright; and my assistant Kenneth Sloane.

We placed all the boxes of books in the study; each thus labelled in genre, such as thriller; romance; crime; all in order to simplify the process of replacement after the shelves are cleaned and polished.

Now to the inimitable and mischievous comma: a bane of many authors and often misread as a gremlin by readers. Oh how that little squiggle, the comma, is harder to define than all the other punctuation marks, and there is much variation in practise. Too many commas can be distracting; too few can make a piece of writing drab and difficult to read, or worse, difficult to understand.

So perhaps, the comma is better left for another day of in depth study.

Mary Tutelage

Good day to you dear visitor, and welcome to my Creative Writing Academy.

The opening discussion has been centred on deportment and posture in carriage, which is as important for the art of writing as it is for a model displaying the latest creation at a favoured modiste's establishment. 

Back straight- That is correct Monica. Do not slouch. 

Now that we are all sitting correctly, are we ready to resume with the gritty reality of rejection? Yes, it seems we are. 

Well then, in tackling the issue of rejection the course will continue for the duration of this day's study and we shall explore every avenue and path to publication named Rejection. 

Indeed, not only do reading tastes vary from reader-to-reader, from publisher to publisher authors are subject to the personal whim of a submissions editor. There is no soft means to convey the consequence of personal subjectivity. Readers are but human, their likes and dislikes will mark varying degrees of all that they desire from a book. 

It was Monica's turn to suggest a theme and crime is her subject for Rejection.  

Authors who choose to indulge the dark and dangerous underworld of crime must be prepared to research all the working cogs of a crime novel. A true cognoscente of crime fiction will keen detailed interpretation of crime at its most factual. Mere period specific criminal jargon adds extra nuance of time and place, but police and law court procedural is vital. Though what of earlier periods before the Bow Street Runners (London), or the gen d'armes (Gendarmerie France)? All crime novels, I had best mention, are subject to period in history, or its contemporary setting. Where do sheriffs, constables, and county militias have their part to play in maintaining the peace and keeping order in townships and the countryside? What of jail/Gaol, or the local pound?   

Of course the lesser crime enthusiast, or the new devotee of crime fiction will gradually glean and compare one author against another and decide for self which of the authors is the better. Perhaps difference will lie in the art of creating atmosphere and characterisation. Not all authors paint a scene and instead presume the reader will imagine the surroundings in which the incident/s occur, more especially within the contemporary setting. Whereas, historical crime requires a modicum of instrumental scene setting. Else a cab of the Victorian horse-drawn era may loom in the readers mind as a modern day mechanical monstrosity belching steam, not to mention the deafening chugging sound as it trundles past one.  

The minutiae of description need amount to no more than difference in sounds, relevant to difference in transportation. Who remembers the alluring draw of the train's whistle in the book The Railway Children? 

Of The Three Musketeers what sound comes to mind?

Yes, Digby.

"The clang and clash of swords, Miss." 

Precisely, but I digress. Rejection in any form for the literary minded author is hard to swallow. It can upset the natural flow of conscious awareness to creativity, it can lower self esteem and increase belief in hard toil as wasted. Worst of all, it can and does create doubt in authors' abilities as wordsmiths. But take heart, for one person's subjective NO in the negative context or as a lengthy insulting diatribe, all can be turned around by a markedly favoured positive regard for your work. To that aim you will likely badger friends and family and writer colleagues to recommend and pass word to other readers of your fine work. But beware, you must prepare yourself for unfavourable responses. Not all your colleagues will praise your work. A portion may fall envious and at all times will mask that envy whilst in your company. Others may deem you a lesser writer, their own egotistical persona setting the parameter as to who they consort with and whom they support in reciprocal manner. 

Again take heart, you will find your niche group of supporters, who may not even be within your present circle of acquaintances but nonetheless are silent fans who await your next book with sense of anticipation.             

Take a moment to read my notes on the paper before you. 

*****

The persona of the average reader is to enjoy a book and move onto the next chosen book. They are reading for leisure, they like what they like and and seek more of the same or similar. They have no great desire to express views on the plot or the characters unless they have joined a book club in which all members read the same book and discuss it in detail at their next gathering.  

Of course one person may say in complete honesty "it was not for me or not my cup of tea". Whereas, another wordy smith who pertains to mere reader persona or deems to imply scholarly academia in crime fiction, then sadly they will write and read out reams of collective discrediting prose (examples are often as not sentences taken out of context) as evidence they have more right than any other to personally grind author works to pulp. 

No matter the genre you choose as your subject matter, the moment a book is published and released that book is open to scrutiny. 

In the general run of any commodity people are more inclined to voice personal objections to items than voice approval. 

     

    

*****

          

There you have Rejection in a nutshell, and lack of Inertia on the part of silent fans sadly demotes your book where fans could make all the difference in boosting the book and its fortunes. 

In the weeks to come I hope famous and less famous authors will pay visit to the academy and tell you of their path to publication and the genres in which they peddled their books to fame and fortune. But that outcome will depend on the generosity of authors who keen a little publicity they may not otherwise have access to

So I say to authors please feel free to grace the academy and front the day!