The Forbidden Punctuation Marks

I used an exclamation mark in a LinkedIn post last month. And oh. My. Lanta. The people of LinkedIn were not happy.

I love that writers feel so strongly about punctuation marks. As an editor and writer myself, it makes my heart hum when people discuss exclamation marks, em dashes, and semicolons with passion. But what makes me sad are all the unnecessary rules and judgments we writers can sometimes add to these very innocent punctuation marks.

I've heard it said before that semicolons only prove that you once went to college. Exclamation marks weaken your writing. Em dashes are evidence of AI.

It's almost like we forget that all punctuation marks exist for a reason. They all serve a purpose, and they're all necessary.

They can certainly be overused and used incorrectly, but that doesn't mean we should completely write them off.

So let's talk about these "forbidden" punctuation marks, their purposes, and how/when to use them:

1. The Exclamation Mark (!): The exclamation mark goes at the end of exclamatory sentences, which are sentences that convey facts, information, or opinions with a strong emotion or sudden feeling. Use the exclamation mark to add energy and/or emotion to a sentence. Example: I love exclamation marks!
   

2. The Em Dash (—): The em dash is the longest of all the dashes and is used when nonessential information in a sentence needs to be marked off. Use the em dash to add emphasis or indicate a strong pause or abrupt break in thought. Example: I'm a big fan of the em dash—huge!
   

3. The Semicolon (;): The semicolon is used when two independent clauses (complete sentences) are joined together without a coordinating conjunction (aka FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Use a semicolon to signal a short pause and emphasize the connection between two closely related independent clauses. Example: Using a semicolon doesn't prove that you went to college; it proves—if used correctly—that you know how to use a semicolon.

   
   

One thing I will say about my little exclamation mark that made the people of LinkedIn unhappy is that it did its job. It brought energy and emotion to my words in a way that got the attention of others. And that post? It's gotten more engagement than any of my other LinkedIn posts. So, well done exclamation mark!

Punctuate responsibly.

I'm rooting for you.