double semi colons

[Warren_Paul]

Originally Posted by springs1971

I think that's grammatically correct, Aber,

I have a lot of things I like in a book: good plot; good charaters; no that's; and lots of semi colons. But this wasn't a list it was prose.

*wanders away to check if he has "that's" in his writing*

[springs]

The curse of the Chrons; the inability to read a book afterwards without wanting to stamp on it and say that's just not blinking right! Or left.

@WP; I so should have this conversation before sending WIP....

[Abernovo]

Okay. Only two semi-colons? If the clauses were short, I suppose it might be acceptable. I don't think I'd find it comfortable to read, though.

Thanks, springs, I was considering reading GRRM. Now I'm wondering if I'll get annoyed with his writing style.

[Warren_Paul]

I wouldn't worry Aber, there might be some lines you don't agree with, but overall GRRM appears to break the rules to perfection - just not how we thought it should be done. I think we are just struggling understand why its okay in those situations.

[springs]

Hmm, I'm not sure I'd endorse him just as highly. I think he has some really good bits; the intro of Jon snow is excellent, and he has Tyrion very well. But, it's still formulaic (but that's a criticism I find with a lot of fantasy), and padded. I kept reading, WP, but feast for crows is padding to the nth degree IMHO. I will get DWD, cos it seems to get better feedback, but I'm getting to the stage that, quite frankly, a jon snow and tyrion compilation would do me very nicely, and I'd skip the rest...

His writing is very good in places, he does show not tell very well, but he does repeat things he's already told you too often, and how many times do so many characters pound tables with fists when there's painful medical interventions? So far, i think every time.

Was he worth reading? Absolutely, especially to see how some areas of writing are done. Is he anywhere near as good as he's made out to be? Not in my opinion, but that's what makes the world so sweet.... we can't all like the same thing.
Oh, and I don't think he breaks the rules as well as some writers, Joyce and Burgess spring to mind, I think, whisper it, sometimes it's just not right....

[Ursa major]

You do realise that some of us really like AFfC, don't you, Springs?


By the way, you must have a good idea of which chapter contained those two (paired?) semicolons. It would be helpful if we were able to analyse the actual example rather than merely discussing the topic in the abstract.

[Teresa Edgerton]

When the sentence is a list and the various items in the list have internal punctuation, then you need to have a series of semicolons, or it's not only incorrect, it may be confusing.

In other situations (as is so often the case), it all depends.

Personally, I am wary of using multiple semicolons except where necessary, but it doesn't bother me at all when other people do it.

And let's keep in mind that most readers don't notice semicolons at all. If you want to use two or three to achieve the effect you're after, they aren't going to complain.

[David Evil Overlord]

Originally Posted by Warren_Paul

Yes! You know what happens when I read suddenly? I pause for effect. Why am I pausing when its a 'sudden act'? Shouldn't I be reading quicker, not pausing? But that is the effect 'suddenly' has on me.

Next you'll be asking why "abbreviation" is such a long word.

[David Evil Overlord]

Originally Posted by springs1971

His writing is very good in places, he does show not tell very well, but he does repeat things he's already told you too often, and how many times do so many characters pound tables with fists when there's painful medical interventions? So far, i think every time.

Ah, the joys of medical intervention sans anaesthetic

[Warren_Paul]

Originally Posted by David Evil Overlord

Next you'll be asking why "abbreviation" is such a long word.

Now that you mention it....

[springs]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

You do realise that some of us really like AFfC, don't you, Springs?


By the way, you must have a good idea of which chapter contained those two (paired?) semicolons. It would be helpful if we were able to analyse the actual example rather than merely discussing the topic in the abstract.

I do, and that's why I made it very clear it was only in my opinion. And, I didn't say I didn't like it - I wouldn't have read on as far as I have if that was the case - but that there were certain things I, personally, didn't like, as there is in most books I read, esp. something of this size. I have struggled with AFFC; but that's just me.

I'll have another look and see if I can find it.

[HareBrain]

Originally Posted by springs1971

I have struggled with AFFC; but that's just me.

Not just you ...

As for the topic, I'm pretty sure there's at least one double-use of semi-colons in my WIP, and it wouldn't bother me to encounter it once in a blue moon. But people are different -- I got a critique once from a reader who said he didn't like colons in consecutive sentences.

[Ursa major]

As it happens, I can understand why that person commented on the two colons. While we worry about the survival of the semicolon, its use is still comparatively frequent compared to that of the colon. So if we see two colons close together, we might see this as odd, and so find it distracting.

Let's hope the semicolon doesn't become so rare that its (by then) infrequent appearances begin to become, literally, remarkable.

[springs]

He stopped climbing; he listended; he watched.


this isn't the same one that annoyed me so much - i can't find it, but someone else found this one in the prologue. (Ty, timba. )

This one flows a bit better than the other, but to my mind, it still looks wrong. To me there should be a longer pause after climbing than between listened and watched.

So maybe a colon, then a semi colon, or even horror! A semi colon and a comma splice to give staccato action. or what is wrong with and?

[Ursa major]

A don't think a colon would work. Although perhaps it might, if it were written thus:

He stopped climbing: to listen; to watch.

I don't know if it's one of the correct usages of the colon, but I sometimes take its presence to mean that what follows helps to explain why the action preceding the colon occurred.