Author: Dr. Jenifer Paquette

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From the Editor’s Desk: The Oxford Comma

You may be wondering what is so special about the Oxford comma and why there are so many delightful memes about it. Some context: the comma before the “and” in a list of three or more items is known as the Oxford comma (also known as the serial comma). You may have heard some debate about whether or not this comma is necessary. 

Let me assure you—it is. 

While it pains the editor in me to say, there are times when a comma doesn’t really matter. You can put it in or leave it out, and the sentence will survive. Readers will comprehend the nuanced meaning, and life will go on. Those commas are often called stylistic commas, and they may rely on their surroundings. Does the previous section or sentence have a lot of commas? Can you get the meaning across without including this one? Then leave it out to spare your reader’s attention span and focus on the important things instead. 

The Oxford comma, however—that comma in a list of three or more things—is NEVER a stylistic comma. It is never optional. It means something very specific in a certain situation, and when you need it to be there, you really need it to be there. 

Essentially, here’s what the Oxford comma says: these three (or more) items are not related to one another, as in, they are not dependent on the previous item to make sense. 

Consider the sentence: 

Tonight, at my computer, I drank a cup of tea, a bottle of water, and a can of lime Bubbly.

This sentence has three separate things: tea, water, and Bubbly. 

Here’s what happens if I remove the Oxford comma. 

Tonight, at my computer, I drank a cup of tea, a bottle of water and a can of lime Bubbly. 

Ew. Right now, my cup of “tea” is apparently a mixture of water and lime Bubbly. When you don’t have the Oxford comma, what you are conveying through your punctuation is that the two (or more) items following the commas are EXAMPLES of that first item. 

My heroes are my parents, Captain America, and Oprah Winfrey. 

Great, you have three heroes: parents, Captain America, and Oprah. Awesome. 

My heroes are my parents, Captain America and Oprah Winfrey. 

Uhh, really? I didn’t know Cap and Oprah were a thing…

When you leave out the Oxford comma, you change the meaning of the sentence and the relationship between those listed items. Instead of a list, everything after the first becomes an example. 

Hence, the litany of glorious memes!

With the Oxford comma: We invited the strippers, jfk, and stalin. Image includes stripers, jfk, and stalin. Without the Oxford comma: We invited the strippers, jfk and stalin. Image includes jfk and stalin dressed as strippers.
We invited the rhioceri, Washinton, and Lincoln. Image included has rhinos, Washington, and Lincoln. We invited the rhioceri, Washinton and Lincoln. (missing the comma) Image included has Washington and Lincoln as rhinos.
decorative
Decorative Image

Or you can even argue that the items following the first are being addressed in the sentence!

With the comma: I had eggs, bacon, and sausage. 3 items in the picture. Without the comma: The person says he had eggs while speaking to the bacon and sausage.

So, let your readers get the message you’re trying to send. Use the Oxford comma.

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From the Editor’s Desk: How to stop placing commas like you’re throwing darts

Do you find yourself adding commas to your document like throwing darts at a dartboard? 

“Wherever they shall fall, there shall they remain!”

Please, for the sake of editors everywhere, just don’t. 

Generally speaking, people tend to use commas one of two ways: throwing a bunch like darts and leaving them where they land or avoiding them completely and hoping it all works out. Neither is very efficient. Don’t even get me started on the old, “Use a comma when you would take a breath.” Have a professional singer and a lifetime smoker read the same sentence and see how accurate that method is. (It’s not!). Now, you can argue that sometimes the comma=pause will work, but only if you’re actually saying something that requires a comma–not because of the pause. 

Now, what if I told you there was an easy way to master this small punctuation mark? I know it may sound wild, but there are actual rules that govern how and when you use a comma. In fact, these guidelines can be broken down into six (yes only six!!!) fundamental rules. If you don’t find yourself in one of these six situations, don’t add a comma!

Rule #1: Use commas when you start a sentence with a dependent clause. 

If the sentence starts with a subordinating conjunction–wait, did I just curse at you in grammar? Okay, pause. Subordinating conjunctions are words that combine two complete sentences while implying their relationship (which part is dependent on the other part). These are words like because, until, although, since, when, while, where, and others like that. When you start a sentence with those words, you put a comma before the subject of the sentence (the word the sentence is about). 

  • Because English grammar is weird, we like to add commas to help facilitate comprehension. 
  • Until you understand how commas are supposed to work, you will remain confused about their usage. 
  • Since we’re now discussing commas, you can use them with more confidence. 

Note: If you flip those sentences around and the subordinating conjunction is in the middle of the sentence, you do NOT use a comma. 

  • We like to add commas to help facilitate comprehension because English grammar is weird. 
  • You will remain confused about their usage until you understand how commas are supposed to work. 
  • You can use them with more confidence since we’re now discussing commas. 

Rule #2: Use commas when you have two complete sentences connected with a FANBOY. 

First, you need two complete sentences. To be complete, a sentence needs a subject and a verb. If both sentences are connected by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), you should put a comma before it. If you don’t have a coordinating conjunction between them, you can just use a semicolon. You can’t use just a comma by itself–that’s called a comma splice. Commas can do a lot of things (obviously), but they can’t connect two complete sentences without the help of a coordinating or subordinating conjunction. Basically, if there isn’t an extra because or and between your sentences, use a semicolon or a period instead. 

  • I love grammar, but I know that it can be ridiculous. 
  • Commas are amazing, and they can do so many wonderful things.
  • Sometimes, commas feel like the best piece of punctuation, yet they do have limits. 

Note: If the second part of your sentence doesn’t have a subject, do NOT use a comma. 

  • I love grammar but know it can be ridiculous. 
  • Commas are amazing and can do so many wonderful things. 
  • Commas can feel like the best piece of punctuation yet are still limited. 

Rule #3: Use commas to separate non-essential information. 

If your sentence has a group of words that can be removed without changing the fundamental meaning of the sentence, set it off with commas (a comma on both sides). This rule also includes extra information like parentheticals, transitions, and names in direct address.  

  • Commas, which are a versatile piece of punctuation, seem complicated.
    • Commas seem complicated. The fact that they are versatile is interesting but not necessary to the gist of the sentence.  
  • The Oxford Comma, the comma before the word “and” in a list, is necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
    • The Oxford comma is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. That is all. 
  • I know you mean well, of course, when you put commas in your work.
    • I know you mean well when you put commas in your work. 

Note: You do not need to put commas around information that is only one word. 

  • My co-author Beau Lake knows how to use commas properly. 
  • My husband Remi teases me about my dedication to the Oxford Comma.
  • He arrived in June from Baltimore.  

Rule #4: Put commas around introductory information of more than two words. 

When you begin a sentence with a preposition phrase (any group of words starting with a preposition like in, of, with, to, by, under, etc.), you should put a comma before the subject of the sentence. This rule is different from Rule #1 because that deals with complete sentences (clauses) while this rule is for phrases (groups of words that do not have both a subject and a verb). 

  • When using commas, be sure to make sure you actually need one. 
  • Often in essays, writers will add commas where they aren’t necessary. 
  • In writing, commas can be used for many things!

Note: If you only have two words and the sentence is short, you can leave the comma out if you want. 

  • In 2020 4 Horsemen Publications was formed.
    • Though I would probably just say, “4 Horsemen Publications was formed in 2020.”

Rule #5: Use commas around items in a list of three or more items. 

When you list items in a sentence, put commas between the first few and also before the and. Yes, that’s the Oxford Comma–and it matters! (See image above for reasons why it matters.)

  • Commas are used to set off non-essential information, show items in lists, and separate dependent clauses at the start of a sentence. 
  • You can have lists anywhere in a sentence–beginning, middle, or end–and it still works the same way!
  • Editing, reading, and writing are three of my favorite activities!

Note: You do not use a comma when you only have two items. 

  • Either my laptop or my printer is having a stroke right now. 
  • I need to decide if I’m bringing my tablet or my laptop on vacation this weekend. 

Rule #6: Weirdness (dates, names, addresses, contrast)

This is the catch-all rule for the rest of the stuff you may run into:

  • Commas are also used between the elements of an address.
    • Send payment to 300 West Road, Stanford, CT 06860.
  • Commas also separate the elements of a date.
    • The wedding was on December 12, 2004.
      • If you say December 12th 2004, you do NOT need a comma. Wedding invitations everywhere–take note!
  • Commas are used after answering a question with yes or no.
    • No, I do not like this. 
  • Commas are used when addressing someone specific.
    • Annie, where did you get your gun? 
  • Commas are needed after interjections like ah, oh, etc.
    • Ah, this water is refreshing. 
  • Commas are also used to contrast.
    • Harold, not Roy, is my favorite player. 

And that’s it! If you are writing and it’s not one of those six situations listed above, you do NOT need to use a comma. 

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From the Editor’s Desk – Revision and Editing Part Three: Final Review (making sure your story is ready)

Excellent! You’re at the end now–only a few more things to keep in mind. If you want to, you can re-read the story again, this time skimming for the following elements: 

  • Point of View
    • You should be consistently 1st person (I, we, me, etc.), 2nd person (you–though books written like this are RARE), or 3rd person (she, he, it, they, etc.). Do NOT change point of view/pronouns mid-story. 
  • Tense
    • Your story is probably in past tense (I said) or present tense (I say). You may be experimental and use future tense (I will say), but that’s not common. Make sure your verbs are consistently in the same tense as the rest of the book!

If you have an eye for it, this is a good time to doublecheck your punctuation as well, but that’s in another blog! When in doubt, google it. There are tons of resources on how to use commas, semicolons, colons, hyphens, dashes, parentheses, and ellipses properly (You’re probably fine with periods, question marks, and exclamation points, so you already know a bunch of this stuff!). 

Obviously, if you spot typos, fix them. If you’re not sure which word to use (affect/effect, lay/lie, passed/past, etc.)… can you guess what I’m going to say? GOOGLE IT!!! You have all of the knowledge known to mankind at this moment at your fingertips. Use that resource for some good as well as looking at cat videos. (Psst…here’s a cute cat video. You’re welcome, and Rick says hi!).

Wow, it looks like you’re nearly there. One more thing–open your document and zoom way WAY out, down to like 10% or so, and gaze lovingly at your manuscript laid out in tiny little square pages. Skim it, and make sure that your formatting hasn’t gotten wonky somewhere along the way. Your chapters should start on new pages (and ideally should be marked as Heading 1). Your paragraphs should be indented a half-inch. And if you plan to submit your book to 4Horsemen Publications, the whole thing should be double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font. (Come on–you know I had to say it!). 

Everything looks good? YAY!! You are now ready to send your manuscript out the door and into the world. Enjoy this feeling of satisfaction, and then get started on the next book!

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From the Editor’s Desk – Revision and Editing Part Two: Editing (or making sure you are consistent)

Woot! You made sure your story is ready to be shared with the world! 

Except, is it really? 

Think of it this way: your story is out of bed and dressed, drinking coffee and preparing to leave the house. But wait, do those shoes actually match, or is that a brown sandal and a black sandal? Maybe that hair could use a few more moments with a brush…

Taking the time to edit at this point saves everyone (especially your editor) a lot of time and energy. Let’s polish up that outfit and make sure everything is where it should be. 

Disclaimer: you’re going to read your story AGAIN (I know, awful, right? Please, you know you love it. That’s why you wrote it!). Except this time, you’re NOT reading for the story. You’re not looking at the overall picture–you’re zooming in on the nitty gritty, the small stuff. You’re looking at sentence-level issues and that CTRL F key is going to get a lot of use. 

This process may seem overwhelming, but there are specific things to look for that will improve the quality of your writing almost immediately. First, let’s start with the easy stuff–consistency!

Consistency in this case isn’t about the story at all; it’s about the way you have told the story. Is your capitalization and italics usage the same throughout? Here’s a quick reminder of the rules for both. 

Capitalization

You use capital letters in the following situations: 

  • The start of a sentence
    • She said there would be no tests on this. 
  • A title/position followed by a name
    • I was joined at the table by Captain Blythe and Admiral Ackbar and prepared myself for some very awkward dinner conversation.
  • A nickname or name that you call someone
    • Was Mom ever going to show up to this event?
      • Was my mom ever going to show up?
    • I know Little Bit was thrilled to wear her new dress tonight. 

You do NOT use capital letters in the following situations: 

  • Between dialogue and speaker tag
    • “Would you prefer soup or salad?” he asked. 
    • “I’ll take the salad,” she replied, “with ranch dressing.”
  • A title/position without a name
    • I enjoyed the commander’s company at the event. 
    • The president was happy to speak to Admiral Ackbar about the plans for reconstruction. 
  • A term of endearment
    • What do you think, sweetheart?
    • I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!

I realize that last one may be confusing, so let me pause and give some more context. Yes, this means you have to distinguish between a nickname and a term of endearment. I call my daughter Biscuit so often that it’s become a nickname, so I capitalize it. I sometimes call my husband boo, but it’s not something I use every time, so it’s lowercase. You have to decide how you are using it, and then use CTRL F to find every occasion and make sure you have it the same way. 

Here’s a handy list of other words you may want to CTRL F to doublecheck capitalization: mom, dad, captain, commander, president, king, queen, princess, prince, detective, sergeant, lieutenant (basically, any titles or positions that come up in your story!)

Since we’re here, let me add this suggestion as well–if you have words that are unique to your book, add them to a Style Guide so you can consistently capitalize (or not) or italicize (or not) them throughout the whole story. Does your fantasy world have elves or Elves? Do your characters speak of God or god? Both are correct. Capitalizing something just makes it slightly more formal–heels instead of sandals–so decide if your story needs the elevation. 

Final Thought for Capitalization: When in doubt, GOOGLE IT!

Not sure if you should capitalize that dog breed? Google is your friend. Don’t know if you should capitalize Italian food? Google it (Yes, you capitalize food names that are places). What about french fries? Google! (Actually, no because french is the style of cut, not the origin). If you see both, choose the one that fits your situation.  

Italics: When to go sideways

Italics have specific uses in many academic style guides, but their uses in fiction are a bit more flexible. Generally speaking, here are some occasions when you should italicize something: 

  • A flashback or dream sequence
  • A foreign word that you want to emphasize is a foreign word
    • Jamie calls Claire his sassenach, a word meaning “outlander.” 
  • Titles of long works like movies, albums, books, TV series (shorter works get quotes)
    • Yes, this is MLA format, but I’m an English major! If you’re writing for a discipline, check your style guide, but most fiction uses this. 
    • I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and now I can’t stop hearing “Dog Days are Over” by Florence and the Machine. 
  • Names of planes, trains, ships, paintings
    • I took the Orient Express to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa. 
  • Sounds
    • Thud! We all looked at the door in horror. 
  • Anything you want to emphasize or draw attention to
    • I never said Josh stole the money! Why would you think I meant him?

Again, when in doubt, google it! As long as your usage is consistent throughout your story (and series!), you’re fine. 

Take a moment to doublecheck your capitalization and italics usage throughout your story. Then, add any special uses to your Style Guide, you know, that document you have that records details like this so you don’t have to re-read this book before you start writing the next one in the series!

Now, think about other words or phrases that are unique to your story. Make sure that you have spelled them the same way throughout. A useful trick is to CTRL F for easy misspellings of any names or titles that may slip by tired eyes. If my character’s name is Hannah, I check for Hanna, Hanah, Hana, Annah, Anah, and Ana, just in case my fingers slipped, and my spellcheck doesn’t catch it. 

You’ve done a chunk of editing for now, and your story is looking much better. Take a breather, and when you’re ready, come back for a final review. Then your story can actually leave the house!

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From the Editor’s Desk – Revision and Editing Part One: Revision (or making sure you said what you think you said)

What’s that? You finished your book! Yay!!! Congratulations. Take a minute to enjoy this feeling. You earned it. 

Okay, now it’s time to get back to work! You didn’t think you were done, did you? Get ready, pour yourself a new drink, and prepare to enter the next stage of writing: Revision. You do not need a red pen, but you definitely need to take off those rose-tinted glasses. It’s time to get serious about your writing. 

To make this process a bit easier, we’re going to break it into three separate stages: Revision, Editing, and Final Review. Let’s start with Revision.

First things first: settle back and re-read your book–the whole thing. Yes, the entire book, from start to finish, preferably with as few breaks as possible so the story stays fresh in your mind. Use this read-through to experience the story you want readers to. 

Also, while you’re here, ask yourself a few questions: 

  • Does this story make sense? Do the events make logical and chronological sense to happen this way? 
  • Are the characters consistent to themselves (and also show growth in an arc as the story progresses)? 
  • Does the pacing feel right when the story is read straight through? Do certain parts drag or seem too rushed? 
  • Do you need to add more scenes or remove others?

Now, here’s the trick: don’t stop in the middle of your read-through to address any issues. Take notes, and when you have finished that last page, take a breath (maybe cry a little because the beauty of your writing has moved your soul), and then settle down to add/remove/tweak whatever story elements, character details, or other issues you saw on your way through. Cross off or delete your notes as you accomplish each change–trust me, this part feels so satisfying. 

When you have finished, if you are motivated, give it another read-through (or send it to your best–and super generous with their time–beta reader for a final round of feedback). Congratulations–part one is done! You have finished Revision. Now, it’s time to start Editing.

Stay tuned for part two of this series for Editing Tips and Tricks!

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A Handy Guide to Book Club Questions

Have you ever finished a book and find yourself dying to talk about it? You can tell others what you think by writing a review and see what others thinks by reading their reviews, but what if you want more interaction? Book club questions can help guide a focused discussion!

Readers love discussing books with fellow readers. They love it even more when they have somewhere to begin that conversation. A convenient way to make that discussion easier is to include a list of book club questions at the end of your book.

What are book club questions? These are 10-15 open-ended questions designed to be answered by people who have finished the book and want to talk about it. Don’t worry about spoilers—assume that anyone seeing the questions has finished the book. They already know what happens—and they’re dying to talk about it!

Have you ever tried to talk about a book with a friend, but you don’t know where to begin? A list of questions to guide the conversation can be a useful tool to get things started.

How do you write engaging book club questions? Here are some things to keep in mind.

  • Don’t ask yes/no questions.
    • These do not encourage discussion at all.
      • Did you like Character A? Yes. End of discussion. Boring.
      • Did you like the ending? No. End of conversation. Boo!
      •  Will you read the next book? Yes… You see where I’m going with this.  
  • Do ask open-ended questions that force the respondent to justify their answer.
    • These allow readers to explain how and why they reacted this way.
      • Why did you like Character A more than Character B? Well, let me tell you that, at first…
      • Why did you like/dislike the way the book ended? I think I liked it because I’m a sucker for love stories but…
      • What do you think is next for these characters? What do you predict for the next book? Why do you think that’s where this is going?
  • Don’t ask simple questions.
    • If they can answer in one word or phrase, it’s too basic, and the conversation will end without getting into the good stuff.
      • What was your favorite part? The bar fight.
      • Who is your favorite character? The bartender.
  • Do ask complicated questions.
    • Why is our favorite word when crafting book club questions. It forces readers to think about the reasons supporting their position.
      • Why was the bar fight your favorite part? What about it struck you that way? Why do you think you appreciated that scene over the rest?
      • What about the bartender appeals to you? Why that character and not Character X or Y?
  • Do focus on the themes in your story and ask readers to react to them.
    • Character X struggles with Topic B. How does this affect your perception of their journey in this story?
    • Theme C is a major part of the conflict in this story. How does this affect Character B?

Here are some sample questions from a selection of 4HP books:

  • In what ways did the characters and their challenges feel real to you? Were there moments when the story felt unbelievable? (The Shooting by CK Westbrook)
  • This story focuses on the tendency to blame the messenger when something incomprehensible happens. How realistic did you find Kate’s experience? (The Collision by CK Westbrook)
  •  Kate often says she would not want to live in a world that does not include several things that are important to her. What are some things you value as highly in your world? (The Collision by CK Westbrook)
  •  “Centurion” focuses on the anger of an old woman—what does her perspective on her life say about the way society treats the elderly? (Cheeky, Bloody Articles by Cathleen Davies)
  •  “Your Son’s Good at Time’s Tables” showcases a familiar situation—someone wants to speak up but doesn’t and then obsesses about what should have been said–can you relate to this feeling of missing the moment to connect? (Cheeky, Bloody Articles by Cathleen Davies)
  •  Many of these stories: “White Butterflies,” “Blank Face,” and “Oh, Rats!” deal with grief and survivor’s guilt. What do you think the author is trying to say about grief? Do you feel this is an accurate representation of suffering? (Cheeky, Bloody Articles by Cathleen Davies)
  • If you could capture the memories and emotions of a deceased loved one, would that make them the same person they were when alive? Why? (The Bench by Ty Carlson)
  • If data could feel pain, loss, sadness, etc., would there be a moral consequence for its cause? (The Bench by Ty Carlson)
  • The author was inspired by medieval period myths, lores, legends, and history. How much of this can you find evidence of within the reading? People, places, events, culture, or other means? (Cedric: The Demonic Knight by Valerie Willis)
  •  Who’s the better werewolf: Nyctimus or Romasanta? Why? (Romasanta by Valerie Willis)
  • Tony is thrown into his quest with little direction. In what ways is this vital for his character development? (King Incubus by Valerie Willis)
  • Who should Hannah end up with: Klauden or Rory or neither? Why? (Klauden’s Ring by JM Paquette)
  • Hannah struggles with the conflicting values of her homeland and her newfound friends. How well does she handle this challenge throughout the story? What could she have done better? What did she do well? (Hannah’s Heart by JM Paquette)

Including book club questions in the back of your book is the easiest way to get picked up by book clubs—and even libraries—but more than that, your readers will appreciate your conversation starters.