How to Pack Your Suitcase

How to Pack Your Suitcase
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 by Clay Jars Publishing

When it comes to writing your characters’ spoken dialogue an “incorrectly packed” set of quotation marks ( “ ” ) is like an untidily packed suitcase filled with clothing hanging over all of its sides.

Think of your characters’ spoken dialogue and all of its punctuation as the clothing inside of “your suitcase.” You want everything inside that should be.

Correct:   “That’s not what I said,” Jackson replied. “Clean out
                                those ears of yours!”

Incorrect:   “That’s not what I said”, Jackson replied. “Clean out
                               those ears of yours”!

Correct:          Jennifer whispered, “Jackson, you haven’t taken your
                                medicine, have you?”

Incorrect:     Jennifer whispered, Jackson, you haven’t taken your
                               medicine”, “Have you”?

Keep your quotation marks neatly and correctly packed!

Photo from: carryology.com

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