What’s the Big Deal with Dashes?

Hello everyone!

I was recently editing a chapter book, and I needed one character to interrupt another.  I knew I should use a dash, but which one?  Below is a summary of what each type of dash does.  I threw in the hyphen for good measure.

Primary Uses

Hyphen

• Compound nouns, verbs, and adjectives

En Dash

• Date, time, and number ranges
• Scores
• Shows conflict or connection between two things or ideas

Em Dash

• Interruptions
• Instead of commas, parentheses, or colons (Em dashes are more emphatic and less formal than the other forms of punctuation.)
• Two em dashes replace missing or omitted letters or words

For a more comprehensive list of uses and examples of how each type of punctuation is used, read the articles below.  (They are the ones I found most helpful when deciding which form of punctuation to use.)

“Hyphens, En Dashes, Em Dashes” by The Chicago Manual of Style Online

“Hyphen” by The Punctuation Guide

“En dash” by The Punctuation Guide

“Em dash” by The Punctuation Guide

Happy writing!

Katie

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Hello everyone!  Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day can be a complicated holiday.  Hopefully, your mother is as wonderful as mine.  But maybe, you don’t have the best relationship with your mother.  Or perhaps, your mother passed away.  Regardless of the situation, we all have a mother, and Mother’s Day can stir up some very strong emotions.

This writing challenge is personal, and will hopefully help you to release those emotions.  Choose the variation that best fits your relationship with your mother.

Variation 1: Positive Relationship with Mother

1. Write down all the good things about your mother.
2. Write a poem about your mother or write her a letter telling her why she’s wonderful and/or what you appreciate about her.
3. Send the letter or poem to your mother.

Variation 2: Strained or Difficult Relationship with Mother

Write an honest poem or letter examining why the relationship is the way it is.  (Use this writing exercise as a way to get those feelings off your chest.)

*I would recommend not sending this poem or letter to your mother.

Variation 3: Mother Is No Longer Alive

1. Write your mother the poem or letter you would give her if she were here.  (Use this writing exercise as a way to get your feelings about your mother out.)
2. Symbolically send the poem or letter.  (This could be tying the message to a balloon and releasing it into the air, burning it, putting it in a memory box, etc.)

I hope you have an amazing Mother’s Day!

Happy Writing!

Katie