{"id":4706,"date":"2014-05-04T07:00:05","date_gmt":"2014-05-04T06:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/janetgover.com\/?p=4706"},"modified":"2014-05-04T07:00:05","modified_gmt":"2014-05-04T06:00:05","slug":"so-i-thought-i-could-punctuate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/janetgover.com\/?p=4706","title":{"rendered":"So I thought I could punctuate\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>
A Panic Free Guide to Punctuation – THE best book ever on the topic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is amazing what we think we know\u2026 but don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Actually \u2013 I didn\u2019t really think I was terrific at punctuation. But I thought I did OK. After all, I\u2019ve written seven novels. I had to have some idea about punctuation. Right?<\/p>\n

This week, I joined a group of about 30 fellow RNA members in London for a workshop on punctuation run by the wonderful Elizabeth Hawksley<\/a>. As well as penning many historical novels, she is the co-author of one of my most used reference books \u2013 which sits on my desk next to my two books of baby names and an Alice Cooper teddy bear.<\/p>\n

The group at the workshop included both published and unpublished writers, which just goes to show that no matter how long we have been at this – we never stop worrying about punctuation.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth started with extracts from two published authors. We looked for and found many errors of punctuation in both \u2013 before being told they were extracts of work by authors who are revered in their respective genres – Ian McEwan and Georgette Heyer.<\/p>\n

This suggests two things \u2013 accepted punctuation rules do change over time. And even the greats get it wrong sometimes.<\/p>\n

In an afternoon punctuated (!!!) with amusing tales and much laughter, I learned a few new things and reinforced a few I already knew.<\/p>\n

For me, the key points of the day \u2013 which are now firmly fixed in my mind, included: (note the correct use of the colon)<\/p>\n