The Word Cloud

I seem to have been spending a lot of time on the Cloud lately discussing topics that make my head hurt. So here's something a bit lighter. My gift to you, dear Cloudies :-)

8 new and necessary punctuation marks

A quick question, erudite Cloudies. In speech, punctuation comes inside the quotation marks. For example:

'I have a question,' he said, 'for all you erudite Cloudies.'

Right. My question is, in a case where words that are not speech, are placed between quote marks, where does the punctuation go? For example:

I decided to ask the question of all the 'erudite Cloudies'. Or should it be like in speech:

I decided to ask the question of all the 'erudite Cloudies.' I think, the former, although that is different to the speech rules.

The same question arises with the use of parentheses. (If the whole sentence is parenthetical then the punctuation obviously come inside, like this.) But if the parenthetical bit is part of a sentence (I really ought to know this), does the comma come outside the parenthesis, or does it (and I really hope this is not the case,) come inside?

The things one does when avoiding writing.

A couple for starters:

Hyphen the Terrible?

Comma Chameleon?

Hi all,

Today's question is... have you created any non-standard punctuation that you use to help the writing process?  If you do, what are they and what do they mean/how do you use them?

For example, when I am writing, I will often use [--].   This is a multi-purpose symbol for me.    It can signify that I've skipped over a particular scene or bit of scene which I will need to address  later (for example, if I'm not sure how to finish a scene or, alternatively, if I've had an idea mid-scene for another scene and wanted to work on that while it was fresh in my mind.) or it can mean that there's a detail that I will need to check later, for example [-confirm Chadwick was there -]  

I find this handy, as I can use search functions for "[-" to jump between each of these items.    I was wondering if anyone else uses similar strategies?   The reason the question occurred to me is that I wanted to ask and see how others combine their research and writing tasks/time.    Do you generally write what you mean to say first, and then go research the supporting details?  Do you research as you write (I did try that, it's what I now call procrastination!).   Finally, do you research a topic completely, gathering all of the information you need before you even start writing?

Just curious ;)

“Good morning, Captain,” Jane Titantits said entering the bridge. “Does anyone know why the top three buttons of my tunic are missing?”

 “I am not sure,” Captain Dirk replied smoothly.” But it is clearly a condition that requires close examination.” He glided smoothly towards Jane, clearly intent on taking the problem in hand.

 “A movie option has penetrated the plot, I believe,” said Spark raising an eyebrow at Dirk. Jane ducked past Dirk’s outstretched hands with the easy grace of long practice.

 “That would explain why all of my underwear is missing as well.”

 “No, that was Lieutenant Taarg,” Spark indicated the Klingon weapons officer. “He has issues.”

 “Oh I see!” Jane exclaimed. “I thought his tutu wasn’t standard uniform.” (The writer plunged a fork into his mind’s eye with the visual that conjured up).

 Spark’s calm voice cut across the bridge like a knife. “I have been targeted by a cliché.” He reported. “However that is not our greatest concern. A Romulan Bird of Prey is de-cloaking off the starboard bow. It is a Reflexive Pronoun class vessel.”

 “Oh my God!” exclaimed Dirk. “I, myself went up against a reflexive pronoun. It wasn’t pretty.”

 “Captain!” exclaimed Taarg. “We are being targeted with a random comma weapon. I, fear imminent, collapse of, the sentence, structure integrity, field …”

 “My God!” exclaimed Dirk. “Deploy a full stop. It’s our only hope.”

 “That’s more than enough exclaiming!” exclaimed Jane. “And why is it that each time the ship takes a hit, another hole appears in my uniform?”

 “I suspect that is the movie option showing through the plot again.” Explained Spark

 It’s not a movie option that will be showing through soon, thought Jane remembering her lack of underwear. What she did say was, “this has a plot?”

  Suddenly, the intercom crackled. “She canna take much more o’ this.” The chief engineer’s voice was full of alarm, “destruction is imminent!”

 Jane, momentarily confused and thinking he was referring to her disappearing uniform said. “No I can’t.”

 “My God!” exclaimed Dirk again. “You mean the ship’s going to blow?”

 “Not the ship, the English language if this keeps up.”

 (If you are all very very unlucky, this may be continued)