Overuse
Before I publish each blog post, I reread it several times, in an attempt to catch spelling and grammar errors, and to make sure it’s somewhat coherent (ha) and appropriate. AND to make sure I don’t go overboard with exclamation points.
Because, whoa, I overuse them.
While reviewing, I tend to remove several from each post. I ask “am I really that enthusiastic about that topic?” before leaving one in.
Where I need to get better about reviewing my exclamation point use is blog comments, comment responses here, texting, and emails. I reread work emails several times before sending to make sure if I have one, it’s absolutely appropriate.
But I am not so good with personal emails. And if you’ve ever received any type of correspondence from me, it’s likely been littered with exclamation points. I just want to appear enthusiastic, it seems! I AM EXCITED ABOUT LIFE!!! I am excited to be talking to YOU!!!
You know what Snow’s excited about?! Halloween!
He says “Happy Halloween, and FYI, you can use a pumpkin stem to get to those pesky face itches.”
Themocracy
I do that too!!😂
It’s so easy to do!
At first, I thought Snow was trying to gnaw on the pumpkin stem because I have a photo of Bodger doing exactly that. It didn’t seem like very cat-like behavior though.
I read an article in the Atlantic a few years ago about how we had reached peak usage of exclamation points and how it is now seen as the default punctuation online. If you just write a period, it seems unenthusiastic or passive-aggressive now. (I’ve felt this way sometimes, especially with texts.) That being said, I think I’ve gone this entire comment without using an exclamation point. (!)
Ha! It could definitely lead to that, though!
I think I read that article too. And when I was writing this, I actually read several other articles about exclamation points (so many referenced POTUS’s use of them, eyeroll). These articles mentioned that too – that you need to use it in texting to show enthusiasm. I also way overuse emojis in texting to try to convey how I’m feeling.
Are you still getting the Atlantic?
I over use exclamation points too. Its a problem. I also say “like” and “um” too much. Ugg.
But you managed not to use any in this comment! Woo hoo!!! Ha.
You are not alone with your “like” and “um.” Every now and then I try not to say “like” and it’s hard!
I’m sure I overuse exclamation points. I try to make sure that *all* of my sentences don’t end in exclamation points, but it’s pretty tough to go without one. I just don’t want to seem angry (usually, haha), that’s all! (See?) It’s definitely how I try to convey friendliness when writing.
I’m also impressed that you proofread your blog posts before you publish them. I usually wait until after the fact and am inevitably embarrassed by the silly mistakes I made haha. (I don’t intentionally wait until after the fact – I never think about it when I’m writing them in the first place, and then I happen to read them after they’ve been published and get to enjoy my many errors haha.)
Yep! I am doing the same thing. We want our written words to be interpreted how we’re saying them in our head!
I still notice errors even though I proofread! Do you not have time to when you publish, or when you draft them? Some posts I like to be stream of consciousness and I don’t edit those as much, but many, I go back and take out lots of extra words to try to make it more concise.
I don’t think it’s so much that I don’t have time as much as it is I don’t have a desire to read through everything right after I wrote it haha. And actually, from my editing days, it’s a lot easier to notice errors and areas for improvement after you’ve had some time away from writing the first draft. You would think that since I pre-write most of my posts, I’d have plenty of time to walk away and come back later to proofread, and I suppose I do…I just choose not to. Haha.