Parentheses (or round brackets) can help fiction authors evoke a sense of simultaneity in their viewpoint character’s experience – one that challenges a more conventional linear narrative. Here’s how it works.
|
Parentheses
|
Tell me about parentheses (round brackets) and how they work.
|
Commas
|
Tell me about parentheses, round brackets, and how they work.
|
Spaced en dashes
|
Tell me about parentheses – round brackets – and how they work.
|
Closed-up em dashes
|
Tell me about parentheses—round brackets—and how they work.
|
|
In all these examples, we had to be told what the (rounded brackets) meant, and how/why they were being used. That alone diminishes their effectivness. One thing I noticed in the bombs and rockets bit, we have several weak (was/were) verbs trying to support the inflection of fear and uncertainty. For me, this gums up the prose. With those separated lines, I think the parentheses are all but redundant. I do this often enough that I get squiggle lines in the marging from my editor. Now, it just might be my limited comprehension, but I had the vague feeling I was missing something, so my attention was drawn back to the section, thus diluting most of the intended effect. I think there are more effective ways to express simultanity and substantive emotion - dashes come to mind - as do the... well, pause-worthy... elipses. I think it's important to note, too, the author admitted that their intent was to 'shake the reader up a bit', a fete accompli; however, for me, it took me out of the narrative and turned my focus toward something else.
All
AI
Around The World
Audio Books
Author Chat
Author Interviews
Author Platform
Author Resources
Blogging
Book Marketing
Books
Branding
Business Tips
Choosing An Editor
Client Talk
Conscious Language
Core Editorial Skills
Crime Writing
Design And Layout
Dialogue
Editing
Editorial Tips
Editorial Tools
Editors On The Blog
Erotica
Fiction
Fiction Editing
Freelancing
Free Stuff
Getting Noticed
Getting Work
Grammar Links
Guest Writers
Indexing
Indie Authors
Lean Writing
Line Craft
Link Of The Week
Macro Chat
Marketing Tips
Money Talk
Mood And Rhythm
More Macros And Add Ins
Networking
Online Courses
PDF Markup
Podcasting
POV
Proofreading
Proofreading Marks
Publishing
Punctuation
Q&A With Louise
Resources
Roundups
Self Editing
Self Publishing Authors
Sentence Editing
Showing And Telling
Software
Stamps
Starting Out
Story Craft
The Editing Podcast
Training
Types Of Editing
Using Word
Website Tips
Work Choices
Working Onscreen
Working Smart
Writer Resources
Writing
Writing Tips
Writing Tools