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COPYWRITING 101:
THE EXCLAMATION POINT, FRIEND OR FOE? by Ann Zuccardy
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My name is Ann and I'm a grammar
geek. There, it's out and I'm relieved. Does this mean my writing is perfect
and consistently conforms to grammar rules? Heck, no. It does mean that I spend
hours perseverating about serial commas, dangling participles, and feeling
guilty if I end a sentence with a preposition. I worry endlessly about what I
call the PowerPointification of America (i.e., the trend toward writing short
chunks of information in bullet points - which, incidentally, is what sells). I
can't bring myself to use abbreviations in e-mail or instant messages. I don't
use emoticons. I can't help it. For better or worse, I'm a word nerd.
In my technical writing world, I get paid to think about these things. I
must stay on top of instructional design trends, write to suit my audience
rather than myself, and ensure that my copy is error-free both technically and
grammatically. Often, I must check my ego at the door and conform to writing
styles with which I don't agree. Why? I must please my customers. It's my job.
There are times in life when we all must conform and comply to rules we don't
like. Sometimes, however, you just have to stand up for what you believe. For
me, it's a strongly held belief that the exclamation point is a dangerous
grammar tool that should be used sparingly and with caution.
Why do I
pick on the exclamation point? I've noticed a trend in recent years that
correlates with the growing popularity of e-mail and instant messages. It's the
proliferation of the exclamation point. I see so much Web copy with multiple
exclamation points (e.g., "This widget is the best in all of widgetdom!!!!") or
an entire page of Web copy in which each sentence ends with an exclamation
point. This makes me feel like someone is yelling at me. It "hurts" my virtual
ears. And frankly, if you use the exclamation point too much, you are like the
boy who cried wolf. Who is going to believe you if you're always yelling to get
attention?
What's a newbie copywriter or small business owner who
can't afford to pay a professional copywriter to do about exclamation
pointitis? Follow these simple guidelines:
Limit your Web copy
exclamation points to one per page. Yes, I know you love your product, but
remember, there is great elegance in simple, clean copy.
Read and
revise your copy and then read and revise again...and again. If you're
suffering from exclamation pointitis, ask yourself, "Are there adjectives I
could be using that would more precisely illustrate the point rather than using
exclamation points?" Remember, the thesaurus is your friend. Use colorful
adjectives. Vary them throughout your copy, but don't use a word unless you are
entirely sure of its meaning.
Don't ever use multiple exclamation
points!!!! It's a sign of immature writing. When is an exclamation point
appropriate? Use it to convey extreme emotion or as a command (e.g., "Stop it!"
I yelled, as my brother hurled me into the pool.)
Still stuck? That's
okay. We small business owners aren't expected to know everything. Chances are
there's another business owner out there who loves to write killer copy. Have
others you trust read your work. Make it a habit to check out the writing
styles of people and companies you admire. Find Web pages with exclamation
pointitis and think about how you would improve them. And always remember, the
beautiful thing about Web sites and your blog is that you can change your
content whenever you want.
The bottom line is that well-written copy
portrays a professional and polished image. Is your marketing copy up to snuff?
Copyright 2005, Ann Zuccardy, All rights reserved.
About the Author:
Ann Zuccardy is a freelance technical and copy
writer with 17 years of industry experience in marketing and technical
communication. She currently consults with IBM in Vermont, where she writes
technical documentation for commercial ventures. Ann is also the owner of
Vermont Shortbread Company. She can be reached at
http://www.wordbrains.com .
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