To Comma or Not to Comma

 

To Be, or Not to Be—the Oxford Comma

Also known as the serial comma and the Harvard comma.

 

It’s a dilemma. It’s an enigma. It’s confusing.

No, it’s not. Too many people make it more difficult than what the rules state, and end up over-doing it. A comma doesn’t need to go after every and that’s in a sentence. Nor does it have to go after every or in a sentence.

It’s used and only used after a list of items in a sentence when a colon is not required.

It also shouldn’t be optional. (In my humble opinion.)

Here’s an example:

An email received from a personal friend, so I’m aware of whom she’s talking about.

His law office partners, Anthony and Fred moved his belongings into storage.

So, his law office partners’ names are Anthony and Fred?

Nope. Anthony and Fred are his brothers.

His law office partners, Anthony, and Fred moved his belongings into storage.

 

Let’s try again when the reader doesn’t know prior information.

 

She grabbed the notebook, pen and tablet. (No Oxford comma)

She grabbed the notebook, pen, and tablet.

 

I want to thank my parents, Danielle and God. (No Oxford comma, but I guess if your biological father is God, no need to care.)

I want to thank my parents, Danielle, and God.

 

There are times when it’s unnecessary.

 

For lunch, did you want wheat toast, peanut butter and jelly?

Why? Because peanut butter and jelly are a combination type of wording. Similar to bread and butter.

 

The Oxford comma is used to separate different subjects referring to the main subject and to clarify a particular statement.

 

I like fishing lobsters and children. (You fish for children?)

I like fishing, lobsters, and children. (Ahhhh, so much better, don't you think?)

 

And using commas after and:

 

The portrait was dry and the artist hung it on the wall. (Incorrect)

The portrait was dry, and the artist hung it on the wall. (Correct)

 

Reason being the original subject is different than the second phrase/subject but you're still referring to the original phrase even though the action is different.

 

To be more explanatory. Set off a complete phrase of a sentence with commas. It connects the sentence as a whole, and not as a single element. And the best way to understand it is, if you can make it into two sentences.

The portrait was dry. The artist hung it on the wall.

 

Using commas in place of the and, in any form of writing, helps keep down the choppy sentences. Over-use of commas is where wordiness and run-on sentences come in causing confusion.

All in all, use what you’re comfortable with, but double check when it comes to those lists. Eating children, or fishing for them isn’t an option.

 

 Want a jump on marketing and advertising?

 

This book’s for you. My whole point of writing it is to help all authors. I’ve had many established authors, aspiring authors, and WIP authors ask me a multitude of questions and I was more than happy to help. (WIP-work in progress) I took the most commonly asked questions and solutions and put them in a nifty, absolutely priceless book.

What you’ll find in Be More Successful with Marketing and AdvertiZING:

 

Social Media Marketing and AdvertiZING for Books or Any Business

Becoming a Bestseller

Saying NO and Being the Bad Guy

How to Write Incredible Click Enticing Promotions

Promoting Your Book With or Without a Publisher

How Much is That Advertisement in the Window?

Self-publishing Doesn’t Have to be a Disaster

How to Make Your Website Awesome

Taking the Plunge into Publishing Audio Books

How to Make More Sales at Book Signings

The Uniform of Success

 

Purchase Be More Successful with Marketing and AdvertiZING at your favorite bookstore or on Amazon.

E-Book $4.99

Paperback $9.99

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

You can find me:

PamelaAckerson.net

PamAckerson@AdCMagazine.com

Twitter.com/PamAckerson

Facebook.com/pam.ackerson.7

Amazon.com/Pamela-Ackerson/e/B00QY1ARI4

 

Wondering what my qualifications are? Don't want to get any advice from someone who doesn't know what they're talking about? I understand! There are too many people out there giving bad advice. 

 

The first thing I'm going to tell you is that the book industry is constantly changing and even the "experts" have to keep their ears to the ground to stay in the game!

Okay, so...Here goes.

I'm President of Marketing and Advertising for AdC Magazine. Affaire de Coeur Book Review Magazine has been in business since 1980. No small potatoes there! We've managed to survive all the ups and downs in the industry. www.adcmagazine.com

I've been a published author since 1972. Yup, you read that right. My 10th grade high school teacher entered my sci-fi short story in the Science Fiction Reader's Digest Contest and I took first place. I continued to write and publish short stories for several years after that. 

A short break--which felt like forever--in 1996 I finished my first novel. I was picked up by a publisher two years later and I haven't stopped since.