To comma or not to comma?

[BiggusBeardus]

Hello, friends!

I'm not the best with dialogue formatting. If you aren't using a dialogue tag and you have an action after some dialogue, do you use a comma still at the end of the dialogue and before the action? I've been using a period. Here's an example. I highlighted the part in question in red.

“No sir, you’ve been a great help. Maybe one day I can come down here and you can tell me about some of the adventures you’ve been on.” Dal pocketed the map device, waved good bye to the old man and stepped out the door.

 

[skip.knox]

That's fine.

A period ends a sentence, but a common doesn't. So,
"You've been a great help," he said.
"You've been a greaat help." Dal pocketed the device and told himself he'd never give it back.
Both of these are corrected. Dal pocketing the device is its own sentence.

"Does that help?" I asked, adding, "Don't you think other punctuation in dialog is even trickier?"
To which the Greek chorus cried, "Hire an editor!"

 

[Karlin]

That's fine.

A period ends a sentence, but a common doesn't. So,
"You've been a great help," he said.
"You've been a greaat help." Dal pocketed the device and told himself he'd never give it back.
Both of these are corrected. Dal pocketing the device is its own sentence.

"Does that help?" I asked, adding, "Don't you think other punctuation in dialog is even trickier?"
To which the Greek chorus cried, "Hire an editor!"

Maybe I'm the Greek chorus. "Hire an editor!" It's a rare writer who's going to create interesting characters, a great plot, AND get all the fine details of punctuation and whatnot right. I suspect the creative person and the careful punctuator occupy separate brains.

 

[skip.knox]

I agree, but that verb "hire" can be a pricey one. So expensive, in fact, as to move it out of reach for a good many writers. Also, not all editors are especially good at their job, making spending that editing money something of a gamble. But if you can afford an editor, and you're fortunate enough to find a good one, hang on to them!

 

[BiggusBeardus]

That's fine.

A period ends a sentence, but a common doesn't. So,
"You've been a great help," he said.
"You've been a greaat help." Dal pocketed the device and told himself he'd never give it back.
Both of these are corrected. Dal pocketing the device is its own sentence.

"Does that help?" I asked, adding, "Don't you think other punctuation in dialog is even trickier?"
To which the Greek chorus cried, "Hire an editor!"

Lol

Thanks. I appreciate the help.

 

[BiggusBeardus]

I agree, but that verb "hire" can be a pricey one. So expensive, in fact, as to move it out of reach for a good many writers. Also, not all editors are especially good at their job, making spending that editing money something of a gamble. But if you can afford an editor, and you're fortunate enough to find a good one, hang on to them!

Yeah, I better pray for perfection. I doubt I'll be able to afford an editor unless I get traditionally published and they take care of the editing.

 

[pmmg]

“No sir, you’ve been a great help. Maybe one day I can come down here and you can tell me about some of the adventures you’ve been on.” Dal pocketed the map device, waved good bye to the old man and stepped out the door.

That looks right to me. I think Skip already got it

I just popped in to comment, that I would not be reaching for an editor for this. Editor comes near the end of the process, and this is stuff that I would expect an author to know the format for, and for beta readers to mostly have weeded out along the way. I think, if I was an editor, and I was submitted a book that got a lot of this wrong, I would be inclined to send back that they need to get some peer feedback before they are paying me to fix all of this. They would not get best use out of me if I was spending my time having to correct these types of errors.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Comma, comma, comma, comma, comma chameleon.

Sorry. I had to do it.

 

[Fyri]

Please also consider this, one of my favorite little posts!

 

[Fyri]

That looks right to me. I think Skip already got it

I just popped in to comment, that I would not be reaching for an editor for this. Editor comes near the end of the process, and this is stuff that I would expect an author to know the format for, and for beta readers to mostly have weeded out along the way. I think, if I was an editor, and I was submitted a book that got a lot of this wrong, I would be inclined to send back that they need to get some peer feedback before they are paying me to fix all of this. They would not get best use out of me if I was spending my time having to correct these types of errors.

Well, to be fair. There are different kinds of editors. Line editors may expect this, actually.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Let's eat kids
Let's eat, kids

Or why commas are important...

 

[Karlin]

The panda...

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Listen to Skip. He knows what he's talking about.

I, on the other hand, am grammar impaired, particularly where commas are concerned. Drives my editor - who I also call 'babe' 'cus we're married - nuts. But she's also a grammarian with linguistics chops. She makes me look smart.

She's also just about ready to hang her shingle as an editor, so I will soon stop my hording ways and share the awesome with the rest of the world.

 

[Finchbearer]

I sneeze, commas, all over the, page. ,

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