Do you use parentheses (you know, to get that extra thought in there)?

jannawrites · Dec 8, 2007

I wrote a 450 word essay today (for my humor column) and noticed, all said and done, I have 9 of (these) within it. The comments inside those parentheses add to my writing voice - friendly and conversational - I'd guess, but can one go overboard with them?

Shweta · Dec 8, 2007

I tend to like them.
But then, I also like fiction with footnotes, like Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell.

jannawrites · Dec 8, 2007

Fiction with footnotes? I haven't seen that yet.

Shweta · Dec 8, 2007

It's rare. I've seen it in Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell, Terry Pratchett books, the Bartimaeus trilogy, and some of Jeff Vandermeer's stuff. All of which is either humor or weird, or both.

veronie · Dec 9, 2007

I think they tend to work better in comedic pieces more than other genres (for whatever reason). If they flow well with your style, use 'em.

ErylRavenwell · Dec 9, 2007

jannawrites said:
I wrote a 450 word essay today (for my humor column) and noticed, all said and done, I have 9 of (these) within it. The comments inside those parentheses add to my writing voice - friendly and conversational - I'd guess, but can one go overboard with them?

In non-fiction parentheses are alright but in fiction they tend to distract the reader. When writing in the first person, parentheses are also not that bad when used sparringly.

ResearchGuy · Dec 9, 2007

jannawrites said:
I wrote a 450 word essay today (for my humor column) and noticed, all said and done, I have 9 of (these) within it. The comments inside those parentheses add to my writing voice - friendly and conversational - I'd guess, but can one go overboard with them?

Yar! My 10th grade English teacher, Mr. Archie Green, marked me down on one paper for overusing parentheses. So help me, all these years later, I STILL overuse parentheses. I have to watch specifically for them and get rid of many or most in my writing to this day. Even then, when I revisit a piece later, I still find more than should be there. Yes, they can easily become annoying.

--Ken

Mandy-Jane · Dec 9, 2007

I use them a lot for personal emails; not so much for more formal writing. Yes, I think it's easy to go way overboard with them. I'm always watching that I don't over-use them.

Serena Casey · Dec 9, 2007

parentheses are also not that bad when used sparringly.

Does that mean they're okay when you're looking for a fight?

Sorry, just had to tease you.

I would use them somewhat sparingly. I probably use them too much myself, although not as much in my fiction writing as in personal e-mails and forum posts. But, like anything that's not done in moderation, their frequency could become so distracting that they take the reader out of the story. (Just something to watch for.)

elknutswife · Dec 9, 2007

I used to use them a lot, but my crit group broke me of the habit pretty quickly - I've been told editors don't like them, but that could just be genre specific - in personal communications I use them profusely (I love them, I really do!)

ErylRavenwell · Dec 9, 2007

Serena Casey said:
Does that mean they're okay when you're looking for a fight? Sorry, just had to tease you.

I would use them somewhat sparingly. I probably use them too much myself, although not as much in my fiction writing as in personal e-mails and forum posts. But, like anything that's not done in moderation, their frequency could become so distracting that they take the reader out of the story. (Just something to watch for.)

Doh! Thanks for correcting me.

Just Me 2021 · Dec 10, 2007

I confess: I'm anti-parentheses. I do not use them in my writing, except on occasion in an email as a clarifier. I find them distracting. I am of the opinion that a writer should take the time to make the sentence clear enough that a side note is not necessary. Obviously, not everyone agrees with me on this.

Provrb1810meggy · Dec 10, 2007

I use them a lot in my writing, but that may have to do with the genre: YA chick-lit/romantic comedy. However, in my next first person novel, I'll be getting rid of things I frequently use such as em dashes and parentheses, since the character is more straightforward in her language.

CaroGirl · Dec 10, 2007

Using parentheses in fiction is a bit tricky. When I read a novel, I'm looking for the Important Stuff: conversation, action. Parenthetical comments are just that: parenthetical, and I tend to skim or skip them to get to the meat. As a writer, if you want your words read, I suggest not putting them in parentheses.

Unique · Dec 10, 2007

as a clarifier

if required. And sparingly. And only if I haven't figured out how to rewrite the sentence to be clearer.

One set of parentheses is much better than one forty word sentence with two sets of semi-colons and three commas.

YMMV.

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 10, 2007

CaroGirl said:
Using parentheses in fiction is a bit tricky. When I read a novel, I'm looking for the Important Stuff: conversation, action. Parenthetical comments are just that: parenthetical, and I tend to skim or skip them to get to the meat. As a writer, if you want your words read, I suggest not putting them in parentheses.

Or putting it into a Prologue? :tongue

I don't know, it just seems weird that you'd skip something within parentheses, like you think it's less important than any other words the writer put down.

I don't mind them. To me (depending on the context) it sounds like the writer is telling a story and then when he goes parenthetical, it's like he's taken you aside and said, "Psst. and this part is just for you. Keep it under your hat." Which I think is kind of cool.

kuwisdelu · Dec 10, 2007

I don't mind them, in fiction or nonfiction. There are times when they're appropriate, but if overused they'll get distracting.

Shweta · Dec 10, 2007

CaroGirl said:
Using parentheses in fiction is a bit tricky. When I read a novel, I'm looking for the Important Stuff: conversation, action.

Interesting that you say that this is the Important Stuff. That might be an effect of tight-third being so common a narrative voice these days.

Thinking about it, reading what other people are saying, I wonder if a strong narrative voice is what we need to make parentheticals (in the form of parentheses or footnotes) work. They're not less important, after all -- they might be more important -- if the story is working at multiple levels and one is the story/nature of the narrative voice.

This might be why it works mostly in humor or weird-story formats.

Doesn't this happen in the Lemony Snickett books?

Unique said:
if required. And sparingly. And only if I haven't figured out how to rewrite the sentence to be clearer.

One set of parentheses is much better than one forty word sentence with two sets of semi-colons and three commas.

I agree, all else being equal -- but to some extent, in some contexts, I think voice can trump clarity.

truelyana · Dec 10, 2007

jannawrites said:
I wrote a 450 word essay today (for my humor column) and noticed, all said and done, I have 9 of (these) within it. The comments inside those parentheses add to my writing voice - friendly and conversational - I'd guess, but can one go overboard with them?

What's a parentheses? Sorry, I'm not familiar with the terming.

melaniehoo · Dec 10, 2007

I overuse them and that's one thing I'm working on in my edits, but I'm writing my memoir AND it's humorous, so they keep niggling their way in!

Sage · Dec 10, 2007

I use parentheses in my posts and e-mails a lot, but not so much in my novels. The em-dash gets used a lot in novels though.

CaroGirl · Dec 10, 2007

truelyana said:
What's a parentheses? Sorry, I'm not familiar with the terming.

Parentheses are brackets (like this). A parenthetical phrase is offset using these marks (and many people apparently find it distracting). And just to nitpick, one bracket is a parenthesis (singular), two are parentheses (plural), and you must make sure that, if you have one, you have a second (closing) one.

truelyana · Dec 10, 2007

CaroGirl said:
Parentheses are brackets (like this). A parenthetical phrase is offset using these marks (and many people apparently find it distracting). And just to nitpick, one bracket is a parenthesis (singular), two are parentheses (plural), and you must make sure that, if you have one, you have a second (closing) one.

Ooooh I get you. Thank you for explaining, that really does help.

Aren't parantheses often helpful in sentences? As it's like providing additional information isn't it?

LIVIN · Dec 10, 2007

I am anti parenthesis, for the most part. I'm not saying they're the end of the world or anything, but I think i learned that if something is in a parenthesis then either A) it is not necessary or B) it can be fit in somewhere without the parenthesis.

jannawrites · Dec 10, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
.

...To me (depending on the context) it sounds like the writer is telling a story and then when he goes parenthetical, it's like he's taken you aside and said, "Psst. and this part is just for you. Keep it under your hat." Which I think is kind of cool.

Yes, exactly! And that's why I enjoy them so much in personal essays or blog posts. Right on, Shadow Ferret.

truelyana said:
Ooooh I get you. Thank you for explaining, that really does help. Aren't parantheses often helpful in sentences? As it's like providing additional information isn't it?

I totally concur. Or agree, which sounds less stuffy.

Wow! This thread got more posts than I thought it would. Thanks, guys!

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