What Would Writing Look Like Without Punctuation?

This month’s issue includes a look at life without punctuation and a book rec.

Yes, National Punctuation Day Is an Actual Thing

For punctuation lovers everywhere, this day is for you.

For those who dread dealing with punctuation, no worries — that’s why editors exist!

The truth of the matter is, punctuation used not to exist. That’s right. It was created, it developed over time, and some punctuation marks have even disappeared from use (look up what an asterism was for one example).

Imagine reading — or trying to read — a full page of text without any punctuation whatsoever, without spaces between words even. That’s how the Romans and Greeks used to do it. There were no commas, periods, exclamation marks or lowercase letters. Talk about feeling like you’re being yelled at ALL THE TIME.

We have the ol’ printing press to thank for our standardization of punctuation. Even still, it’s not fully standard, is it? Often punctuation choices are subjective. Sometimes, two different ways of punctuating a phrase can both be correct.

It All Comes Down to Clarity

But the importance of correct punctuation, of course, is about clear meaning more than about following rules.

One of my favorite examples of the importance of punctuation comes from the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss, where the author pokes fun at a joke featuring a panda that walks into a café. After eating a sandwich, the panda either:

eats shoots and leaves. (Think of a panda happily chomping on some eucalyptus.)

eats, shoots and leaves. (Picture a panda holding a gun and erasing a comma from the front of the book.)

It’s a great visual to show that, while sometimes thought of as nitpicky, punctuation really does matter, especially in your professional communications.

To celebrate National Punctuation Day this year, which falls on September 24, I’ll spend some time checking on proper punctuation for my clients. What about you?

Check It Out: WRITINGWITHOUTPUNCTUATION

The style of writing of ancient Latin and Greek texts that left out both punctuation and spaces is called scriptio continua. Here’s an example of what this would have looked like. Oof. Thank goodness for punctuation, huh?

Something You Might Not Know About Me...

I prefer reading traditional books to ebooks. I’m on my computer so much during the workday that when it’s time to settle in for leisure reading, I always choose paper over a screen.

The current (paper) book I’m reading is And So I Roar by Abi Daré. LOVE this author's work.