Em Dash Formatting Question - Writers Forum

FrankBlissett · 07-07-2006, 11:59 PM

Which do you prefer when reading, a double-hyphen or an actual em-dash? I'm doing some last minute editing of my chapbook (to the printer next week) and that's the last consistancy issue I'm clearing up.

-Frank

Hodge · 07-08-2006, 12:00 AM

Em-dash. Double hyphens are for quick reply boxes that cut out on you when you try to use an em-dash or en-dash. I have NEVER seen a double hyphen in a book.

Mike C · 07-08-2006, 04:09 AM

The double hyphen is how you show an m-dash in a manuscript. It shows the typesetter that it's not a hyphen.

mammamaia · 07-08-2006, 07:01 PM

ditto both of my predecessors' comments...

if you're sending a ms to anyone, you should use the double hyphen, so there will be no confusion... in some fonts the visual difference between hyphen and em dash is hard to discern...

Scarecrow's Arrow · 07-10-2006, 02:25 PM

Sorry if i sound silly, but what is an em dash? And how is it different to a hyphen?

Min Min Light · 07-10-2006, 03:10 PM

Definition of em and many other kinds of dashes, right here.

Scarecrow's Arrow · 07-10-2006, 03:24 PM

Thank you!

FrankBlissett · 07-11-2006, 03:06 AM

No need to worry about sounding silly, 'Crow. None of us were born with the "em-dash" gene turned on.

-Frank

ps: Thanks to all for the replies. It's been quite helpful.