Category: Writing Advice

It used to be that we could look to a blue check mark on Twitter to establish if a writer was – quote unquote – “legitimate”, but that world is long gone. 

Now it’s up to the individual to prove their worth in a consistent and very public way. Writers of all kinds need to demonstrate that they care, that they are knowledgeable in the subject, and that they can be trusted. Why? Because that’s how readers start to form a relationship with your writing.

“People jump to all kinds of conclusions about you when they read documents you have written,” writes Barbara Wallraff for HBR. “They decide, for instance, how smart, how creative, how well organised, how trustworthy, and how considerate you are. And once they have made up their minds, it is hard to get them to see you differently. Research in social psychology shows how sticky early impressions are.”

So it’s super important, and we need to, as writers, establish credibility if we want to gain readers and head for success. But first: what do we mean by “credibility” in the first place?
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Tired of the daily grind at your workplace? Planning an exciting Spring Break getaway? Perhaps this month’s set of writerly inspirations will also help you appreciate the mundane security of your day job–especially if you finally garner that big promotion!

Character: King of Pentacles and V The Hierophant. This character is someone who has led a very stable and secure existence. They have worked hard, and their life has gone according to plan. While it’s true that they are financially stable, it could be said their life lacks both adventure and excitement. But this character doesn’t feel like they’ve missed out on anything; they are content with their life, and the strong ties they have built in their community makes them feel even more fulfilled. They are also largely optimistic, but may feel irked or depressed during those rare occurrences when circumstances don’t turn out like they had hoped. They may be angered when an employee suddenly quits, or they become depressed when their best friend doesn’t show up for their weekly meet-up at the local coffee shop.

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If you’ve ever read modern fiction before, especially pieces written by an American author, you’ve probably noticed this ‘—’ symbol before.

A lot of people would mistake it for a hyphen, or a dash, but it’s actually a special kind of punctuation character that is separate from the others known as the em Dash.

Perhaps you’re familiar with the name, but you don’t understand the grammar rules or the situations where you’d use it in a piece of writing.

Either way, it can be an important tool in a writer’s toolbox and something that is important to know. But we know how difficult grammar rules can be to learn, especially when so many people use them differently.

How can you be sure to use an em Dash correctly? Where is the shortcut on a keyboard to place in your document? How necessary is it to use em Dashes in the first place? If you’re wondering about these questions then you don’t need to panic—you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’re going to be taking you through everything there is to know about em dashes. When to use them, some of the rules involved with them, and how you can find a shortcut on your word processor.

What Is An Em Dash?

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If you’re here, you probably love writing! It’s all fun and games, until it isn’t, right? Sometimes your brain just stops being creative, and you’re left with a dry well of ideas.

If you want to write something but can’t seem to actually think of something to write, you aren’t alone.

Even the best writers are idealess sometimes! I’ve been there, you’ve been there – it’s normal. While it always does eventually pass, you’re likely looking for something else in the meantime.

Well, if you need some short story ideas, we’ve got you! Now, bear in mind these won’t be too detailed, because you still need to make these ideas your own!

However, these are a great start for any story, and it will help you get back into your own creative mindset.

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