Journey Of A Writer

Em Dash Punctuation Practice

It’s All About Focusing The Reader

Screenshot taken by writer of article

Hello, fellow writer!

Welcome to another writing practice as part of your writing quest. If you’re here for the first time, welcome to the writing journey.

This article is all about the em dash.

This is the punctuation mark I, personally, have used the most, especially when I was younger. I guess that I felt like I really understood it.

That’s what I want to help all of you do, my writing friends.

So here’s how you use it.

Uses of The Em Dash

• Instead of the double comma, use an em dash for readability (Every time I remember him — which always seems to be in the shower — I get angry and punch something; my showerhead is still broken).
• Add emphasis to the sentence [also takes the place of a colon] (After weeks of interviews, the space employment agency reached a decision⁠ — no earthlings).
• Take the place of parenthesis if you want to draw attention to the info inside of the dashes (When we saw the ogres⁠ — all 38 of them⁠ — our master began the conjuring spell; yet we still lost).
• To clarify something (The five of…