Quote:
Originally Posted by neilmarr
Einstein was also a genius, Kenny, but he still worked to a formula. Punctuation is as vital to written communication as the twenty-six letters of the alphabet (and much more important than some). Granted, Kenny? This hip, big-headed 'punctuation is above me' approach (similar to posing poets who refuse to use capital letters) is my only grouse with an otherwise superb writer. Bestest. N
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I understand Neal, that comment was as much a joke an anything. I don't think anyone is "above the law" but I'm also a poet and rebel and I do believe (as I wrote above) that his technique actually draws the reader in and makes the pace faster. It did/does for me at least. As far as punctuation being vital, I disagree, certainly it is the accepted convention, but clearly not "vital" as is indicated by the success of his work (as well as others who do this as well).
The thing about the this technique is that it must be completely clear who is talking, who the characters are and that puts an extra burden on the writer to make it so. It is clear that it is not working for some readers and as I said it confused me at a few places. (I also read "No Country for Old Men" immediately following The Road and it is the same, including the same confusion once in a while but rarely for me at least)
Again, just my opinion.