Tomato or Tomahto? (The Writer’s Great Divide)

Pyjamas or pyjahmas
Saspiralla or saspirella
Oysters or ersters

(From “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” a song written by George Gerswhin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film ‘Shall We Dance’)

An apropos lead-in for the last stretch of an 8-yr. journey to conceive and complete ‘An Enlightening Quiche’ (562 pages) in the genre of Women’s Fiction COMING SOON:

"It takes an heirloom quiche recipe and a baking rivalry between two bosom buddies to decipher and enlighten the past, reconcile irreversible mishaps in the present, and redefine the future by embarking along paths in uncharted territory plotted with noble intentions honed through self-sacrifice."

Rounding the bend to the finish line this weekend, I’m currently reorganizing and reviewing my corrections list for the electronic galley proof, rendering decisions over the realm of picayune peccadillos pertaining to the use of hyphens in compound adjectives, and in general.

For example: heartrending or heart-rending

Merriam-Webster: heartrending vs. Collins: heart-rending

Further research on the subject of hyphens led me to Grammar-Monster.com:

In the US, your readers will be more lenient. The US ruling is: Use a hyphen if it eliminates ambiguity or helps your reader, else don't bother. If you're unsure, use hyphens. You won't be marked down for using hyphens.

Tomato or tomahto, I will weigh the evidence and exercise my best judgment as I did when composing the story. Of utmost importance to this writer is my connection with the reader through the story elements, sentence clarity, realistic dialog, and imagery.

On the subject of “hypens” – goodbye! Or, is it good-bye?

Rule of thumb, when unsure don’t procrastinate—hyphenate!
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Published on May 27, 2016 11:34 Tags: author, blog, eva-pasco, hyphens, writing
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