Confession of an Over-Exclaimer

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“Never use abstract nouns when concrete ones will do. If you mean ‘More people died,’ don’t say, ‘Mortality rose.’” – C. S. Lewis

This was originally posted on another blog on 2/7/2024 and I’m republishing here to consolidate. Heads up – you may have already read this.

I recently had an opportunity to use a vintage typewriter. I’ve included a picture below for reference. My kids and I visited a friend and he had this beautiful and functional typewriter.

I found myself so excited to show my kids some of the sounds that come with my romanticized view of typewriters. The clack of the keys, the ding at the end of the line, and the zzzhhh of the carriage return. I rolled in a piece of paper so my eight-year-old daughter, Miss O, could give it a try.

Sheesh, it takes more finger strength than I remember. Especially for the pinkies.

Knowing that I wouldn’t have a chance to mail our host a thank you note and have it arrive before he left on a vacation, I decided to type him a thank you note. And that’s where it all started to go wrong. I didn’t have my glasses on but I’m a decent touch typist so I figured I was fine. [aside: beth’s I didn’t have my glasses on is one of my favorite blog names and is such a delightful read]

Just as I was rolling out the piece of paper, Miss O came back into the room to see what I was doing. I handed her the note. She read it and laughed. “It’s great except you used question marks instead of exclamation points.”

It read something like:

Taking a closer look, the typewriter didn’t have an exclamation point. It didn’t even have a number one key (use lower case L?). To do an exclamation point would have meant typing a period, backing up the carriage and then doing a single quote.

No way I would have done a lot of exclamation points if I was using that typewriter for my missives. But I use them all the time when I write – and especially comment these days. Seems like I might be using punctuation as a crutch instead of choosing the words that convey enthusiasm.

In retrospect, I’ve rewritten it without exclamation points:

What do you think? Better with exclamation points or without? Do you use them?

(featured photo from Pexels)

You can find me on Instagram @wynneleon and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/

I co-host a storytelling podcast featuring authors and artists with the amazing Vicki Atkinson. To tune in, search for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Pocketcasts (and subscribe) or click here. Or the YouTube channel features videos of our interviews. Please subscribe!

My other projects include work as a CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), speaking about creativity and AI through the Chicago Writer’s Association, and my book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.

76 thoughts on “Confession of an Over-Exclaimer”

  5. Oh dear. I am an over-exclaimer myself. Must curtail my enthusiasm in using signs, when words would work 😉

    That said, I am frankly surprised there is no double space after the period 🤣 I STILL do that even when using the computer as you can see in my first paragraph. Old habits die hard or don’t die at all!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Oh yes, I can relate. We got that double space drilled into muscle memory in typing class which is a class I don’t think they even teach anymore, right?

      Glad I’m in good over-exclaimer company, Dale! 🙂 ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Indeed. I don’t care. No one can make me quit it!

        You are definitely not alone. I’m sure we could get quite a group going 😉 💞

        Like

  6. The exclamation point probably is used more than was once conventional. It also probably creates the impression of off-the-charts enthusiasm that doesn’t exist in the world. If the present world were a happier place, I wonder if the need to amp-up our messages would be less necessary.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Oh this is too funny. You should’ve sent the original one with the question marks just to see what they think.

    I try to use exclamation points sparingly but admit in an online media, it helps with conveying emotions. I guess that’s why we have emojis now too! 😊

    And I hear ya, old typewriters were clunky and probably overuse of them today would lead to finger joint issues!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. What an interesting reminder that exclamation points used to be used very much in moderation. I can’t stop thinking about a certain Seinfeld episode, with Elaine Benes and LOTS of exclamation points!!! 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  11. I’m a self-confessed over-exclamator. They are just too easy to use to pass up all the possibilities and opportunities. I remember getting one of the first typewriters with a number 1. I probably spent the first year with it typing lower case l when I needed the number 1. I’m not sure how long it was before I got the hang of exclamations!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, that’s so interesting, Maggie. I wonder if there’s a regionality to them too. My neighbor who is from the UK uses “brilliant” in a way that is so different than I would so it seems the same thing could happen with our punctuation, right?

      Liked by 1 person

  13. What a fun post, Wynne! I have this issue. My head tells me “Melanie, you do NOT need to add a third exclamation point” but my finger is already adding it. I simply need to convey my highest enthusiasm and agreement with the post or comment!!! But I see it, I know it’s wrong, and I’m working on it. Your second letter is so much better using heartfelt and descriptive words, and most importantly, no question marks! (That was too funny. 😂😂)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Three exclamation points, Melanie? Clearly that is too many!!! 😉 And I love your enthusiasm! Exclamation point needed there for sure. You provide such delightful engagement and encouragement.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. It’s so funny that you wrote about this. I was just thinking the other day that I was using the exclamation mark way too much. Then I worried that people would think I had lost my enthusiasm. I love your solution, Wynne, I will have to amp up my vocabulary! (sorry I mean . )

    Liked by 1 person

  15. “No way I would have done a lot of exclamation points if I was using that typewriter for my missives.” I bet that’s why all the old style books say to limit exclamation point usage. They didn’t want you to have to backtrack like that. Ha, ha, I knew it!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. In my 100,000 word YA fantasy novel, I used around 200 exclamation points! I managed to get the number down a bit, but sometimes they are necessary.
    And my emails are absolutely full of them. I think it can be hard to convey proper enthusiasm through mere words in messages. But I suppose it also depends on who I am speaking to, and how formal/professional I am trying to be.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. i’m rather addicted to lower case and exclamation points! i feel like they need to be used to show my excitement, surprise, terror, or just the level of fun!

    p.s. I absolutely love old typewriters, but do not own one

    Liked by 1 person

  21. I remember being fascinated by typewriters as a kid. My mind was blown when electric and self correcting typewriters came out (speaking as a guy who put many holes in his term papers with one of those old typing erasers. My grandmother had a Braille typewriter that she let me sometimes fool around with. It looked like a traditional typewriter, but it put the raised dots of the thick tagboard that she used. (She translated printed material to Braille for blind students.)

    Because I associate everything in life with my favorite sitcom (Seinfeld), I had to show you this funny clip about exclamation points.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh my goodness, Pete — this is awesome! I’m not sure I ever saw that episode but it’s so classically Seinfeld!! I love it!!

      And I totally remember those old typing erasers. I can’t even imagine trying to use one of those typewriters today.

      What a fun comment! Thanks, Pete!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. I tend to overuse the exclamation mark. Especially informally. But I do see its uses in fiction, like when the tension builds to such a crescendo that the release is accompanied by an exclamation or two. I don’t see anything wrong with that. (P.S. I successfully resisted the urge to use an exclamation mark. Yay me!)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love this, C.J.! Yay you! I feel that way all the time when I’m leaving a comment and edit out an exclamation or two. And you make a great point about the use in fiction. Right! Thanks for the great comment!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Pingback: Confession of an Over-Exclaimer – JAMES KEDZE BLOG

  25. I’m Team Exclamation Point all the way! In fact, I got scolded by a coworker for using too many. I beg to differ. Much like garlic, you can never have too many exclamation points!!

    Liked by 2 people

  26. I love the “vintage” typewriter and I learned on a typewriter that was manual. I remember how I disliked the electric typewriters at first because the keys were so sensitive in comparison to the manual. How times have changed, and I must be vintage also. Yes! I like exclamation points !!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. “Sheesh, it takes more finger strength than I remember. Especially for the pinkies.” This line made me smile, Wynne! And I like it better without the exclamation marks. The typewriter evoked memories of my dad typing checks on his for monetary gifts for his daughters (my sisters and I) and to the grandkids. He used that typewriter until his dying day at the age of 97. Now I wonder what happened to it. 🥰

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh Lauren, you’ve brought up a whole interesting category — filling out forms and checks on a typewriter. Getting everything lined up. My goodness, wasn’t that a thing? So interesting your dad did that all the way to the end. What did happen to the typewriter? Love this comment! Happy Friday, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Love that old typewriter! They DID require a bit of pounding on the keys! / I don’t use exclamation points very often in my writing, but in blog and FB comments, yes. A comment doesn’t seem complete with an exclamation at the end, nor does it seem very friendly and cheery. Periods are just too serious!

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Oh Wynne, I laughed from the start in recognition because I love exclamation points and use them frequently! The vintage typewriter would change my habits too. I do like the second version. Food for thought for me! I often go back and put periods instead of multiple exclamation points in my post replies. : )

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s so funny, Rebecca. I do that too. If all three of my sentences in a comment have exclamation points – I try to at least find one to put a period on. Hilarious!

      Liked by 1 person

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