ID 33150522 © Samotrebizan | Dreamstime.com
Commas provide a pause between thoughts, indicating when things are similar but not fully connected. There are a lot of rules related to conjunctions and commas, and just commas in general.
An interesting twist with commas is when “short” sentences are joined with conjunctions allowing the comma rules to be broken.
Before I get too deep into this editing rant, let me define “independent clauses.” These are complete thoughts. Independent clauses can be their own sentences; they are INDEPENDENT. Nothing actually needs to be added to them for communication of the idea to exist, not outside context, no other nouns or verb. They stand completely on their own.
For example: I love ice cream.
Conjunctions connect phrases, either independent or dependent. They are also used for lists. Commas are used to break up long lists or independent phrases connected with a conjunction.
Example of connected independent phrases: I love ice cream, and I love chocolate, and I love my pet.
Example of a long (at least three items) list with a serial (often called Oxford) comma: I love ice cream, chocolate, and my pet.
Example of cojoined dependent phrases: I love ice cream and hate chocolate mixed with coffee.
The second phrase following “and” is missing the subject of the sentence, and therefore depends on the first phrase before the conjunction (and) to be complete. The first phrase is independent could stand alone.
Everything clear as mud now? Good, onward into the rant!
Normally, according to The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS), which my publisher uses, states in section 6.28 (capitalization for emphasis is mine):
Commas with independent clauses joined by conjunction. When independent clauses are joined by “and, but, or, so, yet, ” or other conjunctions, a comma usually precedes the conjunction. If the clauses are VERY SHORT AND CLOSELY CONNECTED, the comma may be omitted unless the clauses are part of a series.
Example given in CMoS: Electra played the guitar and Tambora sang.
Don’t you just love when hard and fast rules have exceptions? Even better when the exception isn’t clearly defined.
Two words is a fairly straight forward exception, and when I edit, I nearly always let three words slide. But what about four words? How should the exception apply when taking into account the difference between narrative and dialog?
This is where editing switches from the science of language to the art of storytelling.
From clear, easily definable rules to clarify information across distance and time, to a beautiful language communicating vibes and implying concepts for which strict structure provides an inadequate base.
And, joy, as an editor and as a writer, you have to figure out how and when to apply a scalpel or a brush.
I’ve often talked about the science part (see the list of Punctuation Series below). But how to apply this exception of “VERY SHORT” as an art to enhance storytelling? An example could be when the New Yorker character who talks fast doesn’t get a comma for four-word independent phrases cojoined, but a Southern Belle’s drawl slows things down and she gets them for all the independent phrases, even the two-word ones.
“I tore down the road and the car turned right. Sliding like ice cream down a cone in July. I slammed the breaks and twisted the wheel.”
“We sat down, and Violet played the violin. Her mastery is music to the ears. I offered Missy ice cream, but she refused.”
Remember everything is guidance, because the final rule for all editing of fiction is “Storytelling is Sovereign.” (Historically, it would be “Storytelling is King” but time to degender that phrase, don’t you think?)
Punctuation Series: