Shortest Grammar Guide for Authors!

Preface

Most newspapers, academic papers, and textbooks don’t use dialogue (conversation) in them. This is why most of us don’t learn proper punctuation and grammar for writing conversations. As an author trying to write a novel, it’s very important to write dialogues correctly. Imagine your English teacher reading your sloppy book someday—wouldn’t she be upset? She might point out the missed quotation marks or misplaced commas, diminishing the impact of your story.

Authors don't have to be experts in grammar, but they should know the basics to write a novel well. If your dialogue structure or punctuation isn’t right, then regardless of how great your story is, you will be considered an amateur. Knowing basic grammar rules for conversation helps you to express ideas clearly and keep your stories understandable.

Punctuation is a mechanism for the reader to separate spoken words from other parts of the sentence. Correct punctuation acts like road signs for the reader, guiding them through the flow of the conversation seamlessly. Proper dialogue punctuation not only makes your writing more professional but also enhances the reader’s experience by making the conversation clear and engaging.

I have collected and documented a bunch of basic tips on how to punctuate dialogues. Although I am no grammar expert, the tips in this short book will immensely help you in framing dialogues. By mastering these simple rules, you can improve the quality of your writing and ensure that your dialogues are accurate, compelling, and convey the intended emotion and clarity.

What is First, Second, and Third Person?

Depending on the type of book you write, choose the first, second, or third-person method for your writing. This is an important grammar concept that you must learn for writing your book and is explained below.

First Person: I, We, Me, Us, My, Mine, Our, Ours.

Second Person: You, Your, Yours.

Third Person: He, Him, His, She, Her, Hers, They, Them, Their, Theirs, It, Its.

First Person

First Person: The category ‘first person’ refers to the writer himself. When you write your sentences using words like I, we, me, us, my, mine, our, ours, then you are using the first person method. Some examples of sentences using the first person are:

"I am going home to eat my lunch. Our