Writing Tip #1 - Whoa! Too Many Exclamation Points

An exclamation point is a punctuation mark that conveys an emergency, signal of intensity, or strong feeling. Usage (or should I say, over-usage) of the exclamation point, or mark (!), has risen alongside the increased use of electronic communication. 

Photo by Craft Snark

Nowadays with so much of our day-to-day communication being electronic, many feel that the typed message makes it difficult to convey feeling. Thus, the exclamation point is being overly used to show emotions, such as excitement. If what you are writing is more paramount than it sounds, you need to work on your word usage. Vocabulary should describe the message you are trying to get across, not punctuation. When you overuse the exclamation point, the effectiveness of it begins to wear off quite quickly.

Photo by The Bewildered 20-Something Writer 

When writing, we advise you to limit your use of the exclamation point. Save them for when they are really needed - especially when writing in professional settings such as academia and in your workplace. In your school courses, your professor does not want a research paper filled with exclamation points, no matter how much you love what you are studying. At work, your boss likes that your excited about the meeting tomorrow, but there is no need to use exclamation points excessively. Overuse will have you looking unprofessional and lack-luster. 

Click here for a great flowchart created by HubSpot  you can use when you start asking yourself, "Should I use an exclamation mark?" (Spoiler alert: the answer is probably "No.")