Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.
Interpretation
Exclamation points can undermine the sincerity of a statement, much like laughing at your own joke can feel forced.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's quote suggests that excessive use of exclamation points is akin to self-indulgent laughter at one's own humor, indicating a lack of authenticity. By implying that we should avoid overwriting our emotions with punctuation, he encourages a more genuine and understated communication style that allows our words to stand on their own merit.
In practice
In a writing workshop, to emphasize the importance of subtlety in writing.
Don't be so anxious about it,' she laughed. 'I'm not used to being loved. I wouldn't know what to do; I never got the trick of it.' She looked down at him, shy and fatigued. 'So here we are. I told you years ago that I had the makings of Cinderella.' He took her hand; she drew it back instinctively and then replaced it in his. 'Beg your pardon. Not even used to being touched. But I'm not afraid of you, if you stay quiet and don't move suddenly.
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
It was about then [1920] that I wrote a line which certain people will not let me forget: "She was a faded but still lovely woman of twenty-seven."
The words seemed to bite physically into Gatsby.
But you can love more than just one person, can't you?
A sudden gust of rain blew over them and then another - as if small liquid clouds were bouncing along the land. Lightning entered the sea far off and the air blew full of crackling thunder. The table cloths blew around the pillars. They blew and blew and blew. The flags twisted around the red chairs like live things, the banners were ragged, the corners of the table tore off through the burbling billowing ends of the cloths.
... The truth of the matter is, that most English people don't know how to make tea anymore either, and most people drink cheap instant coffee instead, which is a pity, and gives Americans the impression that the English are just generally clueless about hot stimulants.
Could be. Iβm a pretty dangerous dude when Iβm cornered.β βYeah,β said the voice from under the table, βyou go to pieces so fast people get hit by the shrapnel.
Little fussy Otto, in his red-lined black opera cloak with pockets for all his gear, his shiny black shoes, his carefully cut widow's peak and, not least, his ridiculous accent that grew thicker or thinner depending on who he was talking to, did not look like a threat. He looked funny, a joke, a music-hall vampire. It had never previously occurred to Vimes that, just possibly, the joke was on other people.
I play the guitar. I taught myself how to play the guitar, which was a bad decision... because I didn't know how to play it, so I was a shitty teacher. I would never have went to me.
What a fine weather today! Canβt choose whether to drink tea or to hang myself.
Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
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