Grammar Question

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
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I'm more worser at grammar than I thought.

Let's say I am making a picture book that has the title, "My Friend Coffee" (it's about an anthropomorphic coffee cup). Would it be correct to put a comma after "Friend" and have the title be "My Friend, Coffee"?
 
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kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Or you could use a colon (My Friend: Coffee)

But don't use a semicolon. The editor will remove your semicolon and for the rest of your life, you'll have to punctuate into a rubber bag.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
Ballsy asking for advice on April 1st. How can you be confident in any of the responses?

:eek: You are right, I should have thought of that.

The joke's on me already if so, since I put it up on Amazon Kindle already as an ebook. Not that it's super high quality illustration or anything, or very long even for a picture book... don't really expect many people to buy it, either (though if you have Kindle Unlimited, it's free). I am going to get a print or two in softcover, to see if print on demand is any good at all.

Just wanted to see how the self-publishing process overall worked for something more serious and longer that I am still working on.
 
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Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
Or you could use a colon (My Friend: Coffee)

But don't use a semicolon. The editor will remove your semicolon and for the rest of your life, you'll have to punctuate into a rubber bag.

Yeah, I was thinking a colon might work. Most of what I've read says not to use any punctuation there, but I'm not entirely sure based on this scenario. The title is a reference also to the end which goes, "... but he will always be my friend, Coffee". I really need a refresher or a reference book on grammar.
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
I'm pretty decent with grammar and I think any of these are acceptable:
My Friend Coffee
My Friend, Coffee
My Friend: Coffee

But I lean towards the one with the comma.
 

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
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In this case whether you put the comma or not is determined by how you want it read. Do you want:

My Friend (pause) Coffee

or

My Friend Coffee (no pause)
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
In this case whether you put the comma or not is determined by how you want it read. Do you want:

My Friend (pause) Coffee

or

My Friend Coffee (no pause)

With the pause. But would a colon work better in that case? Or are both equally valid?
 
Feb 6, 2007
16,432
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In this case whether you put the comma or not is determined by how you want it read. Do you want:

My Friend (pause) Coffee

or

My Friend Coffee (no pause)

Considering his target audience is amped up on caffeine, how about MYFRIENDCOFFEE?
 

Nograts

Platinum Member
Dec 1, 2014
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Write about how coffee enjoyed seeing flocks of deers during the summer.
 

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
14,359
4,640
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With the pause. But would a colon work better in that case? Or are both equally valid?

In the title of a book a colon denotes that what follows is a subtitle.

The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again
 
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slayer202

Lifer
Nov 27, 2005
13,679
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I don't like the comma. Makes me think you are saying "My Friend" to someone named Coffee

I like no punctuation, or colon if you want the pause
 

slayer202

Lifer
Nov 27, 2005
13,679
119
106
The title is a reference also to the end which goes, "... but he will always be my friend, Coffee". I really need a refresher or a reference book on grammar.

I don't like the sound of this, either


"He will always be my friend, John"
 

cbrunny

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2007
6,791
406
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:eek: You are right, I should have thought of that.

The joke's on me already if so, since I put it up on Amazon Kindle already as an ebook. Not that it's super high quality illustration or anything, or very long even for a picture book... don't really expect many people to buy it, either (though if you have Kindle Unlimited, it's free). I am going to get a print or two in softcover, to see if print on demand is any good at all.

Just wanted to see how the self-publishing process overall worked for something more serious and longer that I am still working on.

Link?
 

cbrunny

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2007
6,791
406
126
did you do the pictures yourself? Kinda looks like the kid is preggo.

51SmHkyj47L._AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-41,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg


how much of each purchase do you get?
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
did you do the pictures yourself? Kinda looks like the kid is preggo.

51SmHkyj47L._AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-41,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg


how much of each purchase do you get?

No, I had someone else do it. Yeah, that cover image definitely could use fixing. :D Royalty rate is 35%.

I did a little fix. Not worth doing any more than that (would get it done by a professional artist if I had a publisher and any real shot of selling this, and my own art skill is slightly above stick figures :p). I set the book to go free for a few days. Kicks in tomorrow.

v474li.png
 
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Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
No comma.

Lol, yeah I saw that an hour ago while trying to figure out if it was correct or not. My instinct at first was to put the comma, but pretty clear now that's not correct.

Comma comma comma comma comma chameleon,
You come and go, you come and go