punctuation

I seem to have read a few novels this year where the writers eschew speech marks for their dialogue. It's not a new fad - James Joyce did it a long time ago, and apparently Cormac McCarthy thinks if you write properly you shouldn't need to punctuate (I purposely omit the punctuation as I quote...

Punctuation is a fabulous tool for controlling your reader—you even get to control where they breathe. That’s what I call power! Nicola Morgan

The erudite amongst you will no doubt know what the heading refers to. It was a new one on me. If you are interested in the history of punctuation and how it is still being developed - e.g. the irony mark - then have a listen to this from the BBC: BBC Radio 4 - Word of Mouth, Punctuation...