: Re: Do parentheses inhibit clarity? I find it easier to write many things with parentheses, but I don't know if this is considered good practice. I would expect some might say that parentheses are

@Berryessa137

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When I express my thoughts online (and I have to make parenthetical statements) I love parentheses. For me they're like talking to someone and saying something under my breath. I love getting that extra bonus idea into my already lengthy sentence creations.

But when I'm writing something that I intend to make money or get a grade out of I (almost) never use parentheses. If I were to make a lecture to a crowded auditorium I am not likely to express a side note under my breath. I'm going to want to make sure that everything important is clearly stated and that everything unimportant is nonexistent. The same goes for writing.

When you write for grades or money eliminate parentheses. Period. ("But what if..." NO. Eliminate parentheses. Period.) If the parenthetical thought you have is important it needs to be integrated into the text. If the parenthetical thought you have is unimportant it needs to be excised like an ugly wart on an otherwise beautiful face.

Parentheses are a tool of the lazy writer. A writer that can't be bothered to make a decision as to whether or not that bonus idea is important to the reader. Don't force your reader to be subject to your written mumblings. Don't use parentheses professionally. (All right?)

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