What’s the most boring punctuation mark?
I used to think that award should go to parentheses. They seem to smell like math exams in sweaty classrooms. Ugh.
But I’ve learned that parentheses can be FUN.
Parentheses can be as intimate as that whispered conversation about your teenage crush.
And they work for grown ups, too.
Whether you’re writing a business article or a memoir, an e-newsletter or a LinkedIn update, parentheses can make your writing more conversational and pull your readers closer.
Shall I show you?
Parentheses are for important asides
Parentheses are best used for additional, yet essential information.
For instance, in her novel Road Ends, Mary Lawson describes Meghan buying ingredients for Coq au Vin—a dish she’s never made before:
She left work early and bought the ingredients on the way home: a chicken, streaky bacon, butter, olive oil (she’d never heard of it), garlic (ditto), button onions (ditto), button mushrooms (ditto), herbs (mostly ditto), a quarter bottle of brandy (you only needed two tablespoons but you couldn’t buy two tablespoons) and a bottle of burgundy (you only needed half a bottle but they’d drink the rest).
At first glance, the text between parentheses above is additional. You can easily remove it and the sentence remains grammatically correct:
She left work early and bought the ingredients on the way home: a chicken, streaky bacon, butter, olive oil, garlic, button onions, button mushrooms, herbs, a quarter bottle of brandy and a bottle of burgundy.
However, without the commentary between the parentheses, the sentence has become a boring list of ingredients.
So, the additional information between parentheses provides essential insight and adds liveliness to the writing.
Parentheses are always used in pairs (duh), and can embrace a word, a fragment, a sentence, or even multiple sentences. For instance, when Lawson describes Edward’s discussion with Betty, she places Edward’s commentary—a whole sentence—between parentheses:
Betty says she has knocked on [the Reverend’s] door several times and various other members of the congregation have done so as well, bearing food. (Women seem to think the answer to everything is food.)
The first sentence in the quote above is just a simple statement of fact. The second sentence—the one between parentheses—reveals Edward’s thoughts. And how much insight it gives!
Use parentheses in moderation
Especially when used for fragments in a sentence, parentheses can make it harder for readers to follow the flow.
That’s why the use of parentheses is often frowned upon. As Umberto Eco wrote:
(Always) remember that parentheses (even when they seem indispensable) interrupt the flow.
Read the above quote aloud, and you may notice the disruption: You’ll find yourself pausing at the second set of parentheses: (Always) remember that parentheses—PAUSE—(even when they seem indispensable)—PAUSE—interrupt the flow.
And you probably had to briefly remind yourself how the words before and after the parentheses connect: Remember that parentheses interrupt the flow.
Yet, writing is not always straightforward. As a writer, you can chose to interrupt the flow.
For instance, in a long sentence from his excellent memoir The Boy with the Topknot, Sathnam Sanghera chooses to use 4 pairs of parentheses.
Sanghera tells us how he tries to keep his relationship with a white girl secret but his family has found out and one of his aunt calls him. Sanghera describes his anger:
Suddenly, I was furious about Mum’s reaction (the hysterical mother is the ultimate Indian cliché), my extended family’s involvement (who were these people calling me, judging me? I barely knew them), the distant relative who had supposedly passed on the information (gleefully, no doubt), the way in which the media always portrays men as the beneficiaries of arranged marriages (some of us were just as trapped as women), and the racism of the word ‘gori’, a word spat out as if it were interchangeable with ‘whore’, a word being used to describe someone who had only been kind to me, who had done more for me than many members of my extended family had ever done.
The parentheses make it a little more difficult to read the sentence. What if you’d keep the commentary but without the parentheses? It’s possible to rephrase, for instance like this:
Suddenly, I was furious about Mum’s reaction—the hysterical mother is the ultimate Indian cliché. I was furious with my extended family’s involvement: Who were these people calling me, judging me? I barely knew them. I was also furious with the distant relative who had supposedly passed on the information. I imagine they did so gleefully. I was also furious with the way in which the media always portrays men as the beneficiaries of arranged marriages because some of us were just as trapped as women. And lastly, I was furious with the racism of the word ‘gori’, a word spat out as if it were interchangeable with ‘whore’, a word being used to describe someone who had only been kind to me, who had done more for me than many members of my extended family had ever done.
The tone of the writing changes, right? The description of the writer’s anger feels a tad labored, and you lose the intimacy of the parentheses.
Writing is always a balance. You can choose to use parentheses so you can have a more intimate conversation with your readers—even if that interrupts the flow.
As a writer, you’re the boss
You decide whether your commentary between parentheses is important or not.
In his memoir Ten Things I Hate About Me, Joe Tracini uses parentheses to make his writing more conversational:
Einstein once said (this is the only quote I know, by the way, so enjoy), ‘The definition of insanity is repeating the same event over and over again and expecting a different result.’
How relevant is it to know that Tracini knows only one quote from Einstein? That’s up to Tracini to decide. As the author, he decides what insights he wants to share and how he wants to communicate with his readers. The comment between parentheses is essential to his voice.
It’s similar here:
It’s like how babies have no object permanence (I didn’t know what that meant originally either, I googled it). When you play peekaboo with them, you genuinely disappear from the universe and they’re delighted when you return.
When Tracini mentions the phrase object permanence, it’s like he hears his reader think, What’s that? So, he adds his comment to tell them not to worry. He didn’t know what object permanence meant either.
How to decide whether to use parentheses
So, how do you decide whether or not to use parentheses?
1. Only add essential information.
Check: Cross out the text between parentheses. Can you do without?
Remember: You decide what’s essential.
2. Use parentheses for a good reason.
Check: Try rewriting your sentence without parentheses. Does that change the tone of your writing?
As Umberto Eco suggested, parentheses get a bad rap.
Because they interrupt the flow.
But as a writer, it’s your choice.
You can interrupt the flow to add a meaningful comment or to make the conversation with your reader more intimate.
You’re the boss.
You can break the rules.
Happy writing!
I started experimenting with them, recently, after reading some others of your recent posts. I agree that, within reason, see that they can add so much value to my writing. I love how they lend a voice that really relates to the reader, one that says “it’s just you and I here, talking about this”.
Yes! I like how you put that: a voice that really relates to the reader, one that says “it’s just you and I here, talking about this”.
That’s a great way to write.
I think I like your idea of allowing parenthesis back into writing. Do you think this takes the place of putting sentences of what the author is thinking in italics? Either way, it feels right to include some way of setting ideas apart from the main content. Thanks for this lovely post!
I don’t really know. My hunch is that people have different preferences. I also think there’s a tiny difference. When you put thoughts between parentheses, the thoughts are somehow both part of the story and commentary on the story. When you put thoughts in italics, the thoughts are more part of the narrative. Using parentheses also stresses the thoughts a little more (but less so than when using em dashes).
Thank you for another informative post Henneke. I like the pause that parentheses adds to copy. They are a valuable tool.
Hope you are enjoying a great summer.
Thank you, Barry. I am glad you enjoyed this. I hope you’re having a great summer, too.
Very interesting. I find the difference between parenthesis, which I use sparingly, and the parenthetical phrase separated by the em dash to be an interesting conundrum. I think the latter is more abrupt in tone. I liked your examples a lot, especially pointing out how they can, in the right hands, provide an amusing aside. Love your work. Thanks 🙂
Yes, I agree with you. A parenthetical phrase between em dashes tends to be stressed more strongly. Using parentheses to add information is a little more subtle. Em dashes are more intrusive.
Till now, I didn’t know (I have to shamefully admit) what parentheses are, but I have used them. I just did!
It does help to add the extra flavour to your writing, add the extra details that would make it enriching to the reader as an omelette with extra cheese toppings and schezwan sauce.
Eventhough I would like the extra freebies, some one might want to do without it.
It depends on individual choice, what you want to write, whom you want to write and how.
You are correct, the writer is the boss. But it’s always helpful to remember and write for your reader, to keep them come back for more.
As always it’s always a beautiful article you shared. I’ve learned so much by just reading your blogs. Thank you so much for enriching my knowledge and making my writing better and readable.
Thanks once again.
Yes, absolutely. You’re right. Always remember to write for your reader.
Thank you for stopping by, Subhankar. I appreciate it.
I’ve followed you for years, Henneke, even though I’m not in marketing. Your suggestions(including parentheses!) have greatly helped my nonfiction writing become friendlier and more saleable. I like to sit down with a cup of tea when your latest newsletter arrives.
It’s lovely to have a cup of tea with you from time to time, Diane. Thank you. Such lovely feedback.
Henneke,
Sometimes I follow some patterns on my writing and just have the feeling they seem to be ok. Reading this post from you confirms the parentheses do the function (better than I expected) 🙂
Thank you for sharing this!
Following your feeling that something works well is a good way to write. We don’t need to analyze everything. Intuition is important.
Henneke, this helps a lot. I was editing last week and came across some parenthesis. I kept some and substituted others with em dashes. I’m paying more attention. This article is so timely! Thanks!
Thank you, Grace. I’m glad this was useful. It was fun to write!
Dear Henneke, thanks for your article. As you know, Umberto Eco was an Italian writer and semiotician and he was a great teacher.
As a journalist, I thought that parentheses was… useless. In Italian language sometimes we use too many parentheses.
But your article makes me think that parentheses can be a way to connect to people intimately.
Now I am recording a podcast and parentheses are really a way to be closer to my audience.
P.S. You are a wonderful teacher, Henneke. So I think that a course of yours about podcasting could be useful. Podcasting needs good advice about writing, tone of voice etc. 😉
I love Umberto Eco’s rules for writing! I only know the English translation. I think the Italian version includes a few extra rules.
And I also agree that people sometimes use too many parentheses, also in English. Used in moderation, they can be very effective.
On podcasting: I don’t know anything about podcasting but I do agree that the basics of good communication are applicable no matter whether we’re writing, presenting on stage, recording a podcast or a video.
Thanks, this was greatly needed and appreciated, (very understandable) , because of your examples.
Well done.
Thank you, Warren. I appreciate that. Finding the right examples can be hard. But I always think it’s worth the effort.
Hi and thanks for another great post.
I particularly found it interesting, because I tend to use parentheses in my blog posts sometimes.
I must admit I hadn’t really given it much thought up until now. But, I do feel my posts where I have used them, flow much better.
Something else to think about .
Thank you and keep those great posts and ideas coming.
That’s so interesting that when you use parentheses your posts seem to flow better. Keep using them!
How lovely to have what I thought was a bad habit of mine validated. There’s a reason why my social media posts include text in parentheses – because they’re spontaneous, and conversational (I hope!).
Yes! And I like how you’ve added “I hope.” Nice touch.
I love this. (I really, really do!) Thanks, Henneke!
Thank you, Rachel. I had wondered whether writing a post about parentheses was a little weird (too niche?). So, I much appreciate your comment.
I feel better now, like the lady said; validated. I always worried that I was using the too much.
I like the idea of being the boss. ☺️
Glad you are doing well.
Great. And yeah, in your writing, you’re the boss. Enjoy!
Parens show up in my posts frequently; editing usually removes one pair:)
So happy to have them validated. Thank you.
Glad you found this useful, Janet. Happy writing!
Lovely ( I really like the idea of whispering in the reader’s ear through parentheses)
I like it, too! Thank you, Rita.
Hi Henneke, another timely post for me. I’ve been updating old content and getting rid of many parentheses. Now I understand better how to use them as I’ve usually not a lengthy writer. (short and sweet).
Thank you!
That sounds indeed like perfect timing. I need to update a few old posts, too, but am dragging my feet a little.