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Sometimes, when I put a parenthetical remark into something that I am writing, I need to split it up. I am never quite sure how to do it and I end up second-guessing every decision I make in this respect. Sometimes I use a semicolon and sometimes I use an en-dash (opt + hyphen on a Mac, alt + 0150 in Windows).
Which is better?
To illustrate:
Aside from obvious ways to write this without using the parentheses at all (see below), which of those would be correct?
One could always do away with the parentheses thus:
…but there might be legitimate reasons to keep the parentheses as they are in either of the first two versions.
Which is better?
To illustrate:
He sat down to write his novel (something that never seemed to be finished; it was his life's work), before going to bed.
He sat down to write his novel (something that never seemed to be finished – it was his life's work), before going to bed.
Aside from obvious ways to write this without using the parentheses at all (see below), which of those would be correct?
One could always do away with the parentheses thus:
He sat down to write his novel, before going to bed. This never seemed to be finished. It was his life's work.
…but there might be legitimate reasons to keep the parentheses as they are in either of the first two versions.