Author delivered a punchline built on three consecutive em dashes; Chicago 17 says one is enough, and Word’s Track Changes kept “fixing” it mid-review. Do you preserve cadence and annotate the deviation, or normalize and risk dulling the timing?
It’s a tough call. Sometimes preserving the rhythm of a punchline is worth more than strict adherence to the style guide. A well-placed em dash can really hit just right — maybe you could make a note in the margins for clarity?
Sometimes you’ve gotta go with your gut. If that em dash is crucial for the timing, I say keep it. Just add a little note for the editor — nothing like a good punchline getting lost in the rules! What’s the punchline, by the way?
, this drives me nuts too. I once had to fight for a punchline that needed a specific rhythm but got knocked down by the style guide. If the timing is crucial, I’d say keep the em dashes and just clarify the choice for the editor.