I once heard Doctorow tell a group of journalists that if a writer knows what he’s doing, quotation marks aren’t really necessary. “You can tell when it’s dialogue,” he explained.

Let’s start with the basics. Use quotation marks around dialogue (i.e., something someone says). “I’m still upset Pluto is no longer a planet,” Humphrey remarked.

Though they aren’t required with dialogue, quotation marks can help readers understand a writer’s intent. (Patrick Hruby / Los Angeles Times) ...

He doesn’t like prologues, dialogue without quotation marks, big words that are artificial, and the rest. Chapter 16: I share the opinion that you should set off dialogue with quotation marks.

Everyone knows that there’s only one use for single quotation marks, and that’s to denote a quote within a quote. Right? Apparently not. Composition instructors report seeing an uptick in the ...

Rooney also clarified her use of quotation marks in dialogue within her novels, replying to a question on whether or not this might be a reference to the work of Cormac McCarthy. Rooney pointed ...