At the request of a fellow writing coach, I posted this advice on SM about “scare quotes,” those quotation marks used here and problematically elsewhere when nothing is being quoted. I share what I pulled from my teaching archives in case you’re curious.
Use scare quotes only when essential and very sparingly even then. They do not need to be, nor should they be, used on each re-use of the key term. They interrupt the narrative flow, slow the pace of reading, and often interfere with comprehension as readers attempt to decipher their hidden meaning. Italics is an alternative method of emphasis that is slightly less problematic, but it also should be kept to a minimum.
Your goal is to facilitate reader comprehension, pace, and enjoyment. Often, that is best served by using a more precise term or, when necessary, defining the problematic phrase as soon as possible after its introduction.
Example: Melanie wore her “dress” to the interview, as was her habit when trying to impress.
Alternative: Melanie wore her interview dress, which consisted of a crumpled tunic over faded leggings. It failed to impress.
Photo edited from SlowMotion.
Ruminations 