Help me out, fellow writers/editors!

[squonkfan]

Names have been changed to protect both the innocent and the guilty.

Poll Em-dashes, dialogue, and exposition.

Comments

[ignazwisdom]

Let's talk about this when I am sober

[squonkfan]

*patpat*

I just added you to my flist over here because I tend to actually check it now, as opposed to my other account, which is collecting cobwebs as we speak.

[readishmael]

I voted for the fourth one, but looking again, the third one works, too, and maybe even better. I definitely think you want the second emdash on the inside on the quotation marks, and that means normal rules about dialogue dictate that you also need a comma before you go back into the quote, but I think the first emdash can replace the first comma.

[fakepoptart]

This reminds me hauntingly of the grammar tests they had in English.
I voted anyway, just to confuse you. :D (no, seriously, I liked number three the best).

[vegarin]

Look, I made by vote, too! ::veg::

[squonkfan]

I guess I'm gonna start going with the third one, unless Chicago offers anything revelatory.