Dear readers!
This question has been tormenting me for a long time, and I've finally gotten around to it: Is it worth changing the text formatting to use quotation marks (") instead of em-dashes (—)?
Let me explain why I used em-dashes in the first place instead of the standard, academically correct quotation marks: the literature I generally read—which is quite a lot—uses this formatting, so I just got used to it. For me, "—" delimits the text clearly, whereas quotes tend to blend in, and I often miss things with that layout, but that's just me grumbling.
So, here it is: should I make the switch permanently? The adaptation period on my end won't be long, though the text quality might suffer slightly for an indefinite period.
I usually hear three types of opinions:
1. Ugh, terrible. Don't use "—"—I'm dropping this on the first chapter.
2. Unusual, but I can get used to it.
3. Dunno, seems fine to me.
That's how this question, which has been gnawing at me for a while, came to a head.
Before this, I was mostly indifferent to suggestions about changing the format—I didn't want to force my opinion, but I didn't respond either—but now I've finally made time for it.
What are your thoughts?