Punctuation help on a creative writing piece.

My apologies if this posted in the incorrect place.

Today found me taking a step into the larger literary world...I joined a creative writing circle, lol. I joined the group as another way of keeping my mind active and not from any illusion that I hold a modicum of talent. And whilst I have no illusions about the level of my writing skills, I have even less illusions about my ability to punctuate correctly, which is honestly almost nonexistent.

So, I was wondering if some kind soul could correct my punctuation for my first offering to the writing circle? Any punctuation hints for future reference would also be much appreciated.

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I knew what I had done as soon as the door closed. There was no going back. Slowly I began walking through the labyrinth of lane ways, narrow little streets lined with old brick buildings that now find themselves housing designer boutiques, coffee shops, specialty book stores, elegant eateries and overpriced bric-a-brac stores. The late afternoon light cuts across on a low angle, shadows are long and you can hear the sound of each footstep ring out on the cobblestones. As I meander I allow Luke's words to float through my mind.

"You're involved in something--something you may have misunderstood, Maddie."

"What Luke? What have I misunderstood?"

He smiled then, his lips twisted with a grim nervousness. "Let it go. Those photos will only bring you grief."

"I guess I don't really like that advice."

"Prominent people don't relish seeing their lives spread across the morning papers." His words coming in a short rapid fire burst edged with a barely contained anger.

Like a broken record snatches of the exchange played over and over on the turn-table of my mind as I searched to glean some secret from their depths.

Had he, Luke, the federal judge, compromised himself? Was he placing ambition above loyalty? Did the securing of the high judicial appointment he sort come at the cost of his integrity? The people, the ones he called friends, they're wealthy, they have political clout and they would do anything to see their reputations remain unsullied. It was a world where shadowy figures with nefarious schemes plot to thwart the process of the law; secret agendas, hidden relationships and working ties, a murky landscape amid a country immersed in the mists of paranoia. Could Luke really be a part of a cover-up, a willing participant to obstruct justice?

"Prominent people don't relish seeing their private lives spread across the morning papers." Luke's words reverberated through my mind. "Let it go. Those photos will only bring you grief." ...Or bring a sudden end to my life I mused grimly. My life's work is to seek the truth and to pursue that purpose no matter how the chips fall. I'm a photojournalist; I take pictures to discover what can't be seen, the truth invisible to the naked eye. Amidst the palette of tones and hues, the very grain of the film, the hidden truth I seek can be discovered. I knew what I had done as soon as I laid those photos of Senator Juno down before The Advocate's editor. With all his posturing and holier than thou stance against street crime, there, spread out in front of my editor's stunned face was the implacable Senator Juno caught in a midnight meeting with the city's chief Mafioso enforcer.

I shake myself out of my reverie, hail a taxi and ride it all the way home, change my clothes, grab my camera and go out to stalk the seething underbelly of the city.

Yes, I knew what I had done as soon as the door closed behind me at The Advocate.

try using microsoft word

the software program gives you punctuation guidlines and suggestions on how to word sentences correctly.

the sentences in your first paragraph don't have any punctuation errors, you can always look to improve words in them.


I knew what I had done as soon as the door closed. There was no going back. Slowly I began walking through the labyrinth of lane ways, narrow little streets lined with old brick buildings that now find themselves housing designer boutiques, coffee shops, specialty book stores, elegant eateries and overpriced bric-a-brac stores. The late afternoon light cuts across on a low angle, shadows are long and you can hear the sound of each footstep ring out on the cobblestones. As I meander I allow Luke's words to float through my mind.


You could say, I knew what I did. The door closed and there was no going back.

That sounds more dramatic to me.

The Labyrinth has these narrow pathways with old brick buildings and elegant eateries and overpriced bric-a-brac stores.


That sentence uses the more important words you want in the story and leaves out what I call lazy words. Words as a reader I don't want to waste my time reading.

For me personally it's mentally agonizing to read over description. I just don't like it. But don't confuse me with everyone else. I'm just one reader.

I liked the labyrinth bit more when it's wordy. Gives a better impression of the surroundings.

I never trust Word to do my correcting, it comes up with strange solutions for words and grammar alike.

I knew what I had done as soon as the door closed. There was no going back. Slowly, I began walking through the labyrinth of lane ways - narrow little streets lined with old brick buildings that now find themselves housing designer boutiques, coffee shops, specialty book stores, elegant eateries and overpriced bric-a-brac stores. The late afternoon light cut across on a low angle; shadows were long and you could hear the sound of each footstep ring out on the cobblestones. As I meander, I allow Luke's words to float through my mind.

"You're involved in something--something you may have misunderstood, Maddie."

"What Luke? What have I misunderstood?"

He smiled then, his lips twisted with a grim nervousness. "Let it go. Those photos will only bring you grief."

"I guess I don't really like that advice."

"Prominent people don't relish seeing their lives spread across the morning papers." His words coming in a short rapid fire burst, edged with a barely contained anger.

Like a broken record, snatches of the exchange played over and over on the turn-table of my mind as I searched to glean some secret from their depths.

Had he, Luke, the federal judge, compromised himself? Was he placing ambition above loyalty? Did the securing of the high judicial appointment he sort(sought?), come at the cost of his integrity? The people, the ones he called friends; they're wealthy, they have political clout and they would do anything to see their reputations remain unsullied. It was a world where shadowy figures with nefarious schemes plot to thwart the process of the law; secret agendas, hidden relationships and working ties, a murky landscape amid a country immersed in the mists of paranoia. Could Luke really be a part of a cover-up - a willing participant to obstruct justice?

"Prominent people don't relish seeing their private lives spread across the morning papers." Luke's words reverberated through my mind. "Let it go. Those photos will only bring you grief." ...Or bring a sudden end to my life, I mused grimly. My life's work is to seek the truth and to pursue that purpose no matter how the chips fall. I'm a photojournalist; I take pictures to discover what can't be seen - the truth invisible to the naked eye. Amidst the palette of tones and hues, the very grain of the film, the hidden truth I seek can be discovered. I knew what I had done as soon as I laid those photos of Senator Juno down before The Advocate's editor. With all his posturing and holier than thou stance against street crime, there, spread out in front of my editor's stunned face was the implacable Senator Juno caught in a midnight meeting with the city's chief Mafioso enforcer.

I shake myself out of my reverie, hail a taxi, and ride it all the way home; change my clothes, grab my camera and go out to stalk the seething underbelly of the city.

Yes, I knew what I had done as soon as the door closed behind me at The Advocate.

Thank you everyone for your input.

A2R - All except one in my writing circle picked up my erroneous 'sort/sought' when I submitted my effort. Thanks for pointing it out, corrections, advice and constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Polly - I did leave in the 'labyrinth' bit as I had written it, and it was well received, so your advice was spot-on.

Manuscriptx - As I mentioned to Polly, I made no alterations to the descriptive 'labyrinth' as I thought it was not overly descriptive to be tedious to the reader and it would have been somewhat bland without it.