It's just that I hate semicolons. I feel they have a place in conversational English. They denote a pause that is greater than a comma and less than a period. So in a setting like this, a forum, which is supposed to be the internet equivalent of a bunch of *******s sitting in a smoking lounge bull****ting, the semicolon serves a purpose in that it allows us to more accurately mimic the spoken word. But in a situation that is not a duplication of the spoken word, such as a novel, it is redundant and meaningless. Use a period.
The problem is not a semicolon; here is an example of one used properly. Notice how the semicolon makes clear what 'one' is referring too in a way that a period never could. The problem is when amateur writers use hundreds of them on every page. And they do. I've seen it on half a dozen writers forums I frequent and in things off the critters mailing list. Newbie writers; they mistake semicolons for commas; and they use them about as frequently. Except when a semicolon would be a good choice, then they use a period. It is like quitting alcohol. Some alcoholics are able to drink in moderation, but only after they've quit entirely for a while.
