I had not really expected my example to be used to such an extend. Especially since it wasn't very thought out at all. Heh... I usually write something in a way that feels right to me without actually knowing why that is. I'm bad at finding out the reason for my own thoughts (though it is getting better reading this forum bit by bit). Anyway, I think C.B.Harrington did a good job describing it for me. Let me explain with the revised example by Cogito: After just reading 'Don't cross.' it feels like just a statement. It is flat for me. After reading 'Her voice rang out,' it feels like the text is telling me: "You're wrong. I meant that she was shouting." It seems I'm part of the minority though, seeing most of your comments. And I do understand the other point of view. It just doesn't feel right with me.
Unfortunately, the "feels right" test often fails due to exposure to poor writing, and in the case of exclamation marks, a flood of hyperbolic advertising.
Jim Butcher uses exclamation points. So does, Thoreau, Ayn Rand, George R.R. Martin, R.A. Salvatore, just to name the ones I had at my desk to look through. Not sure where the exclamation mark disdain comes from, but it's absolutely fine to use.
They have a place. The "disdain" is with respect to overuse. I don't set a quota, other than my "no more than one per dialogue fragment." I rarely, if ever, see a need to put an exclamation point in narrative. If I use it in dialogue, I make sure it is truly the best choice, and I'm not just getting lazy with my context.
I know that the 'feels right' doesn't work. That's why I'm so carefully reading this forum now. There is a lot of very helpful information here. Some of my flaws I knew about, but some of them are a complete surprise. And I agree that exclamation points are (almost?) never a good idea in narrative. At least I never used one outside of dialogue. I always write in third person view (though the kind of third person might vary) and it distorts the POV to use exclamation points in narrative. ... I think.
