I’ve started rereading Jane Austen’s novels, and I just want to point out: she uses exclamation points & all caps ALL over the place!
Exclamation points & all caps may be horribly out of fashion in fiction these days, but Austen is a master. Editors can get over themselves.
I’ve always liked exclamation points and italics to emphasize things in fiction. I have trouble reading human emotion, and some extra signifiers to help me along are a huge relief.
This is also why I like musicals. The songs explain the feelings, so I don’t have to work as hard.
Since exclamation points & italics are currently unfashionable, I’ve adapted my style to be more publishable. But it feels like yet another way I’ve had to adapt to neurotypical behavior & customs, masking what I actually feel.
Because I feel in -italics-. With exclamation points!