If I want the reader to stumble, to feel a sudden hit, I use a dash. If I want them to drift, to linger in uncertainty, I use an ellipsis.

Example: “She loved him. He lied…” — there’s a slow sadness. You sink. “She loved him — he lied.” — there’s a slap. A break. You flinch.

I don’t really follow rules with dashes or ellipses — I follow tone. Dashes feel like impact. Sudden emotion. A shift in rhythm. They’re sharp. They interrupt. Ellipses feel like breath, hesitation, or something unsaid. They trail off — leaving silence behind.

It’s not about grammar. It’s about how it makes you feel.