| For those writers who plan to have a book | | | | comma." For example: The dog, cat, hippo, and |
| published, I can only hope that your manuscript | | | | cow jumped over the moon. |
| will go through a thorough edit before it is printed. | | | | 10. When writing years, do not use an apostrophe. |
| That is especially important for those who | | | | Example: 1960s, not 1960's unless you want the |
| self-publish or use publish-on-demand services to | | | | possessive form of the word. If abbreviated: '60s |
| bring their book to market. These methods | | | | is correct; 60's is incorrect. Notice that the |
| usually do not require or offer editing services to | | | | apostrophe [ ' ] is used as a placeholder for |
| catch mistakes that can cost you credibility as an | | | | missing the numbers, and not a single close quote |
| author. | | | | mark [ ' ] which faces the opposite direction. |
| As an editor for individual authors as well as | | | | 11. Speaking of years, hyphens and numerals are |
| working as a contracted editor for two publishers, | | | | used when you write "the 16-year-old boy." No |
| I've seen many grammatical or mechanical errors | | | | hyphen is needed, and the number is spelled out |
| in manuscripts. I'll share a few of the more | | | | when you write "the boy is sixteen years old." |
| common mistakes in hopes that you might avoid | | | | 12. Internet is a proper noun and the first letter |
| these pitfalls. | | | | should be capitalized. The debate on whether or |
| Please note that Associated Press (AP) style is | | | | not Web should be capitalized is still ongoing. |
| commonly used for journalistic works such as | | | | CMOS says it should be written in proper case. It |
| newspapers and Web text. The examples I am | | | | is another name for World Wide Web, which is a |
| going to use are from Chicago Manual of Style | | | | proper noun. |
| (CMOS) published by the University of Chicago | | | | RE: Web site. When a word is used a lot, its |
| Press. It is one of the most respected and | | | | spelling becomes commonly accepted even if it is |
| trustworthy guidelines for literary works such as | | | | incorrect. The most common spelling and use of |
| books. | | | | this word is website. However, according to |
| 1. A very common error in many of the books I | | | | CMOS, it is two words: Web site. As long as you |
| edit or proofread occurs in the title, headers, and | | | | are consistent throughout your book or |
| subheaders. The Chicago Manual of Style 7.127 | | | | document, I doubt most people will question either |
| states: In regular title capitalization, also known as | | | | spelling. |
| headline style, the first and last words and all | | | | 13. The em dash [-] is defined as one em (letter |
| nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and | | | | "m") in width. The double hyphen will convert to |
| subordinating conjunctions (if, because, as, that, | | | | an em dash-if you type two dashes (hyphens) -- |
| etc.) are capitalized. Articles (a, an, the), | | | | and do not put a space before or after. Or, you |
| coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), | | | | may create an em dash in Windows-based |
| and prepositions, regardless of length, are | | | | programs by pressing and holding Caps Lock and |
| lowercase unless they are the first or last word | | | | Alt while typing 0151 on your number key pad. |
| of the title or subtitle. | | | | Similar to a parenthetical phrase (like this), the em |
| 2. A book is not entitled (meaning deserving, | | | | dash sets apart clauses in a sentence. |
| allowed, permitted); it is titled (meaning to have a | | | | 14. The en dash [-] is one en (letter "n") in width: |
| title, label, or name). | | | | half the width of an em dash. The en dash is used |
| 3. The titles of books, record albums, movies, TV | | | | to indicate a closed range, or a connection |
| shows, and screenplays should be in italic type. Do | | | | between two things of almost any kind: numbers, |
| not use "quotation" marks. Do not underline these | | | | people, places, etc. For example: June-July 2008. |
| titles unless you are formatting them for a | | | | Create an en dash in Windows-based programs |
| bibliography. However, article titles and poem and | | | | by pressing and holding Caps Lock and Alt while |
| song titles do go inside quotation marks. | | | | typing 0150 on your number key pad. There |
| 4. Unless a word is an acronym, it should not be in | | | | should be no space before or after an en dash. |
| ALL CAPS. Use italics for emphasis. | | | | 15. When writing dialogue, all punctuation goes |
| 5. OK should be spelled out: okay. | | | | inside the quotation marks. When a word or |
| 6. ISBN is the acronym for International Standard | | | | phrase is used to set apart text in scare quotes, |
| Book Number. To write "ISBN number" is the | | | | the first example below is correct; the second is |
| same as stating International Standard Book | | | | incorrect: |
| Number number. It is redundant to use the word | | | | Every day we hear that the price of gas has hit |
| "number" or the pound symbol (#) after ISBN. | | | | an "all time high." Every day we hear that the |
| 7. Percent symbols (%) should be spelled out | | | | price of gas has hit an "all time high". |
| "percent" unless used in a chart or table. Numbers | | | | 16. Numbers less than ten should always be |
| followed by a percent should be in numeric form. | | | | spelled out. Some style guides will disagree about |
| Example: 91 percent. However, if a percentage is | | | | higher numbers. Chicago advocates that all |
| the first word of a sentence in a literary work, it | | | | numbers under 101 should be spelled out. If in |
| should be spelled out. Example: Ninety-one percent | | | | question, always consult a style guide. Be |
| of the students passed the test. | | | | consistent and use the same style guide |
| 8. Use one space (not two) after a period, | | | | throughout the document or manuscript. |
| question mark, colon, or semi-colon. This is quite | | | | Correcting these common errors will make your |
| the opposite of what we were taught in typing | | | | manuscript much easier and enjoyable to read. |
| class way back when! It can be a hard habit to | | | | If you need assistance with preparing your book |
| break. | | | | manuscript, the editors on our team would be |
| 9. CMOS 5.57 states, "In a series listing three or | | | | happy to help you. Our rates are more affordable |
| more items, the elements are separated by a | | | | than you might expect. See for more information. |