CMOS

Using Italics in Fiction

PEN Tips , , , ,

Using Italics in Fiction

by Iola Goulton

There are two main reasons for using italics in fiction:

  1. The chosen style guide recommends using italics.
  2. The chosen style guide suggests italics, but there are reasonable alternatives. In these cases, the choice is typically up to the publisher (or the author, if they are indie publishing).

Style Guide Requirements

The Chicago Manual of Style (the accepted authority for US fiction) requires italics for:

Italics for Names and Titles

  • Boat or ship names (8.116)
  • Book, newspaper, or magazine titles (8.168)
  • Play titles (8.182)
  • Movies, TV shows, radio, and podcast titles (8.189)
  • Video game names (8.190)
  • Blog names (8.192)
  • Paintings, photographs, statues etc. (8.198)
  • Album titles (8.194 and 8.197)

Poem titles are not set in italics unless it’s the name of a compilation or a very long poem (e.g. Dante’s Inferno) (8.181). Song titles and blog post titles are typeset in quotation marks (8.194 and 8.197, 8.192).

Italics for Letters or Key Terms

CMOS 7.56 allows key terms to be italicized on their first occurrence, although this applies more to nonfiction than to fiction.

Letters may be italicized (CMOS 7.64):

He signed the document with an X.

But common terms like mind your p’s and q’s don’t need to be italicized, and nor do school grades (CMOS 7.65).

Italics for Emphasis

CMOS permits using italics for emphasis but points out that italics lose their force if overused (7.50). The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is more blunt: “A dependence on italics for emphasis is a sign of poor writing.”

Italics for Foreign Words

Italicize a non-English word the first time it appears (CMOS 7.53), but not if it’s familiar enough to appear in the dictionary (7.54).

 

Author’s Stylistic Choice

There are also instances where the author can choose to use italics.

Italics for Diary Entries or Letters

Italics are an easy way of differentiating diary entries or letters from the main text. Unfortunately, letters and diary entries are often long, and long passages in italics can be difficult to read. The alternative is using a different font.

Italics for Direct Thought

One upon a time, fiction used double quotation marks for spoken dialogue and single quotation marks for thought. This approach is now considered outdated—thoughts are thought, not spoken.

A more modern convention is to use italics to indicate direct thought. However, italics are only effective for a few words or a short sentence. Any longer, and it becomes difficult to read. Also, direct thought is telling where the author should be showing.

One exception is prayer: if a character is praying inside their head (i.e. rather than praying aloud), then italics are the appropriate choice:

God, I need to get out of here. Help!

vs.

God, I need to get out of here. Help!

Instead, use deep perspective point of view to produce a more engaging reading experience.

Italics can be easy to overuse. In general, only use italics where there is no reasonable alternative.

About Iola Goulton

Iola Goulton is a New Zealand-based freelance editor specializing in Christian fiction for adults and young adults. Iola holds a degree in marketing and has a background in human resources. She has been editing since 2012, and is a Gold member of the Christian PEN, American Christian Fiction Writers, Omega Writers, and Romance Writers of New Zealand.

When she’s not working, Iola is usually reading, writing her next book review, or avoiding working on her first novel. Iola lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand with her husband, two teenagers, and one cat. Website: http://www.christianediting.co.nz/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christianediting/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.nz/iolagoulton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/IolaGoulton

 

 

 

Dear Editor: Should Writers Capitalize Deity Pronouns?

PEN Tips , , ,

Dear Editor: Should Writers Capitalize Deity Pronouns?

by Iola Goulton

Do we capitalize personal pronouns when referring to God? This question came up in one of the (many) Facebook reader and writer groups of which I’m a member. My initial reaction was that it’s a yes/no question, so there has to be a “right” answer.

I was taught in school that we capitalize pronouns such as He, His, Him, and Your when referring to God. I was also taught that we use double quotation marks for speech (still true), single quotation marks for speech (now considered dated), and to add a comma where I’d add a pause if reading aloud (a topic probably best left for another blog post).

The group’s answers ranged across the spectrum: yes, always. No, never. Sometimes. It depends. So I checked my collection of style guides.

The Chicago Manual of Style is one of the two most commonly used style guides. As a broad generalization, CMOS is more commonly used for fiction, and The Associated Press Stylebook (AP) is more common in journalism.

CMOS 8.95 says: “Pronouns referring to God or Jesus are not capitalized unless a particular author or publisher prefers otherwise.”

The New Oxford Style Manual (a major UK style manual), agrees: “Use lower case for pronouns referring to God where the reference is clear, unless the author specifies otherwise.” (p. 97)

Many Christian publishers use The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, which takes a similar approach (p. 145): “Most publishers, religious and general, use the lowercase style … to conform to the two most popular versions of the Bible (the bestselling New International Version and the historically dominant King James Version).”

The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style says we don’t capitalize as a way to show respect or honor (despite popular belief). After all, we capitalize both God and Satan, yet only one deserves our honor.

CMOS also points out there is no true historical precedent for capitalizing. William Tyndale (translator of one of the earliest English Bibles) didn’t consistently capitalize God, let alone He or Him (or he or him). Neither Hebrew nor Greek distinguishes between lowercase and capital letters the way English does, so the original Scriptures provide no guidance.

What The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style does say is this: “[Capitalizing] gives a book, at best, a dated, Victorian feel, and at worst, an aura of irrelevance to modern readers.”

That’s worth thinking about—no one wants their work to be considered dated or irrelevant. It’s a solid argument for using lowercase for deity pronouns and advising our clients to do the same.

However, the decision does remain with the author (or publisher). As editors, the most important factor in any decision is consistency: we can refer to Jesus as He or he, Him or him, but we must choose one and apply that style choice consistently. Neither He nor he is incorrect but avoid using both.

What do you think? Do you capitalize pronouns referring to God or Jesus? Why or why not?

Iola Goulton of Christian Editing Services is a New Zealand-based freelance editor specializing in Christian fiction. Iola holds a degree in marketing and has been editing since 2012. She is a member of The Christian PEN, and Romance Writers of New Zealand, and manages the Beyond the Borders zone of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not working, Iola is usually reading, writing her next book review, or avoiding working on her first novel. Iola lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty in New Zealand with her husband, two teenagers, and one cat. Website: www.christianediting.co.nz or follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter.

NEW IN CMOS-17 “Punctuation Additions”

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NEW IN CMOS-17 “Punctuation Additions”

by Kathy Ide

Originally published September 18, 2017 on kathyide.com.

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of the new 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style … and anxious to find out if any changes were made that affect the viability of my Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors!

Since the new edition officially came out this month, I haven’t had a chance to check every rule yet. But I have studied the page on the CMOS website that highlights the major changes, and I am pleased (and relieved) to report that, as far as I can tell, the PUGS guidelines in Proofreading Secrets remain correct.

There have been a few additions and clarifications, however. So I will be blogging about the ones that I think are of interest to authors and editors, starting this week with some punctuation additions:

6.52: Commas with “too” and “either”

The adverbs too and either used in the sense of “also” need not be preceded by a comma.

  • I had my cake and ate it too.
  • Anders likes Beethoven; his sister does too.
  • The airport lacked charging stations; there were no comfortable chairs either.

When too comes in the middle of the sentence or clause, however, a comma aids comprehension.

  • She, too, decided against the early showing.

8.185: Titles of folktales, fables, nursery rhymes, and the like

Folktales, fables, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and the like are usually treated in the manner of shorter poems and set in roman type and enclosed in quotation marks. Italics should be used to refer to fairy tales published as books, plays, and the like. Examples:

  • “Aladdin” is arguably the most well-known tale in A Thousand and One Nights.
  • “Rumpelstiltskin” originally appeared in the Grimm brothers’ Children’s and Household Tales.
  • Everybody knows at least one verse of “Jack and Jill.”
  • Ella Enchanted is a retelling by Gail Carson Levine of “Cinderella.”
  • The opera Hansel and Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) is based on the fairy tale of the same name.

9.57: Telephone numbers

In the United States and Canada, telephone numbers consist of the prefix 1, an area code, and a seven-digit number consisting of a three-digit exchange prefix followed by a four-digit line number. When written, the seven-digit number is separated by a hyphen. To signal that it may be optional for local calls, the area code is often placed in parentheses. The prefix 1 (not always necessary to place a call) can be omitted. (Its appearance with toll-free numbers is customary but not mandatory.) An extension follows the number, separated by a comma.

Examples:

  • (123) 555-0000 or (1-800) 123-4567
  • (123) 555-0000, ext. 1234

An alternative style drops the parentheses.

  • 123-555-4567
  • 1-123-555-4567

Either style is acceptable as long as it is used consistently. (The use of periods or other punctuation as separators in place of hyphens is generally not recommended.)

For international numbers, use spaces rather than hyphens as separators. A plus symbol, which stands in for the international prefix, is placed immediately before the country code, with no intervening space. Because their meaning may not be clear, parentheses should not be used for international numbers. Examples:

  • +52 55 1234 5678 (for a number in Mexico City, Mexico)
  • +66 2 123 4567 (for a number in Bangkok, Thailand)
  • +44 20 1234 5678 (for a number in London, UK)
  • not +44 (0) 20 0000 0000

If the international prefix must be expressed, it precedes the country code and is separated from it by a space. A US or Canadian number written for an international audience follows a similar pattern.

  • +1 607 123 4567 (for a number in New York State)

I’ll be sharing more changes from CMOS-16 to CMOS-17 in the coming weeks. But if you’ve found a guideline in the 17th edition that differs from Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors, please let me know. I’d love to hear about it!

Kathy Ide is the author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors and the Capitalization Dictionary. She is also a full-time freelance editor and writing mentor, and director of the SoCal Christian Writers’ Conference and the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. She is a co-owner of the Christian Editor Network LLC and founder of the four divisions that comprise it: Christian Editor Connection, The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, PENCON, and The PEN Institute. To find out more about Kathy, visit her website.

Style Guide Wars

Articles for Freelancers, PEN Tips , , ,

Style Guide Wars

By Sarah Hayhurst

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After investing four years into a BA in Communication Arts, I was surprised by the ongoing investment of time necessary to stay current and conversant in the ever-changing style guides of CMOS vs. AP. I say “versus” because at times it seems like they are diametrically opposed to each other. Did two editors who were at odds have a falling out which led to the creation of opposing style guides?

Have you had a client essentially argue the principles of one guide vs. the other in terms of right vs. wrong? Of course, the “arguments” continually drive editors back to the universal sources to dictate our decisions. These sources are even complemented by specific dictionaries. The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition with its thousand pages chooses Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as its cohort while the much shorter Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law 2015 sides with Webster’s New World College Dictionary.

In addition to explaining our basis to clients, we might find ourselves avidly debating the guides with other editors. Seeking advice from other editors in regard to my interpretation of the principles is incredibly reassuring to me. What a blessing to be part of such a supportive organization of editors like The Christian PEN! Additionally, founder Kathy Ide wrote an excellent resource entitled Proofreading Secrets of Bestselling Authors. I recommend it to authors and editors for use as a quick reference tool for any CMOS vs. AP style “wars.”

While I embrace the use of universal guides, I had to do a little research to know for sure which guide I should follow for a specific project. Hands down, Chicago Manual of Style is expected by publishers of books, fiction or nonfiction, and I find CMOS to be most aligned with the Advanced Grammar course I took in college as well. However, AP style fills the niche of journalistic writing—press releases, newspaper articles, magazine articles, and blog articles. I have found in my personal experience that often a business or ministry will develop a brand-specific style guide for its website, but generally AP style is going to work well for a website since the articles posted on the site would follow AP style.

Nonetheless, tedious as the process might be, we are actually united by style guides rather than at “war” over them. They are invaluable resources—sources of sanity and confidence! Instead of working arbitrarily in silos, authors, editors, and publishers can align with the experts on the matter. I’m thankful for these tools because I have assisted clients who were unfamiliar with them and, therefore, who would have otherwise wondered if I were making it all up as I go! Instead, I am able to raise the “arguments” from personal preference or generational grammar rules to a higher plane of the current style guides. And that, in my opinion, is liberating to an editor who not only wants to be accurate but also desires to spend less time explaining edits to clients.

Sarah pensive

Graduating with degrees in secretarial science and communication arts, Sarah has enjoyed a variety of positions, such as editor/teacher for a publishing company, managing editor for a university, marketing director for a law firm, and technology instructor/staff editor for a school. These and other experiences make Sarah a versatile editor today. Visit sarahhayhurst.com if you need assistance with your nonfiction manuscript or website content as these are Sarah’s specialties!

Fill Your Editing Schedule and Improve Your Skills—Edit for Publishers

Articles for Freelancers, PEN Tips , , ,

Fill Your Editing Schedule and Improve Your Skills—Edit for Publishers

By Dori Harrell

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For freelance editors, one of the best ways to avoid famine periods is to edit for publishers and/or publishing-services firms. Many times, such contracts offer a steady supply of documents as well as the chance to reject manuscripts, which means that editors can fill empty schedule slots and choose projects that fit their editing strengths.

In addition, a publisher or publishing-services firm typically requires superior attention to detail and extensive knowledge of a style guide (or guides). And that translates, in addition to a paycheck, to a high level of business development—you’ll acquire advanced style-guide knowledge that may give you a competitive edge in marketing your freelance editing business.

But you’ll need more than a great résumé and cover letter to sign on with these companies.

You’ll need to pass their sample editing tests, which will test your knowledge of a style guide, your ability to catch errors, your approach to authors, your research skills, and your editing style when making subjective recommendations. These tests can be daunting—take it from someone who’s taken four editing tests for publishers and been offered contracts by each. Ultimately, I chose to take on two, and I have never faced a famine period in my business—and I would pay for what I have learned through these publishers.

So if you’ve been considering approaching publishers, here are some tips for excelling when editing their sample projects.

  1. Familiarize yourself with the publisher’s style guide and how to use its search engine, if you subscribe online (which I recommend, when available). For example, if editing a sample requiring The Chicago Manual of Style, brush up on the hyphenation guide and good usage versus common usage segment. And study the CMoS punctuation, numbers, and capitalization sections.
  2. Look over the sample edit thoroughly before beginning the edit. When you find areas you might struggle with, make a few notes.
  3. When editing for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, include brief comments on which style guide rule you’re applying (if applicable). If there’s a rule number, cite it. No need to repeat the same comments.
  4. Follow the directions. If it says to offer rewording options but not to ghost write, then don’t rewrite the entire section, no matter how tempted you are.
  5. Write comments as if addressing an author, and avoid criticizing. So rather than saying, “You need to reword this sentence because it’s unclear,” try something more neutral and encouraging, such as, “I recommend rewording this sentence for clarity. Read over my suggestions and see if they work for you.” Also, include positive comments where the writing is strong.
  6. Use your best judgment when the directions are vague. For example, one test I took asked me to address technical issues to the author. It gave no indication of the format I should use, so I wrote a brief editorial review letter.

Go ahead and approach publishers and publishing-services firms, and take their editing tests with confidence. It could mean the difference between an editing schedule that’s hit-and-miss and one that’s booked.

doriharrell

Dori Harrell owns Breakout Editing and edits full time. As an editor, she releases more than twenty-five books annually. Her client list includes indie authors, best-selling writers, and publishers. An award-winning writer, she’s published more than a thousand articles between her journalism career and freelance writing.

 

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