Module Nine: The House Style

It is important to be consistent in the usage of punctuation, spelling and general format within the novel. This also applies to a publishing company. After discussion with our editors and proof-readers, we have formulated the following house style. If it is used consistently, it minimises the degree of editing which is needed.

Chapters:

Clear, definable chapters e.g. “Chapter 1”
Use a range of linear and non-linear structures.
Chapter headings:
12 point and centered. Leave one space between the chapter heading and the first paragraph.
Start a chapter on a new page.

Section Changes:

Use * * * centered.

Paragraphs:

Format in Word, using the paragraph menu.
Indentation on first line at 0.5.
No indents before the first paragraph of a chapter/section.
No space between the end of the paragraph and the return.
No space between each paragraph.
Make as short as possible – less than one page of the e-book.
Begin all differently, a range with discourse markers.
A new paragraph for a new speaker, including the dialogue and the name tag which can be at the beginning or the end.

Commas:

Use in lists – between items but omit before the ‘and’ at the end.
Where two or three adjectives independently modify a noun.
In parentheses – to introduce and end a phrase or clause inserted into a sentence, so the sentence will still make sense if the phrase is removed.
To separate subordinate clauses from the main clause.
To separate phrases.
Not to be used to separate main clauses linked with ‘but’ or ‘and’, except where there is more than one ‘and’ in a sentence, then use with biggest break.

Speech and Quotation Marks

In dialogue – some punctuation must be used to separate the dialogue from the narrative, usually a comma.
In quotations – use commas to separate from main text.
Use double marks around speech.
Single marks to quote within speech or for quotations in sentences.
Place sentence punctuation inside the speech marks.
Place sentence punctuation outside the quotation.
For paragraphs of direct speech – begin a new paragraph with speech marks but leave the closing speech marks until the end of the complete dialogue.

Dash:

Use instead of commas for more emphasis.
To emphasise a pause, both in dialogue and narrative.
To add an afterthought.

Ellipsis:

Use to denote an unfinished sentence in narrative.
In quotations where only a few words are taken from a sentence.

Sentences:

Single spacing between each sentence.
Should not be too long.
Shorter sentences to be used for impact and to build suspense.
Longer sentences for description.
Use mostly complex sentences for the narrative.
Begin some with subordinate clauses.
Use a variety of connectives.
Rely on ‘and, but’ only when writing simplistically; e.g. for a child’s dialogue
Only use repetition three times for effect.

Capitals:

Use at the beginning of sentences.
For proper nouns.
For the first word spoken by each character.
Not to be used in pronoun referring to God, e.g. ‘he’ not ‘He’.

Colons:

Use to introduce a list.

Semi-Colon:

Use to separate sentences closely related in their ideas
To separate clauses.

Italics:

Use for thoughts.
Use for words in a language other than the language of the book.

Numbers:

All numbers should be spelt in full.

Dates:

Should be written in full.