© 2011-2012, Penchant for Penning


SAMPLE

Editing Style Sheet
For (book title) by (author)
Updated (date):

STANDARDS
- Indicate here, what standard sources you use for edits:
     - A/P Stylebook (2009); predominantly nonfiction
     - The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.); predominantly fiction
     - Webster’s New College Dictionary (2008); and other sources

The style sheet is used to clarify areas in which the standard guides are indistinct, offer more than one option, or when
sake of reader clarity requires deviation. This form is also used to examine and explain commonly misunderstood rules,
author preferences, or unique literary liberties—it’s OK to break the rules, but first you have to know them—and
consistency is key. The ―standards‖ indicated below are PFP’s general editing principles. Feel free to adapt this form to
your own editing needs.

This style sheet will become custom to your book project, as it is being edited and/or proofread. The categories
listed below will change, appropriate to your manuscript. Add others, if necessary. It’s suggested you submit a copy of
the completed style sheet to your publisher.

GENERAL EDITORIAL COMMENTS
- use this area to list specifics and/or anomalies regarding the global MS; such as your treatment of the topic, or
your thoughts about areas of concern

PUNCTUATION (when not a hard-and-fast rule, author may arbitrarily bend the rules, BUT consistency is key)
- here, list punctuation keys, i.e., you used ―US‖ throughout the book, rather than ―U.S.‖; although both are
accepted, sans the periods is now preferred, however, if you’re writing a historical fiction, the periods would be
required to fit the dialogue and tone of the era
- other punctuation usage, like hyphens and dashes should be noted—like whether you want a space on either
side of your dashes – or not (note my examples)
- and hyphen use, as in email, not e-mail

CAPITALIZATION
- for list of unusual or specialized uses of capitalization

WORD CHOICE & YOUR “VOICE”
- list of unique words (that may be construed as misspelled), and distinctive dialects

NUMBERS
- The Chicago Manual (largely addressing fiction issues) and the A/P Stylebook (focusing on nonfiction) differ in
their handling of numbers, so tell your publisher this will be a subject of discussion, if necessary, or simply
indicate how you want numbers to appear throughout
     o FYI, generally accepted: numbers up to 100 are in text
     o but there are many exceptions depending on type of book

TECH TERMS AND USAGE
- applicable to list specialized words and phrases, if topic is in a niche market with its own industry terminology

FORMATTING / TYPESETTING ISSUES (editing only, unless otherwise noted)
- list atypical format style elements desired, or suggested ideas

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