The BearManor Media Writing Style Guide 2015

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY. IF YOUR MANUSCRIPT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH OUR HOUSE-STYLE,

IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU FOR REVISIONS.

Your manuscript has been tentatively accepted for publication. Now the fun begins! Please read through the following guidelines very carefully. This is how your manuscript must be prepared before submitting the work to us. Contact us if you have any questions.

Format for text and paragraphs Your manuscript should be in a readable font (preferably Times New Roman). (See sample). Your manuscript should be typed in 12-point type and double-spaced. (See sample). Begin each paragraph indented with a single tab. Please do not use spaces. (See sample). Paragraphs should follow one another without any additional line space. (See sample). Paragraphs should not be “justified.” Block-style paragraphs (with space in between) are not acceptable. (See sample).

General Format The conventional and most easily understood form for your book is to place its parts in this order:

Title pageCopyright pageTable of ContentsIntroduction (if any)Dedication (if any)Acknowledgements (if any)Prologue (if any)Chapter 1 – lastEpilogue (if any)Bibliography (if any)Index (if any)

Please note that if you are using a Foreword; the correct spelling is FOREWORD and not FORWARD.

Please ensure that your manuscript comes in one continuous document, using the format above, otherwise it will be returned to you for revision.

Photographs

Photographs should be scanned at 300 dpi or above and saved as a Jpeg or Tiff file (preferably the latter) so that they will reproduce well in the book. Please note that photos from magazines or low-resolution photos from the Internet will not reproduce well and MUST be avoided. Photographs can be color for the cover, but will be grayscale throughout the interior unless other arrangements are made in advance with Ben Ohmart.

If you submit a photograph that has been scanned the size of a postage stamp, it will obviously not look good when enlarged, so please scan your photographs with a minimum width of 4 ½ inches. If you have any doubts about the size, dpi, or quality of your scans, please seek professional assistance so that there are no unpleasant surprises when the book goes to print.

Think about what photographs you are submitting. You want quality, not quantity. Limit yourself to the photos that are essential to tell your story. Think about what people reading the book are likely to find interesting and compelling. (Avoid pictures such as family members that will probably be uninteresting to anyone outside of your family.)

Name your photo file with numbers that are in order of their appearance in the book. For example:Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3, etc. Save all your photos into one folder named PHOTOS FOR (YOUR BOOK TITLE.)

You, the author, are in charge of obtaining copyright clearance or signed release forms for photographs, (text, or interviews) that you want to use. If you are unsure if the photograph (or text) is in the public domain, we would recommend you ask a copyright lawyer to help.

Embedding photo or illustration placement cues and captionsIndicate in brackets [ ] within the text of your manuscript approximately where you want the images placed, followed by the captions so that we know exactly what photo goes where and with what caption. Do not place actual photos within the text. Example:

[Photo 1. Caption: Clark Gable and me in a scene from Gone with the Wind (1939). Photo courtesy of MGM.]

It’s your choice whether you want the photos to be placed periodically throughout the book in approximate alignment with the part of the story the photos reflect, or if you want them arranged in one grouping in the middle of the book. Either way, follow the above instructions for embedding photos or illustrations with their captions.

NOTE: captions are required for each photo. At the very least, indicate the name of the subject or person, the year, and the project being worked on, in other words, the film, the tv show, the recording, the performance, or the event.

Writing Style GuidelinesDatesPlease follow these examples: April 5, 2001, was a regular day (not 5th). Note how two commas are used.He lived during the twenty-first century (note lower case). (Not 21st century.)Decades should be written as 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, etc. with no apostrophe. Use an apostrophe only when showing possession. Examples:I was a big star in the 1950s.As a 1950’s movie star, I was quite popular.

YearsWhen noting a year that something happened, be consistent throughout your manuscript, and place the designations at the beginning of the sentences rather than writing some within the sentence and others at the beginning of a sentence. In 1958, I made my first appearance in a film. In the summer of 1982, we moved to Georgia.

EllipsesTry not to use this device unless it is used to show an omitted part of a quote. If used at all, keep ellipses to a minimum. If you have more than a few dozen, you have too many. Ellipses are a device and they more often ellipses are used, the less effective they become.

To use an ellipsis following a quotation mark, use the three-dot ellipsis with a dot space, dot space, dot space. Example: The New York Times review said, “. . . I gave my greatest performance.”

To use an ellipsis within the middle of a sentence, use the three-dot ellipsis with a space dot, space dot, space dot, space. Example: She went to the store . . . or did she?

To indicate things left unsaid at the end of a sentence, use the four-dot ellipse with a dot immediately following the sentence end, then space, three spaced periods, and space. Example: Jason gave a sterling performance. . . .

NOTE: no other versions will be accepted. If your manuscript is submitted with erroneously typed ellipses, your manuscript will be returned to you for you to correct all of them.

EM dashes and EN dashes are a particular problem for some authors. There is only one right way to type EM and EN dashes. Unless an author is well-educated about the differences and how to type them, DO NOT USE THEM.

EM dashesEM dashes are a device, and as such, should be kept to a minimum because the more they are used, the less effective they become.

An EM dash is not two or more hyphens incorrectly typed together, such as - -, --, or ---.

An EM dash is written this way—and should always be typed this way and only this way.

En dashesAn EN dash (mnemonic: shorter than the EM dash, just like an N on the keyboard is shorter than the M) is used to show ranges. You can think of an EN dash as meaning “up to and including” or “through” or “to.” An EN dash is not one, two, or more hyphens incorrectly typed together, such as -, - -, --, or ---. Correct examples: 6–8 pounds of wheat score of 21–31 1920–1930 (if in doubt, write 1920 to 1930). pages 6–81

How to Type an EM dash Using the AutoFormat Feature:Type word -- word(and then hit the space bar)When you hit the space bar, the two hyphens automatically convert to:Word—word Tip: With Num Lock enabled, you can also use the shortcut combination CTRL +Alt + Minus 

How to Type an EN dash Using the AutoFormat Feature:Type word – word(space, and then hit the enter key. When you hit the enter key, the two hyphens automatically convert to:Word – word

In the case of a number range, go back and delete the space between the EN dash and the numbers.6 – 8 becomes 6–8.

Tip: With Num Lock enabled, you can also use the shortcut combination CTRL +Minus

Inserting En and Em dashes manually1. In an open Microsoft Word document, click Insert in the Menu bar.2. From the dropdown or side menu click Symbol.3. If you don't see the dashes there, click More Symbols.4. Find the appropriate dash in the character map, or just click on the special characters tab and they should

be at the top.5. Click Insert.

Example of using hyphens, EM dashes, and EN dashes in a single sentence:“The well-written text included—but was not limited to—the use of EM dashes and EN dashes. Most books use them 2–3 times.”–John Doe. NOTE the hyphen in well-written.NOTE the EM dash separating “but was not limited to.”NOTE the EN dash appearing between 2 and 3, and also before the name of the person quoted.

ItalicsCharacter thoughts should always be in italics without quotations when in the first person. Example: Herman paused and thought, I must type my thoughts the right way!

Magazine, periodical, and book titles should be italicized with no quotation marks. If “the” is the first word in a magazine, periodical, or book title, then it is italicized and capitalized. Example: The Story of My Life (book), or The Economist (magazine). If “the” is not part of the official title, it should be in lowercase and not italicized. Example: She reads the Chicago Tribune. The only exception is if “The” begins a sentence, in which case “The” is capitalized but not italicized. Example: The Chicago Tribune is read by upscale men and women. If “magazine” is part of a title, it is italicized and capitalized. Example: Mad Magazine. If “magazine” is not part of the title, do not italicize it. Example: LIFE magazine.

Titles of television series should be italicized and the first letters should be in capitals. Example: Law & Order. Titles of television series episodes are written in quotation marks. Example: In 1970, I appeared in “The Woman in Red” episode from Law & Order. Music and CD album titles should be italicized: Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Hits. Song titles are not italicized, but they are placed within quotation marks. Example: “White Christmas,” or Trace Adkins' first #1 single, “(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing,” is from his 1997 CD, Dreamin' Out Loud.

Movie titles should be italicized, but the date in parentheses should not be italicized. Example: Gone with the Wind (1939). (Note that a period is typed outside of the parenthesis, when the date appears at the end of a sentence. The period falls within the closing parenthesis when the parenthetical phrase is a complete sentence, as in this example.)

MoneyBe consistent in your manuscript. Use numerals if possible.

five dollars should be $5seventy-five cents should be 75¢seventy-five dollars should be $75

For very large dollar amounts, use a combination of numerals, words, and symbols. $3 million$2.8 billion

NOTE: For money amounts that are all even, skip the final zeroes. If there is a mixture, leave in the final zeroes within that sentence.

I paid $5 and $10 for the tickets. I paid $5.00, $7.50, and $15.00 for the tickets.

AbbreviationsThere are many acceptable ways to use abbreviations. However, most should be avoided unless the words spelled out become cumbersome. These are well-known and may be used:

FBI, OSHA, CIA, CPA, PhD, MD, EPA, MRI, EKG, etc.

Degrees are presented without periods.PhD, MD, DVM

It’s okay to use abbreviations as adjectives: US Treasury bonds. As a noun, spell the words out: He moved to the United States when he was thirteen. (not US)

You have two options for Washington DC. Be consistent throughout your text. Either write:

Washington DC (no commas or periods) or Washington, D.C. (with comma and periods)

Adverb Clauses An adverb clause usually modifies a verb, though it can also modify an adjective, an adverb, or even the rest of the sentence in which it appears. Adverb clauses show the relationship and relative importance of ideas in our sentences. The clause is followed by a comma.Examples: In 1962, I starred in my first film. Because the national speed limit was repealed, road accidents have increased sharply. After a clause, a comma is followed by the rest of the sentence. Even though you may disagree, you will find that your manuscript will correct. When you understand about clauses, you will write better. An adverb clause begins with a word or phrase that connects the subordinate clause to the main clause. The subordinating conjunction may indicate a cause, concession, comparison, condition, place, or time. Here's a list of a few common subordinating conjunctions:After As long as As soon as Because Before Even if Even though If InIn caseIn order that Just as Once Provided thatUnlessSinceSo that StillTillThough UntilWhenWheneverWhile WhenWhereWherever WhereasWhile

Bible QuotesDo not edit or correct those quotes unless there is a typo. If something looks odd or incorrect, always look up the quotation and verify the correct wording. Just because it is not standard American English doesn’t mean that it is wrong. The King James Version is old English and the punctuation and grammar are not standard. For help, try www.biblegateway.com, as this site has many versions and a handy search tool.

Capitalization(See the separate section below.)

City namesSpell out fully rather than using abbreviations: Los Angeles, rather than L.A. (You don’t want readers to think it is Lake Arthur, Michigan.)Las Vegas, rather than Vegas.If the city name is abbreviated as with an airport, use the abbreviation: The airplane left DFW airport at 5:15 p.m., and then it arrived at LAX.

CommasCommas with adjectives (reference Chicago Manual of Style 6.40): Use a comma when the two or more adjectives describe the same object:

faithful, sincere friend (faithful and sincere both describe friend)long, hot, exhausting summer (long and hot and exhausting all describe summer)

Do not use a comma when two or more adjectives modify a UNIT:cuddly brown puppy (cuddly describes the UNIT brown puppy)many young friends (young friends is a UNIT)high vaulted ceiling (vaulted ceiling is a UNIT)traditional religious affiliations (traditional describes “religious affiliations”)

Always use commas in a serial sentence. The final and is preceded by a comma for clarity: Example: She is a true red, white, and blue patriot.I went shopping, found the perfect dress, and then I bought it.

John Smith produced, directed, and starred in the film.Three familiar writing sequences that use a serial comma are: one, two, and three a, b, and c first, second, and third.After an introductory phrase or an advert clause, use a comma to indicate a pause.

“Oh, I didn’t know.”“Well, I thought so.” (pause intended)

In the beginning, we were all learning how to write. That morning, we went to the studio. Use a comma after a date is followed by a continued sentence:

In April 5, 2001, work began on the new motion picture.

EmphasisUse of devices such as bold type, italics, CAPITAL LETTERS, or underlining to emphasize words and phrases is generally becoming passé. If an author insists on using them, keep the usage to a bare minimum. Remember that the more often a device is used, the less effective it becomes. Writing is better if the author will use more powerful words, rather than devices such as these to emphasize ideas:

Not best: I told him that I was leaving and would never return. Better: I told him that I was leaving, and I vowed never to return under any circumstances. Not best: She screamed at me. Better: She screamed so loudly at me that glasses rattled on the table. Not best: There was NO WAY I was going to do what my boss said. Better: My resolve was as firm as a rock when I told my boss there was no way I would do what he asked.

Hyphenation

Word processors are by no means infallible. Microsoft Word, for example, flags as misspelled almost any word with an unhyphenated prefix: antidiscrimination and cogeneration, for example, are marked as misspelled words and re-sign, co-bra, ever-green, and be-loved are marked as correctly hyphenated words by that software. If you are in doubt about hyphenating a word, write with some other word that expresses the same thought.

Hyphenate a phrasal adjective BEFORE but not AFTER a noun. Examples:It seemed like a never-ending movie (the movie seemed to have no end).He was a well-read professor (the professor had read many books).

Do not hyphenate an adverb ending in “ly.” Example:Happily married couple. Totally committed relationship. Widely known.

Hyphens are used to separate numbers that are not inclusive (phone numbers, social security numbers), and in compound words and names. Examples:

self-esteem909-235-9976My name is spelled P-h-y-l-l-i-s.He was a twenty-year-old (hyphenated when used as an adjective or a noun).

You can also just write it out someone’s age with no hyphens. Example: He was twenty years old.

I first worked when I was only three years old. Hyphens have other uses, such as creating compound words, particularly modifiers before nouns: The well-known actor My six-year-old daughter The out-of-date curriculum Hyphens can be used to write numbers larger than twenty: He was twenty-one. Grandfather was ninety-nine.Hyphens are used for writing fractions: He designed the car to a five-eighths scale. One-fourth of the population knew nothing about hyphens. Hyphens are used for creating compound word phrases: We always made our films on-the-fly. In the 1910s, moviemaking was usually done with fly-by-night organizations.Hyphens are used to ad certain prefixes to words, including capitalized words: I took a non-English writing course. We lived in an A-frame house. The team assembled in an I-formation.The prefixes self-, all-, and ex- nearly always requires a hyphen: My ex-husband came back to taunt me. My contract was all-inclusive. The strain of writing taxed my self-control.When the prefix ends with the same letter that begins a word, you will often use a hyphen: Anti-intellectuals were causing people to write poorly on Internet blogs. I was in such a rush that I de-emphasized good punctuation.

Other general rules to keep in mind when writing with hyphens: There is no space between a hyphen and the character on either side of it. With a series of nearly identical compounds, we sometimes delay the final term until the last instance, allowing the hyphen to act as a kind of place holder. Examples: The third- and fourth-grade teachers met with the parents. Both full- and part-time employees will get a raise this year.

Italics

Character thoughts should always be in italics without quotations when in the first person: Herman paused. This can’t be right!

Character thoughts should always be in italics and with quotations when quoting someone: “I know I left the gun right here on the table,” he thought.

Magazine, periodical, and book titles are italicized with no quotation marks. If “the” is the first word in a magazine, periodical, or book title, then it is italicized and capitalized: The Story of My Life (book) The Economist (magazine)If “the” is not part of the official title, it is lowercased and not italicized. The only exception is if “The” begins a sentence, in which case “The” is capitalized but not italicized:

She reads the Chicago Tribune.The Chicago Tribune is read by upscale men and women.

If “magazine” is part of a title, it is italicized and capitalized: Mad MagazineIf “magazine” is not part of the title, do not italicize it: LIFE magazine Motion Picture magazine.Titles of television series are italicized and the first letters are in capitals: Law & Order.Titles of television series episodes are written in quotation marks: “The Woman in Red.” Example: In 1970, I appeared in “The Woman in Red” episode from Law & Order. Music and CD album titles are italicized: Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Hits.Song titles are not italicized, but they are placed within quotation marks: “White Christmas.” Example: Trace Adkins' first #1 single, “(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing,” is from his 1997 CD, Dreamin' Out Loud.Poem titles are written in quotation marks with no italics: “Ode to a Milkman.”Operas, long musical compositions, and epic poems are written in italics: Carmen Handel’s Messiah The OdysseyMovies titles are to be spelled out using upper and lower case letters, not all caps and not in quotation marks. The date in parentheses should not be italicized: Example: Gone with the Wind (1939). (Note that a period is typed outside of the parenthesis, when the phrase appears at the end of a sentence).Italicize all foreign words (unless they are widely used and recognized by English speaking readers, such as with Monsieur, Madame, Signora, Herr, Frau, mademoiselle, deja vu.)

Job titles Always use capital letters for job titles: He was the Director of the film. She was the President of the corporation. He was working as the Chairman of the Board. The Governor stepped forward with the key to the city. When writing in general terms, do not capitalize words: I looked at the crew, and all the cameramen, actors, and other directors were laughing.

Lie/LayThis word is particularly difficult for writers to use correctly. If in doubt, change the sentence to use alternate words. Incorrect example: She was so tired that she laid down in bed and went to sleep. Alternate example: She was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. If you must use lie/lay, follow these guidelines:

Lay (transitive) (to put something down)Lay the blanket down.She laid the carpet yesterday.She had laid tile all day.She is laying carpet now.Lay an eggA well-laid planLay the fireLay waste the land (the land lay wasted)Laying an egg

Lie (intransitive) (to recline one’s self) Lie down, please. She lay down in bed.He had lain in bed all day.She is lying in bed.Lie motionless

Lay in waitLying in wait

Books lying on the table

NumbersGeneral rule: spell out whole numbers from one through one hundred, round numbers, and any number beginning a sentence. Use numerals for numbers over a hundred.Examples that follow the general rule:

My brother is eleven and I am twenty-six. (numbers under one hundred)The forty-fifth floor is the restaurant level. (number under one hundred)I saw 306 cars on the lot. (number over one hundred)I saw three hundred cars on the lot. (round number)Three hundred and six cars were on the lot. (number beginning a sentence)The thousandth child born was named Marcy. (round number)The 102nd day of the rainy season was soggy. (number over one hundred)

If a number is in the range 21 to 99, and the second digit is not zero, write the number as two words separated by a hyphen: 25   twenty-five 57   fifty-seven 89   eighty-nine If the number begins a sentence, spell it out, or if it’s awkward, rearrange the sentence so you can use the numeral further back than the first word:

In 1814, we took a little trip (this is better than: 1814 is the year that we took a little trip).

Extremely large numbers . Use a mixture of numerals and words:

The population has reached 2.3 million. A figure of 4.5 billion years was given.The film grossed more than $2 billion.

Physical quantities that would be unclear if spelled out should be numerical.Use a 40-watt bulb. (not forty-watt) A size 6 dress. (Not size six.)

Whole numbers plus fractions can be written either way, but often using the numerical form is clearer for general terms.

We walked for two and a half miles.

If writing about detailed measurements, use numerals:The paper size is 8 ½ by 11 inches. The strip of film was exactly 6 7/8 yards long.

Abbreviations and symbols with a unit of measure should be numerical. 60 mph 3 mi

35 mm film 3’ 6” ( note the space between 3’ and 6”)

Decimal fractions in baseball and weaponry are numerical.The revolver was a .38. His batting average was .367.

Building numbers and addresses are numerical 5688 Forty-first Street12297 122nd Street

NOTE: for plurals of numbers, do not use an apostrophe.1960s, I earned three 71s (or seventy-ones) on my report card, we count by 7s (or sevens)

When giving a range of years, do not add an apostrophe unless it is showing possession:Correct example: The 1970s’ style of dress was particularly unattractive to Josephine.

ParenthesesProper use of a parenthesis is tricky. Unless you are absolutely confident about your ability to follow the rules of grammar, it is best not to use parenthesis except for denoting a year date: Incorrect example: We only worked together (but in one film) My Greatest Love (1922). Better example: We only worked together in one film, My Greatest Love (1922).If you must use parentheses, here are the rules you must follow:Place the punctuation needed to end the sentence outside the closing parenthesis:

Please return the payroll review sheets by Monday (October 8).Do not use a period before the closing parenthesis except for an abbreviation:

He is a jerk (he is also a pig, a snake, etc.). Do not capitalize the first word of the item in parentheses, even if the item is a complete sentence. The only exceptions would be the first word in a sentence—if the sentence begins as a parenthetical clause, a proper name, or some other word that is always capitalized.

Please return the payroll (John, our Manager, said you were supposed to do that last week). (Laughter is the best medicine), so I laughed all the way to the doctor.

Do not use an exclamation point or question mark before the closing parenthesis unless it applies solely to the parenthetical element and the sentence ends with a different mark of punctuation.

My new assistant is Ron Jones (I believe you met him only once before?).If the material in the parentheses is an independent sentence, capitalize the first word and place the period before the closing parenthesis. (Here is an example.) A one-word sentence can be written either way, depending on how the word is used.

For a parenthetical expression within parentheses, use brackets.I wondered if my dad (his name is Alan [he’s named after his own father] but we call himAl) was going to like the party.

In all cases, if in doubt, re-word your sentence so that parentheses are not needed. Alan, my dad, was named after his own father, but we always called him “Al.” I wondered if he was going to like the party.

Note: You may put a complete sentence in parentheses at the end of another sentence as long as it is fairly short and closely related. If the sentence in parentheses is long or requires special emphasis, it should be treated as a separate sentence written without any parentheses.

Parentheses may be used to surround words, phrases, or even whole sentences that are relatively unimportant to the main text, but they can distract the reader from your main point. Think about

deleting the unimportant text. If a sentence must contain incidental information, setting off the information with a pair of commas or a pair of dashes may be more effective. Also try placing the extra information in a separate sentence with no parentheses.

Parenthesis marks always come in twos, one opening and one closing ( ). Do not use one without the other, including if they are used in numbered or alphabetized lists. 

Parentheses are a device, and as such, should be used as sparingly as possible. Remember that the more frequently devices are used, the less effective they become. Always search first for any way to write without them.

Percentages Always use a number followed by the word percent when writing about people:

Only 45 percent of the electorate voted. (about people) Always use a number followed by the symbol % for scientific copy:

Only 20% of the ants reacted to the stimulus. (scientific copy)

Personal namesElizabeth II, Henry VIII (note roman numerals)Spell governments. Twelfth Congressional District, Fifteenth PrecinctNOTE: Military units of 100 or less are spelled out. Units larger than a hundred use numerals.

Fifth ArmyFourth Infantry101st Airborne

Quotes/Quotation MarksAt the end of a sentence, a question mark or an exclamation point goes inside the closing quotation mark when it applies only to the quoted material.

His first question was, “How long have you worked here?”At the end of a sentence, a question mark or exclamation point goes outside the closing quotation mark when it applies to the entire sentence.

When will she say, for a change, “You did a nice job on that”?If a sentence ends with quoted material and both the sentence and the quoted material require the same mark of punctuation, use only one mark—the one that comes first.

Have you seen the advertisement that starts, “Why pay more?”

NOTE: Material set off from the text as a block quotation is not enclosed in quotation marks, unless it is dialogue. This happens a lot with quotes that begin chapters (after the chapter title, but before the first sentence). Do NOT put the quote in quotation marks. Long quoted parts of other works, if set outside the text for emphasis, do not require quotation marks. Same for poetry and song lyrics. A line or two of poetry or song, when integrated into the text, does need quotation marks. The slash (/) is used to show the end of lines.

Have you heard that “Roses are red/Violets are blue”?For a “quote within a quote,” use single quotes.

My brother said, “Mom told me ‘you’re busted!’ and I told her it was your fault, Sis.”

Semicolons ( ; )Semicolons are to have no spaces before them, and only one or two spaces after.They are always to be followed by a lower case letter. Examples: I went to the swimming pool; someone told me that it was closed. A man chooses; a slave obeys.

The only time a semicolon is followed by a capital letter is if it is a proper noun. Example: I went to the swimming pool; Jane told me that it was closed. If you are unsure how to use a semicolon, write without it: Example: I went to the swimming pool, but someone told me that it was closed. Semicolons are to be used between closely related independent clauses not conjoined with a co-ordinating conjunction: Example: I went to the swimming pool; I was told it was closed. Between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or a conjunctive adverb: Example: I like to eat cows; however, I don't like to be eaten by them. Between items in a series or listing containing internal punctuation, especially parenthetic commas, where the semicolons function as serial commas: Example: She saw three men: Donald, who came from New Zealand; Jon, the milkman's son; and George, a gaunt kind of man." Several fast food restaurants can be found in each of London, England; Paris, France; Dublin, Ireland; and Madrid, Spain." Time(In Latin, a.m. stands for ante meridiem, or before noon, and p.m. stands for post meridiem, or after noon.)Times of day can be written as numerals if followed by the abbreviations a.m. and p.m., set in lowercase and using periods with no spaces. Use a colon to separate hours from minutes.

Example: I have an appointment at 5:30 a.m.Times of day can also be spelled out if followed by a phrase such as “in the morning” or “o’clock.” Do not mix the two.

Example: Her day begins at five o’clock. (Not 5 o’clock.) Example: The train leaves at ten thirty tomorrow evening.

Exact times should only be written using numerals.Example: The train leaves at 5:22 a.m., and then again at 6:59 p.m.

Always spell out noon and midnight; do not use numerals.Example: Twelve noon (or just noon)Example: Twelve midnight (or just midnight)

Times on the hour do not use zeros. Example: The show broadcast at 8 p.m. every Thurday.Ranges of time: Example: The hours are 9:30-11 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. (or 9:30 to 11 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.). Avoid redundancies such as 12 noon, 12 midnight, and 8:30 a.m. this morning or 8:30 p.m. Monday night. Instead, use noon, midnight, 8 a.m. today, 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Posing questions to readersAvoid asking questions of readers. It is better to revise such passages so they are written as statements: Bad example: Would anyone have thought that would have happened to John Travolta? Better example: Few people would have imagined that happening to John Travolta.

Redundant and unnecessary wordsAvoid using redundant words and word phrases, as well as unnecessary words. Bad example: Would any agent spend his or her time completely reading, or even partially reading, say, a script where he might earn “only” fifty thousand dollars? Better example: I did not believe an agent would spend time reading a script for which he would only earn $50,000. Bad example from a recently submitted book: This power creates reality of not only artifacts and landscapes, but also human beings, to become as real as if they, in fact, were real, which, to all intents and purposes, they are, in the

environment created by the super entity. Better example from the same book after revising: The power of the super entity’s environment creates realistic artifacts, landscapes, and human beings.

Beginning sentences with And or But:A conjunction is a word that joins other words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. Some conjunctions are: and, as, because, but, or, neither/nor, for, since, so, until, yet, and while. Sentences should not begin with And or But, but they can be used following a comma to join with other preceding words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. The only exception would be in quoted dialogue because people talk that way and should be quoted the way they spoke.

Incorrect example: She went to the store. And she did all her shopping in one trip. Correct example: She went to the store, and she did all her shopping in one trip. Correct example: “I went to the store. And I did all my shopping in one trip.” Incorrect example: Our low-budget film was made on time. But we got it done. Correct example: Our low-budget film was made on time, but we got it done.

Words to avoid using:Very Bad example: She was a very good supporter for our organization. (This tells readers nothing.) A better example is to inform readers why she was a good supporter: She was a good supporter for our organization because she attended all meetings, contributed exciting ideas, and raised large sums of money.

Pretty (as an adjective) Bad examples: She was pretty good at writing. Better example: She was excellent with her writing skills. Theatre vs. TheaterSome theater names are spelled with the old-fashioned “re” at the end. Write them as they were spelled, but in all other uses of the word, use the modern “theater.” Example: At the Bijou Theatre, we saw the new film. Afterward, we walked from the theater to the museum.

Examples of common punctuation marks: apostrophe ( ’ ' ) brackets (( )), ([ ]), ({ }), (< >) colon ( : ) comma ( , ) dashes ( –, —, ― ) ellipses ( . . ., . . . . ) exclamation mark ( ! ) full stop/period ( . ) guillemets ( « » ) hyphen ( - ) question mark ( ? ) quotation marks ( ‘ ’, “ ” )

semicolon ( ; ) slash/stroke ( / ) check box ‐

Examples of common, hyphenated words:Best-knownCo-producerCo-starExtra-planetaryFirst-timeGood-lookingIn-betweenLong-lastingLow-budgetMinute-to-minuteNever-say-dieOld-timerOne-pieceWell-builtWell-written

Capitalization Rules

There are many rules to capitalization. Most people know the basics of capitalization, such as capitalizing the first letter of the first word at the beginning of a new sentence, but not everyone knows when capitalization is appropriate in other situations. Outlined below is a comprehensive guide providing rules and examples to proper capitalization.

Buildings, Streets, Parks, Statues, Monuments

Capitalize the names of: buildings towers churches schools thoroughfares squares parks statues monuments

Continents, Countries, Counties, Districts, Cities, Towns

Capitalize the names of: continents countries  counties districts  towns villages hamlets

communities political divisions (i.e. United Kingdom, French Republic) Example: The city of Oak Cliff in Dallas County, Texas, is a major United States city.

Courts (Federal and State and Provincial Courts)

Capitalize when used with a definite name. Examples: the Supreme Court of Canada the State Court of Appeals the United States Circuit Court

Do not capitalize district or city courts. Example: the magistrate’s court

Degrees – Academic

Capitalize academic degrees and professional designations. When writing more than one degree/designation, arrange them in accordance to their importance. Examples: Laura Bates, Ph.D. James Pallister, M.D. Peter Wong, M.D., BChir

Examples of Degrees Associate’s degrees (U.S.): AA, ABS, AS Foundation degrees (U.K.): Fda, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdSc, FdTech Bachelor’s degrees: BA, BBA, BChir, BComm, BE, BS, BSc, BCL, BFA, LLB, MB, Master’s Degrees: BCL, LLM, MA, MApol, MBA, MChem, MDiv, MESci, MEng, MFA, MGeol, MLitt, MMath, MPA, MPAff, MPhil, MPhys, MPM, MPP, MRE, Mres, MS, MSc, Msci, MTh, MTCM, MTS Specialist degrees: EdS, BAcc Doctorate Degrees: DA, DBA, DCL, DD, DLitt, DMA, DMus, DNSci, DOM, DPhil, DSc, EdD, EngD, JD, OMD, PharmD, PhD, PsyD, ThD,

Eras and Historical   Periods - Scientific and Common names

Capitalize scientific names of the world’s eras and common names for historical epochs, periods and events. Examples: the Ice Age Colonial days the Great Depression Hollywood’s Golden Age the Golden Age of Old-Time Radio

Geographical Terms

The following geographical terms are usually capitalized immediately following the names:

Basin            Bend             Branch           Butte          Canal          CanyonCanyon         Channel         Cove             Crater         Creek          Current       

Current         Divide           Flat(s)           Gap             Glacier         Glades          Gulch           Harbor           Hill                Hollow       Inlet             Island          Lake             Mesa             Mountain       Narrows      Ocean         Park            Passage        Peninsula       Plateau          Point           Pond           Range  (mountain)Reef              Ridge            River              Run             Shoal          Sound

Geographical Words

The following words are usually capitalized when they stand before or after a name or when used as part of a name. Do not capitalize the word when used in a general sense:

Bay             Bayou              Camp (military)          CapeDesert         Falls                Fort                             Head Isle             Lake                 Mount                         OasisPass            Port                  River                            SeaStrait           ValleyExample: We drove through the San Fernando Valley toward the Pacific Ocean, but when we passed by a lake, the sea loomed just ahead. We drove on toward San Francisco, hoping to reach the famous bay. When we arrived at San Francisco Bay, the valley behind us seemed like a distant memory.

Government

Capitalize the word “Government” when referring to the country’s Government or that of any foreign nation. Example: Her Majesty’s Government Government responsibility Imperial Government on official Government business

Government Departments

Capitalize when referring to departments, boards, bureaus, offices, agencies, commissions, committees, and services of the government when the name is given. Examples: the Securities and Exchange Commission the Federal Bureau of Investigation the Environmental Protection Agency the Federal Reserve BoardDo not capitalize when used without a name, or if used as an adjective.

Government   Terms

Capitalize the word “administration” when referring to the political party in power or when used with a name to designate a Government board. Example: the Reagan Administration

Capitalize the word “Cabinet” when referring to the Cabinet of the President or Prime Minister of a country. Examples: officer of the Cabinet the President’s Cabinet

Capitalize the word “Federal” when referring to the country’s Government. Example: She works for the Federal Government.

Military

Army, Navy, and Air Force: capitalize when referring to these organizations by name or with other widely accepted references to them. Examples: the Army U.S. Army, or the US Army French Army Organized Reserves 1st Regiment the Navy U.S. Navy, or the US Navy British Navy Marine Corps the Marines the Air Force U.S. Air Force, or US Air Force Royal Air Force Edwards Air Force Base

Names/Persons

Capitalize all proper nouns that are names of individuals. Examples: Jane Doe John A. Smith

Capitalize the word " I " when referring to oneself in the first person.  This word is always capitalized, even when used in mid sentence. Examples: I will try to make the time for a vacation this year. This year, I will try to make the time for a vacation.

Capitalize epithets added to proper names or applied to people or places. Examples: the Dallas Cowboys the Golden Gate the Green Belt William the Conqueror the Empire State Building

Capitalize Father, Mother, Uncle, Aunt, Cousin, and other family members when used as a means of personally addressing the individual, but not when used as a possessive pronoun. Examples: Before I forget to tell you, Father, they are expecting you at 7:00 p.m. at the hall. My father is expected at 7:00 p.m. at the hall. Mother, please agree to stay with our children. My mother has agreed to stay with our children. I saw Aunt Sarah dancing all night. Sarah, my aunt, was dancing all night. When I arrived, Cousin Bill was directing traffic. My cousin, Bill, was directing traffic. Uncle Tom was a famous character in a fiction book. My uncle sold the farm because of his bad health.

Capitalize prefixes in the names of foreign people unless preceded by a given name or title. With British and American names, such prefixes are usually capitalized even if preceded by a given name or title. Individual preference prevails in these cases.Examples: Van Leeuwen Thomas van Leeuwen De Paul Cardinal de Paul

Quotations

Capitalize the first word of every complete quotation within quotation marks. Example: The waitress asked, “Do you want your coffee with cream and sugar?”

DO NOT capitalize that part of a quotation resumed within the same sentence. Example: “Do you want your coffee,” the waitress asked, “with cream and sugar?”

Sentences

Capitalize the first word of every sentence, whether it is a complete sentence or not.

State or Province/Provincial

Capitalize a state or province when used with a name or when used in place of the name. Lower-case applies when used as a general term, as in this sentence. Other examples: The Province of Ontario New York State State’s legislation provincial park state prison   the state held an election Texas State elections were held.

Titles - Personal

Capitalize academic and religious titles when preceding a name, or when used as a means of personally addressing the individual. Examples: Professor David Schwartz Bishop Larry Wiseman Doctor Paul McNeil Dr. Paul McNeil Reverend Henry Krause Rev. Henry Krause Please be completely honest with me, Doctor, about your prognosis.NOTE: the titles “Doctor” and “Reverend” are usually abbreviated, but are often spelled out with formal use. Either way is correct.

Titles – Other

Book, film, and play titles: capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in book titles. (Book titles should also be in italics.) Example: Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

Document and Report titles: capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in these titles. Examples: U.S. Constitution American Lung Association Annual Report

Captions/Pictures: capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in the captions under pictures. Example: Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”

Musical composition titles: capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) when referring to musical compositions. (These should also be in quotation marks). Major operas should not be in quotation marks. Example: “White Christmas” Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Opus 28, No.15

Television and radio program title: capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in radio program titles. (These should also be in italics.) Example: All Things Considered with hosts Robert Siegel, Michele Norris, and Melissa Block  NOTE: television and radio episode titles should be capitalized and put in quotation marks, not in italics. Example:

“Lucy and Ethel Fight” episode from I Love Lucy.

When your draft seems finishedYou have completed the first draft of your book. Never send in your manuscript to us without first spell-checking, fact-checking, proof-reading, and revising. Please also double-check the spelling of names, especially celebrity names. Readers and critics are often eager to point out mistakes such as these. Double check every name against at least two sources.

EditingThe book will be edited by our own editors, who will ensure that this BearManor Media Writing Style Guide has been followed, but the draft you submit must follow these guidelines. If we receive a manuscript which has too many mistakes, then it will be sent back to the author to be rewritten, and may even be rejected completely if the author is unable or unwilling to revise as required. So please, please do not send in a book which has not been carefully proof read, revised, and polished several times. Our editors will check to make sure that any remaining accidental mistakes are taken out and that everything else makes sense. Once you submit your manuscript to us, you agree to accept revisions that the editor makes. After this is done, the book will be sent back to you and you will be asked to check the edited manuscript thoroughly once again. You will send us your final draft, which will then be forwarded to the typesetter.

TypesettingOnce the book has been typeset (formatted into the finished book with all text and photos in place) it will be sent back to you to read as a PDF proof copy. You are required to carefully read every word of the entire book again. This reading is your last chance to catch any mistakes and have them corrected. You will only correct mistakes. You cannot use this occasion to springboard to new inspirations, add additional text or photos, or change the overall layout in any way. Only correct errors as necessary. No other revisions will be allowed.

IndexingOnce you have received the PDF proof copy and made your final corrections, you may be asked to compile and provide an Index. However, if you feel that you’d rather a professional indexer do this for you, we can offer the service at this year’s rate. Your publisher will discuss with you whether that cost is to be paid by you upfront or if it can be taken from your future royalties.

PLEASE NOTE: Once your book has been sent to our presses, you cannot make any changes or corrections whatsoever. Should something be terribly wrong that you missed and the book cannot avoid being recalled, revised, typeset again, or otherwise changes, you will be charged for the cost of any amendments that are deemed necessary.

When your work is publishedWhen the book is finally published, you must put in the hours necessary to help promote your book. BearManor Media may help with a press release, as well as feature your book on our website, blog, other social media, and weekly newsletter. You will be urged to tell us about each and every publicity appearance you make, so that we can report it on the blog and newsletter. You will also be encouraged to join our FaceBook Authors Page which is full of like-minded people, who will hopefully help and inspire you.

BEARMANOR MARKETING TIPS

By Bruce Torrence, author of The Hollywood Canteen

I believe the most important thing, when marketing/promoting/ advertising a book, is determining the book’s target market. From looking at BearManor’s website, it appears that most of the books are somewhat film and celebrity oriented. Therefore, the marketing for those books should be directed to those who are interested in the subject matter of the book. The next thing to determine is who can put the book in the hands of those specific/ potential buyers. In the case of my book, The Hollywood Canteen, there seems to be a dual target market—those interested in celebrities of the ‘30s and ‘40s, and those people who either fought in WWII and/or those who were living during the war. Because of the Hollywood Canteen’s extreme popularity, almost everyone living in America knew of the Canteen.

Conventional bookstores are certainly a great source for selling multiple copies of books, so it’s helpful to determine which ones specialize in selling books that are of the same subject matter as the author’s book. For example, there are several bookstores in Hollywood that specialize in books related to the entertainment industry (movies, radio, TV, celebrities, etc.). I called each of the stores to get the name and email address of their book buyer. I, then, sent emails to each book buyer and included a short description of the book, along with a copy of the press release. I should point out that I modified the press release to state that the books can be purchased directly from BearManor by resellers at 50% of the retail price and, if the order is ten or more books, the special $1.00/book shipping rate.

The reason for the modification was because Bea Manor’s distributor, Ingram, only offered a 5% discount to the bookstores. A few days after sending the emails, I visited each store and chatted with the book buyer about carrying the book. I realize that not all authors have the advantage of being able to visit the book stores they emailed – but a follow-up phone call to the book buyer will certainly suffice. The personal touch makes all the difference in the world. The second source for selling my book is the bookstores situated in the various war museums (specifically those that focus on WWII) throughout the country. As I did with conventional bookstores, I’m contacting the museums’ bookstore book buyers about carrying the book. I send an email with the press release and then follow it up with a phone call, a few days later. In all of the above situations, I encourage the book buyers to purchase the books directly from BearManor.

I believe a large target market for my book is the many veterans’ organizations throughout the country. After compiling a list of these types of organizations, I plan on calling the contact person to see if they will inform their members of the book. Many of these organizations send out newsletters or some type periodic communication to their members. I will even offer to send them some of the announcement postcards (provided to me by BearManor) which they, in turn, can mail to their members. I plan on filling these “individual” book orders myself, out of the books I bought from BearManor. The abovementioned postcard states that, for those who wish to pay by check, it should be sent to my post office box. For those who wish to pay by credit card, they can go to my web site, hollywoodphotographs.com, and purchase the book.

For those books that focus on the entertainment industry, Classic Images is an invaluable source for promoting books. Other sources of sales are film festivals, book signings, book fairs, etc.

This is the first of my books that I’ve been involved in marketing. By no means am I an expert, but it just seems like a logical approach to marketing and promoting any product, whether it be a book or anything else.

There’s no question that to maximize the marketing and promoting of a book requires a lot of creative thinking, time and energy. Knowing your target market is one thing—tapping into it is another. However, if done diligently, it will pay off handsomely.

 

Writing Style Sample

During the twenty-first century, writers should not type in odd type formats such as Brush

script, or Comic Sans MS. Your manuscript text should be composed using a standard,

easily readable format such as Times New Roman. Please use 12-point type, which is what you

see in this sentence.

As you prepare your book for submission, we instruct each author, “Please don’t use single

spacing when you write your text.” Since the 1990s, we have preferred that authors double-space

each line, which is easier for editors to read. The sentences in this paragraph are good examples.

“I always type my manuscript that way,” you might say.

The BearManor Media Publisher likes to reply, “Readers—especially those with a love for

your subject—will appreciate how you use proper punctuation, especially with EM dashes and

quotation marks, such as in this sentence (and we are sure you will).”

Notice how the words on the margin to the right side of these sentences are jagged. This

paragraph has not been justified, and that helps the designer when copying and pasting your text

into a template during the design of your book.

Notice how this paragraph (and the preceding paragraphs) begins with about five spaces,

which are indented at the very beginning. Use the same indentation on all paragraphs in your

book. Paragraphs should follow one another without any additional line space. Block-style

paragraphs with extra line spaces are not acceptable. Also, notice how this sentence begins with

one space following the period at the end of the previous sentence.

When writing, use commas correctly with your adverb clauses, as with the beginning of this

sentence. When used correctly, an adverb clause adds clarification to a sentence.

“Your readers, whether they are a twenty-year-old or a person who has become seventy years

old, will acknowledge that you have excellent writing skills, use commas correctly in serial

sentences such as this one, and utilize correct sentence structure,” says Ben Ohmart.

It is better to not use ellipses . . . they are usually an unnecessary device. However, when

quoting material from the middle of a previous source, ellipses are necessary at the beginning

and at the end, such as this example. “. . . I loved working with that writer,” remarked the

publisher. “She uses the three-dot ellipse at the beginning of quoted material taken out of its

original context, and she uses the correct four-dot ellipse at the end of that quoted material . . . .”

Be sure and use the three-dot ellipse at the beginning and the four-dot ellipse at the end, such as

in this paragraph.

When writing about a film or television series title, such as Gone with the Wind or The

Twilight Zone for examples, be sure and put the title in italics with no quotation marks. When

writing about a series episode, such as “Mr. Bevis” (1960) or “The After Hours (1960),” use

quotation marks only with no italics.

Parentheses ( ) often pose problems for writers. They can distract the reader from your main

point. If possible, express ideas without parentheses, but if you must use them, use them

correctly. Place a period outside a closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence

(such as this fragment). If a parenthetical sentence (here is one example) is part of a sentence, do

not capitalize the first word unless it is the first word of a sentence, and do not end the

parenthetical sentence with a period. If the parenthetical sentence ends with a question mark or

exclamation point, put a period after the closing parenthesis (here's another example!). If the

material in the parentheses is an independent sentence, capitalize the first word and place the

period before the closing parenthesis. (Here is an example.)

At BearManor Media, good grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling are

important. Our aim is to publish your book with award-winning excellence.