Write a great story. Submit it professionally.
This style sheet is subject to change to accommodate additions or resolutions when questions arise. This internal guideline is for the convenience of Treble Heart Books and all divisions' authors or potential authors only, and may not lawfully be transmitted anywhere outside this company.
It is not the job of your editor to format your manuscript for you. Please read and comply with this style sheet before you submit your manuscript. Treble Heart Books retains the right to reject any manuscript that is improperly formatted and does not fit our specifications.
General Manuscript Preparation
One-inch margins on top, bottom and sides of pages.
Single spaced
Do not use bold type
Do not use Roman numerals
Text Font: Times New Roman (PC) or Times (Mac) in RTF (Rich Text File)
No Tabs, indent by 0.3 only
Chapter Headers
Chapters may be expressed in either all caps or in initial caps, centered. Do not use fancy or huge fonts.
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The use of Italics
Unlike formatting for print publishers, place all italicized words or phrases in italics. Do not use underline. Direct character thoughts should be expressed in italics. No quotation marks. Internal thoughts should also be italicized as well as words of emphasis.
Use of Semicolons
Please do not use semicolons in dialogue. Use only in narrative and only very sparingly when you have two complete sentences that are closely related.
Quotation Marks
Dialogue requires opening and closing quotation marks.
Opening and closing single quotations for quotation inside dialogue.
If a quotation within a quotation end at the same time, both single and double quotes ending quotes are required.
Example: "Pay attention, will you?" Helen shouted at me, 'I'm leaving and taking the money with me!'"
Periods and commas go inside the quotations. The exception is sometimes the question mark. This depends on whether the narrator is asking the question, or the question comes from an inside quote.
Example: Why was Mary shaking when she said, "I'm here to protest this inquiry"?
Note: This can be a complex subject. If you have difficulty, you can always ask for my technical advice on a given sentence or paragraph.
If your dialogue runs more than a paragraph with the same person still speaking, use an opening quote on the beginning of all the paragraphs, but do not close the quotation marks until the very end of the last words spoken by that character.
Example:
"Paragraph One.
"Paragraph Two.
"Paragraph Three." (End Quote.)
Do not use quotation marks for emphasis. Use them only in dialogue or for words being taken out of context. Single quotations should never be used except for a quote within other dialogue.
Typing
Most everyone is used to adding two spaces after the end of a period. To save yourself time, go ahead and type the way it is comfortable, but before you submit. Do a global find to replace all double spaces after the periods with single spaces, then save. If you forget this step, it's not critical and can be easily fixed in-house. (This is not mandatory, but it helps and saves time.)
Example:
There goes that kid again. I see her running.
There goes that kid again. I see her running.
Use no tabs whatsoever. Instead, use paragraph first line indent at 0.3, not 0.5.
Page Breaks
No hard page breaks, please. Use no extra space between last line and page break.
Following each chapter, instead of using a page break, press enter (or the return key) twice to double space before the next chapter heading. Press enter or return only once more to begin typing your text.
If you have a date or subheading line, type it in Italics and it must appear on the far left-hand margin.
Scene Breaks
These should be expressed as *** at the far left margin or center. One extra line space above and below.
Ellipses
Ellipses are expressed as three periods within a sentence or dialogue, usually to show pause. When it falls at the end of a complete sentence (not a fragment), then a period must be placed at the end, hence, you would express it with four periods. If the sentence is not complete, and the words are trailing off, then three periods apply. Never use them unless there is a compelling reason for a pause. DO NOT OVERUSE.
Em Dashes (long dashes)
You may express them by using the double hyphen--only to show a very strong break in thought, a separate (parenthetical) phrase within a sentence. Use them sparingly. The usual em dash will be applied during production. Do not use single em dashes except at the end of a dialogue line where a character is abruptly interrupted. Never use them in place of commas or when there should be two sentences.
Exclamations:
Use exclamations very seldom. Use them only when someone is actually shouting or screaming. Overuse of this device is widespread and poor writing form. Heavy action scenes such as in war or in western gunfights and such will use more than the usual because there will be more shouting. Otherwise, a period will suffice. Normal excitement does not justify the use of an exclamation. Let your words do the talking.
Spelling
Make sure you’ve got things spelled correctly. Here are some examples
Yea
means yay, as in hooray
Yeah means what it says, slang for yes
Blonde relates to a type of person
Blond relates to hair color only
All rightnever use alright
Okaynever use OK
Yepnot yeap
Capitals
These are tricky. I have chosen here to distinguish between proper name and common nouns. It makes a difference also if the names are of people in the U.S. Government.
Examples?The captain (not capped)
Captain Hornblower (capped)
President Arnie Arrogance
Never assume. If you have a question please ask and I will give you my style preferences.
Using Numbers and Symbols in Text
Do not use numerals, with few exceptions. Write out the number so it can't interrupt reader flow. Avoid using symbols, unless the work is non-fiction and requires them.
Dates or airplanes
The 1890s or F-15s Not 1890’s or F-15’s
In the case of addresses within the text, numerals are used. But the words 30% would be written as thirty percent in dialogue.
Consult your dictionary or library for the proper way to write out large numbers, or follow this brief example: Or ask Lee Emory, Senior Editor.
Fifty
Fifty-five
One hundred sixty-three
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-two
One million two hundred eighty-five thousand four hundred twenty-nine.
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There is no need to be too concerned with these requirements until you are doing your final preparations to submit your manuscript. Learn to self-edit thoroughly. Use this as your best tool to check your work before you submit. We'll both be glad you did.
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