If you’re a
writer and you haven’t heard of a style sheet, it’s time. You need one. (It
will help you make your book
consistent, which is incredibly helpful if you self-publish. And it will be a HUGE blessing to any copy editor if you can give
them something to start with.)
A style sheet
is a listing of the elements that make up your book’s style so that it will be
consistent through the entire manuscript. (Yeah, I know never define a word
using that word.)
Here are a few of the things that a style sheet should include:
Spelling:
1. British
vs. English (there are grammar differences too).
2. Names
(Catherine vs. Katherine vs. Catherin vs. Katheryn). It also helps a copy editor (or your super helpful beta reader). That way if you’ve made a mistake
somewhere and typed in the wrong spelling, the copy editor (or beta reader) can
correct it.
3. Made-up
terms or place names, etc.
Grammar:
1. Serial
comma vs. no serial comma.
2. Comma
after introductory word/clause (Some publishers no longer use a comma
after a "short" introductory clause or word. Personally, as a reader and copy
editor, I HATE that. Just sayin’.)
3. Hyphenated
terms: anything that is specialized to your book.
4. Anything
that breaks standard usage—that way the beta reader or copy editor knows that
you haven’t made a grammar error. I can’t tell you the amount of time I’ve
wasted correcting the same grammar errors over and over while wondering if the
error is intentional. (If you are weak in this area, beef up your skills by
visiting the Grammar Girl site or Daily Writing Tips.)
Capitalization:
1. Do
you want your coined words capitalized?
2. Do
you want nicknames capitalized if they are real words? (For example, a
character is called “Bobcat.”)
Plot Details:
1. Jot down the characters’ names and relationships, i.e., Margaret, mother of Anna. (I once changed a character’s name midway through a novel—not on purpose. But my amazing beta reader caught it. Thanks, Misha!)
2. To help with consistency, keep track of things of like characters' hair/eye color, the type of car they drive, brand of cigarette they smoke, their pets' names, etc. It's also wise to keep track of the chapter or page number when these bits of information are mentioned.
Plot Details:
1. Jot down the characters’ names and relationships, i.e., Margaret, mother of Anna. (I once changed a character’s name midway through a novel—not on purpose. But my amazing beta reader caught it. Thanks, Misha!)
2. To help with consistency, keep track of things of like characters' hair/eye color, the type of car they drive, brand of cigarette they smoke, their pets' names, etc. It's also wise to keep track of the chapter or page number when these bits of information are mentioned.
Here's an example of real style sheet.
