Do You Overstep When Editing Fiction? Three Easy Cures
The other day, I ran across this line in a recent novel by a best-selling American writer (key words are disguised): “His disposition warmed faster than did the gradually dawning day.”
Decades
This post was originally published in 2019, or just before the beginning of the 2020s, also known as the ’20s or the twenties. Every decade after this one will be referred to similarly: 2030s, ’30s, or thirties; 2040s, ’40s, or forties; and so on. Any of those forms would be considered correct as long as you maintain some consistency.
Chicago Style Workout 39: Word Usage, Part 9
This workout finishes our run through the “Glossary of Problematic Words and Phrases” in paragraph 5.254 of CMOS 18. For our usage finale, we’re focusing on words beginning with the letters t as in “that” through w as in “whomever.”
“That hat!”: Punctuating How You Feel
When it comes to punctuation, there’s a difference between formal prose and creative writing.
Chicago Style Q&A: Recent Updates
The Chicago Manual of Style Q&A has been featuring answers to your questions for more than twenty years. During that time our searchable Q&A archive has grown to encompass a huge range of questions about Chicago style.
Sure, You Got A’s in English—But Do You Know Where Commas Go?
A few months ago in a conference session, a group of novelists digressed into good-natured complaints about being copyedited. One writer drew a lot of laughs saying, “I mean, I got A’s in English! I know where the freaking commas go!”
Dot Dot Dot: A Closer Look at the Ellipsis
If you follow Chicago style, it’s a safe bet you know that a Chicago-style ellipsis consists of three spaced periods. You probably also know . . .
Chicago Style Workout 38: Word Usage, Part 8
This workout returns to our “Glossary of Problematic Words and Phrases” in paragraph 5.254 of CMOS 18. This time we’re focusing on words beginning with the letters r as in “rack” through s as in “straight.”
How Do I Format a Reference List in Turabian/Chicago Style?
If you cite your sources in your thesis or dissertation (or class paper) using the author-date system, you will need to include a reference list. . . .
When Characters Speak: Formatting Dialogue
In novels and stories and other creative works, words spoken by a character are normally set off from the narrative with quotation marks, and the speaker is identified in the run of text by tags like “she said.”
