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Sure, here's my two cents. Keep in mind that a lot of these are stylistic choices and there is no wrong or right. Loads of authors format in their own way and I do things that I know people here consider mistakes (like a staunch refusal to use certain things like an em dash).1. I only write years as numerals. Everything else I spell out, including longer numbers.
2. Scene breaks I handle differently depending on the tone of the book. For my current series, I use asterisks for big breaks and a single space for smaller transitions, mainly because these books are broken up by voice and arent always linear. With my first series, which is linear, I didn't think the asterisks looked right, so I used single and triple spacing depending on if the break was meant to change locations or denote the passing of time.
3. Again, this depends on the book. My current series has a set number of chapters and each is given a base word count in order to keep them all around the same length, but I've read plenty of books where the chapters are all over the place. Cut off a chapter where it feels natural seems to be the standard advice.
4. I only italicize. This is a stylistic choice I made based on seeing bold text in a book and finding it odd.
Hope thatgave you a starting point at least. :)
Mod
2. I tend to use asteriks, but that's because I'm to lazy for the frills. Chapters I break with page breaks.
3. I tend to try and keep them between 4-10 pages, but I write with a style reminiscent of ADD
4. I used to do everything under the sun. I've seen everything under the sun, but after writing a few things, I've decided italicized is the way to go, UNLESS there is a specific reason for your character to have something different. I.e. a psychopath switching the font for each word, etc. But on the whole, just slant the letters.
Christina wrote: "Sure, here's my two cents. Keep in mind that a lot of these are stylistic choices and there is no wrong or right. Loads of authors format in their own way and I do things that I know people here co..."It did, definitely. Thank you!
1. I go with what feels right. If it feels "wonky," for you, don't do it. As long as the reader understands, but, for me it is about 'context.'e.g.
If someone speaks the number, I might use letters;
"I heard two gunshots, ran round the corner and found two bodies slumped against the wall."
"The letter was addressed to Amanda Black, 2 Armadale Court."
Though for larger numbers, I tend to use numerals. I think it is easier for the reader to decode.
e.g.
"He had amassed an army of 4500 men."
"He had amassed an army of four thousand five hundred men."
To me, the first instantly communicates the number (even to non English speakers), the second needs to run through an 'additional linguistic decoding' and feels "wonky."
2. When you've finished with a scene, but not the chapter, and you're moving on to something else, what do you put in? A page break, some kind of line, or other shape? Or do you just make a shorter chapter?
I favour the asterisk like Dwayne, but it took me some time to decide this and I don't know if my first book reflects this. (P.S. No bookwack required).
I have no problem with short chapters and I have long and short chapters. In my first book, I have chapters as short as two/2 pages and some MUCH longer.
No review has commented on chapter length.
In my second work (a novelette/novella) I have 29, yes twenty nine, short numbered chapters.
3. Just answered that. The ONLY good thing I see about uniform chapter length is that the reader knows the investment in time that is required when deciding to read on to the next chapter.
4. I sometimes italicise, and sometimes CAPITALISE. Bold only really works on the computer screen and looks "wonky," to me, in speech.
I also use italics to represent thought,
This is not a dead planet; this is a lifeless planet, populated by the never-born.
Capitalising can feel like shouting!
"WHAT DID YOU DO?"
I know writing is supposed to have some semblance of a format, but it's also supposed to be about how YOU write.
Exactly.
I'm so use to the technical writing I did in school, that I sometimes find myself throwing words in that my MC would NEVER use, only because that was the thing to do. I'm having a hard time remembering to throw those rules out the window
'Thing to do?' Rules? Perhaps you should decide 'to boldly go where no one has gone before.'
I think the challenge is TO BOLDLY communicate what Is in your head and heart as 'poetically' and effectively as possible.
Format badly and you will distract your reader.
Do it well and you might write a best seller. Even if your book never receives the accolade it deserves, people reading it will enjoy it more. That, to me, is primary.
Happy writing.
Mod
1. Generally speaking, I would spell out a number, unless it's part of an address, a date, something like that. I have read a lot of "rules" about it and in the end it seems to be a matter of choice and style. I just find that when I read if I see a lot of numbers, it can break the rhythm of the story. That doesn't make it wrong, as I don't know that numbers have the same effect on everyone. It just feels more comfortable for me to use as few numbers as possible.
2. This is really a matter of style. It's completely up to you how you want to break up your scenes. Some people just leave a blank line. Some put in a row of asterisks. If making short chapters fits your style, go for it. As long as the reader understands there is a scene change, you've done your job (although I wouldn't recommend typing out, "here comes a new scene" unless you're writing satire or humor). Hmmm... I haven't done that yet...
3. This one is completely up to you, as well. It's a style choice. Keep in mind, if you are writing for a younger audience, you may want to keep your chapters shorter, but I don't think it's necessary. I have read many books where one chapter is thirty pages and the next is two. I've read other books where all the chapters were about nineteen to twenty pages long. Personally, it depends on the kind of story I'm writing, but I usually look for natural breaks in the story.
4. Italicizing seems to be the most common way to emphasize words, but there is no right or wrong. I find it less jarring than making a word bold or written all in caps. I have done all three, but generally only bold or do the all caps thing in my humorous pieces.
Oops!Sorry, Dwayne!
"I favour the asterisk like Dwayne, but it took me some time to decide this and I don't know if my first book reflects this."
Got my MODs crossed, should read "Riley."
1. I wondered about this one a lot. I finally settled on writing out all numbers. It just feels better to me.2. For scene changes within chapters, I just put in a double space without any extras. The end of chapters get a page break.
3. The lengths of my chapters tend to vary depending on what I'm doing within the chapter. When it feels like I've accomplished my goal within the chapter, it ends. It goes with the organic, seat-of-the-pants way I write.
4. For the most part, I use italics.
If something is said in a different language...
"Can you understand me? Maybe you don’t. How about this. Mon nom est Artemis Xian. Peux-tu me comprendre?"
If someone is speaking in some other way besides talking, say using telepathy, I'll italicize it, using quotation marks like regular dialogue.
Thoughts are also italicized, though without quotation marks.
The only time I've used capitalization is when someone is typing a message, like sending a text message.
I've always thought that when it comes to writing, everyone does the same thing differently. Or, as W. Somerset Maugham said, "There are three rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately no one knows what they are." I think the more important thing is, whatever you decide to do, make sure you're consistent throughout the work.
ETA: Gotta remember to edit replies...hoo-boy...
Hi, KelseyThese are great questions! By the way, your background in technical writing will help you a lot; however, guard against some of the spare tendencies of technical writing. I have a background in technical writing, and at one point I discovered that I had edited out all the "soft words" - the adverbs and adjectives. I had to go back and add them all in. Technical writing is about conveying information accurate and with brevity. Writing fiction is about composing music with words. They're very different. (Nonfiction is another story. I'm not sure which you are writing.)
1. Numbers. Here's a good review resource for everyone on numbers: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/educ.... Know the rules, but then decide for yourself what your style will be and try to be consistent. Do what feels right to you as a writer and as a reader. But know the rules first. If you decide to break them, have a good reason for doing so and be consistent.
2. In an e-book, when I want a "break" of some kind within a chapter (usually either because time has passed or because the POV is about to shift), I use a "divider" (I create a Word style called "divider" and it consists of space before and after the paragraph - usually 12 pts above and below, justification centered -- and in the paragraph I put three asterisks with a space between each one). It looks like this:
* * *
This is what I do in e-books. Keep in mind that "breaks" are often handled differently in e-books than in print, but that's for another topic...
3. This is probably one of the most important questions to ask, because I think it's a critical element of writing a "page turner." First of all, as a writer, you're probably going to want to write "page turners." That's pretty easy to do, provided you have a good story and good writing style. The two characteristics that lead to a page turner are 1) relatively short chapters, and 2) end each chapter on a little "cliffhanger." I try to keep my chapters at 7-8 pages long, ideally. When they get longer than that, I start rethinking where to break them. Sometimes I have shorter chapters, but rarely do I want longer chapters. If your chapters are short, the reader will know they go by quickly and might think "I have time for just one more chapter." If you pair short chapters with little cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, the reader might feel compelled to "squeeze in one more chapter." And that's what we call a page turner. I think a chapter that is 15-20 pages long is really two chapters and should be split up.
4. I use italics for emphasizing words, but I try to force myself to do this sparingly. You don't want to go overboard with the italics. Some people frown on using any typographical device to indicate emphasis; they think the reader has to determine the emphasis for herself or himself. I love to use italics to indicate emphasis, but I try not to go overboard. (I also use italics to indicate internal thought that is the equivalent of an emotional outburst. Also use sparingly.)
5. Keep moving forward, keep writing, keep learning, put yourself on a schedule with a word count. Hold yourself accountable, because probably no one else will. And above all, have fun!
Scene changes: I generally just go for it. If the dialogue is at a natural end point and the next paragraph dramatically changes content, characters, and action (couldn't find a "C" word here) I jump into the next scene and I've never had a reader comment that they got lost.
Looks like I'm in the majority on these issues. Great questions though! I have a few new thoughts:1. I agree with the crowd, words ought to be used instead of numerals. Only years are the exception.
2. I used to prefer just an extra space, although I also like the 1st-word capitalizing and no indent. I realized when e-publishing the first time that when a scene break falls on a page break you're in trouble and have to use some kind of symbol for clarity. Since you don't control the page breaks in the ereader, that kind of forces you to use a symbol everywhere. Important technical note: ebooks are based on html formatting, and a true break will be encoded by a "<br>" tag, which different devices will render differently. To the device, an asterisk is still just text.
4. Italics only. I don't think bold & underline have any place in literary prose, any more than font or color changes. I wish we could manage without any kind of word emphasis, but alas, we must have something for it.
Thank you everyone for your opinions, they've definitely helped.
1. Now I've read the rule on numbers, 1-9 you write, anything two digit you spell, but I've also read that it's preference to the author. I've found myself spelling certain things, but then others I've put the numerals, and when I tried writing out the numerals it just looked, wonky. How do you go about that?
2. When you've finished with a scene, but not the chapter, and you're moving on to something else, what do you put in? A page break, some kind of line, or other shape? Or do you just make a shorter chapter?
3. Speaking of chapters, do you try to have a uniform length, or just keep going until you feel like it's time to start a new one? I've got one chapter, it's an introductory one, but it's only about 10 pages, then I've got other chapters that are 15, even 20.
4. Emphasizing words. Do you bold, italicize, capitalize or just leave it alone? I know I'll write a sentence one way, but when I go back I'll end up reading it a different way because the emphasis I wrote with it, isn't shown and I won't realize there was one until I've finished with it, then I have to go back and reread it with the right emphasis. It kind of breaks stride on the reading.
5. I've probably got one, but I can't think of it at this moment.
I know writing is supposed to have some semblance of a format, but it's also supposed to be about how YOU write. I'm so use to the technical writing I did in school, that I sometimes find myself throwing words in that my MC would NEVER use, only because that was the thing to do. I'm having a hard time remembering to throw those rules out the window, which is ironic since I fought using them then.
If anyone could lend me some opinions, dish some out advice, it would be greatly appreciated!