For almost every rule in grammar there is an exception, and when it comes to writing, authors strive to develop an individual style in their writing. As editors, we do not want to strip your work of your style and sanitize it into something bland. 

However, we do want to have a level of consistency in editing so the following guidelines have been created. Some of our rules may be:
1.	different from what you are used to 
2.	different from what you may have learned years ago, or
3.	different from another publisher’s rules.

Language does change and sometimes so do the rules concerning grammar and punctuation. When it comes to grammar, we strive to keep things as consistent as possible. The following is a list of certain areas to keep in mind. In compiling this style sheet, we have referred to the following references and other websites as noted:

EDITORIAL REFERENCES
•	Chicago Manual of Style – 15th Edition (C)
This is an “old, familiar standard” for some, and there’s a lot of useful information in it. This book can be technical and difficult to follow if you’re not a grammarian, but can be useful nonetheless.
•	Gregg Reference Manual – Tenth Edition (GRM)
Although this is a “business” manual and handy for business writing, the Gregg is excellent at explaining the rules and exceptions of punctuation and grammar without jargon. It has numerous examples of correct and incorrect usage that is easy to understand. The information found in the manual applies regardless of whether it is for business or creative writing. 
•	Oxford Style Manual  (for UK Authors) (O)
British usage is different from American usage in some areas so our British authors are free to refer to this manual.

Although we recommend these references if you do not already have them, we are not bound by them. Our editors reserve the right to use and apply any rules of grammar and punctuation appropriate in a given context.

This document is not meant to be comprehensive and it may change; however, most of the common issues we find when editing manuscripts will be noted here.

The document is divided into sections in the following order:
1.	Formatting
2.	Punctuation
3.	Grammar
4.	Elements of Fiction
5.	Other Useful Information

FORMATTING
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Manuscripts should be formatted as follows.
1.	Use double, curly quotes and curly apostrophes “ ”  ‘ ’
2.	Punctuation marks are to go inside the end quotes.  “The Yankee Way.”
3.	For em dashes, do not use two short dashes (--) but a single long dash (—).
4.	Chapters must start on a new page with a next-page section break from the previous page and not a page break 
5.	DO NOT hit “return” until a new page begins.
6.	Scene breaks should be denoted with a double blank line.
7.	Do not indent the first paragraph following a scene break.
8.	Do not indent the first paragraph of a new chapter.

Page Layout Requirements
1.	.5 in (1.27cm) margins all around
2.	.5 in (1.27 cm) paragraph indents – NOT TABBED INDENTS
3.	Georgia 12pt font

Doing this will help us format your work more quickly.

PUNCTUATION
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Commas 

Use commas [GRM ¶123]:
•	To separate two or more adjectives modifying the same noun.
•	To separate three or more items in a series unless all items are joined by “and” or “or.”
•	To separate two independent clauses in a compound sentence when joined by “and”, “but”, “or,” or “nor.”

Independent and Dependent Clauses [GRM ¶130]:
•	Use a comma when a dependent clause precedes an independent clause.
•	Do not use a comma when an introductory clause serves as the subject of the sentence. For example:
o	Whomever you nominate will have my support. (intro clause as subject)
o	Whomever you nominate, I will support. (intro clause as object)

Essential & Nonessential Clauses [GRM ¶131]:

•	If a clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence, do not set it off with commas:

	My legal advisor says that I should not return to work right away.

•	If a clause is nonessential and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence, set it off with commas:
	
My legal advisor, who is also a medical doctor, says I should not return to work right away.

Introductory words/phrases - Be consistent. If you use a comma after introductory words and phrases, do so throughout the entire manuscript. 

Having returned from the movies, Jane went straight to bed.

Comma Splice – when a comma is used between two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor):
	
I told Harold to go home, he has a cold.

To correct this, use a period or semicolon.

Comma + Too
     Do not use a comma before “too” at the end of a sentence:

Correct - I love fudge too.
Incorrect - I love fudge, too.

Use commas to separate ‘too’ in the middle of a sentence:

I like animals, too, but I’m too busy to own a pet.

The following forms of punctuation should be used sparingly.

Ellipses [GRM (¶275) & C (11.45, 11.51-65)]

We prefer if writers use ellipses sparingly for two reasons:
1) They lose effect if overused/abused.
2) The spacing of the periods can be tricky when it comes to typesetting. 

For our purposes in writing fiction, the “Three-Dot Method” as explained in The Chicago Manual of Style will be used.  Use three periods without additional spacing (...) and not four, even if the ellipsis happens at the end of the sentence. No additional punctuation needed unless the sentence is followed by a dialogue tag:

“This doesn't make sense...,” said Carol.

Use the ellipses to denote speech or thought that trails off.

	George wondered what would happen if he sneaked out of the back door and...

	“Well,” said Gloria, “George isn’t the brightest star in the sky, but he does have his uses...”

Em Dash vs. En Dash

Like the ellipsis, abuse of the em dash will make it lose effect and become tedious for the reader.

Use the em dash to show abrupt changes and interruptions in narrative and dialogue:
	
“Take that out of—”
	
Bob looked at the clock and realized he had five—no, six—minutes left to live.

Use the en dash as symbolized shorthand meaning “through” or “to.” For example:

	Open Hours:  9am-5pm

NOTE: There are different lengths for en dashes (-) and em dashes (—).  See the “Formatting” section above on how we prefer em dashes to be typed.

Semicolons

Semicolons are used to join two independent clauses not joined by a conjunction.  "Independent" meaning they are complete sentences and one clause does not need the other to be a complete sentence.  For example:

Proper Usage: Some people think Jack is insane; he's often found talking to himself and gesturing wildly.  

Incorrect usage: I left quietly; before they awoke.  (Since the second clause needs the first to be a complete sentence, it should be a comma.  Or if a more dramatic pause is required, an ellipsis could be used.)

When in doubt—just use a period.

Another common usage for the semicolon is to separate items in a series that are complex and contain their own punctuation.  For example:

The results for the contest were are follows: Debbie, 6; John, 8; Sally, 9; Frank, 11; and Teri, 15.

Colons [GRM (¶187-89)]

Like the semicolon, a colon can be used to separate two independent clauses when the second clause illustrates or explains the first clause:
	
Jimmie-Jo couldn’t decide between whiskey or gin: any type of alcohol gave her a gas, but gin also made her nauseous.

When in doubt—just use a period.

Use colons before lists and enumerations:
•	Like this very example
•	See above

Italics

Do not overuse italics. If italics are used to denote internal thoughts/dialogue, telepathy, etc. and, in some cases, flashbacks, it should be used consistently throughout.  If the manuscript calls for long passages where italics could be used, the editor may require some other method (like quotation marks) to be used.

GRAMMAR
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Who/Whoever vs. Whom/Whomever [GRM ¶1061]

These words are tricky. “Who” and “Whom” are interrogative and relative pronouns. They can also be singular or plural in meaning.  An easy way to determine which one to use is to substitute who/whom with personal pronouns like “him/her” or “she/he.”  

Who/whomever is the nominative form:
•	“Who” can be replaced with he/she/they/I/we

Whom/whomever is the objective form: 
•	“Whom” can be replaced with him/her/them/me/us
o	An easy way to remember is that both “whom” and “him” both have the letter “m.”  

Examples of who/whom as interrogative pronouns:

	Who is going to the store? 		 She/he is going to the store.
	To whom does this coat belong?		The coat belongs to him/her.

Examples of who/whom as relative pronouns:

	Frank is the one who is going to the store.
	John, whom I’ve never met, will be the new office manager.

NOTE: Grammar Girl gives a concise explanation of this at her site:
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/who-versus-whom.aspx 

That vs. Which [GRM ¶132]

“That” – when used as a relative pronoun, it refers to things; it also refers to persons when a class or type is meant:

	Here is the money that I owe you.

“That” – when used as a subordinating conjunction, links the dependent clause it introduces to the main clause:

	We assume that she will resign her post.

“Which” – use when referring to animals, things, and ideas. Always use “which” instead of “that” to introduce nonessential clauses:

	I cleaned the car, which was left in the driveway last night, and it was a mess.

Farther or Further?

•	Farther refers to length or distance. It is the comparative form of the word far when referring to distance.

•	Further means “to a greater degree,” “additional,” or “additionally.” It refers to time or amount. It is the comparative form of the word “far” when meaning “much.”

    Correct: London is farther north than Juneau.
    (Refers to distance)

    Correct: This manuscript requires further editing.
    (Meaning "additional," as in amount)

    Correct: According to my schedule, we should be further along.
    (Refers to time) 

Toward or Towards
These prepositions can be used interchangeably. There is no difference in meaning. “Toward” or “towards” means “in the direction of.”

The only slight difference in usage is that “toward” is perhaps more characteristic of American English and “towards” more usual in British English. 

Onto/on to vs.  Into/in to  

Here is an explanation taken from the following web page: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#i 

“Onto” and “on to” are often interchangeable, but not always. Consider the effect created by wrongly using “onto” in the following sentence when “on to” is meant: “We’re having hors d’oeuvres in the garden, and for dinner moving onto the house.” If the “on” is part of an expression like “moving on” it can’t be shoved together with a “to” that just happens to follow it. 

=======================================================

“Into” is a preposition which often answers the question, “where?” For example, “Tom and Becky had gone far into the cave before they realized they were lost.” Sometimes the “where” is metaphorical, as in, “He went into the army” or “She went into business.” It can also refer by analogy to time: “The snow lingered on the ground well into April.” In old-fashioned math talk, it could be used to refer to division: “Two into six is three.” In other instances where the words “in” and “to” just happen to find themselves neighbors, they must remain separate words. For instance, “Rachel dived back in to rescue the struggling boy.” Here “to” belongs with “rescue” and means “in order to,” not “where.” (If the phrase had been “dived back into the water,” “into” would be required.) 
Try speaking the sentence concerned aloud, pausing distinctly between “in” and “to.” If the result sounds wrong, you probably need “into.”

Then there is the 60s colloquialism which lingers on in which “into” means “deeply interested or involved in”: “Kevin is into baseball cards.” This is derived from usages like “the committee is looking into the fund-raising scandal.” The abbreviated form is not acceptable formal English, but is quite common in informal communications.
See also turn into. 

Numbers

Spell out numbers one to one hundred.

Spell out ages and hyphenate:  
•	She’s twenty-one.
•	He’s forty-two years old.
•	He’s a thirty-five-year-old author.

Spell out ordinals – e.g. twenty-first century

ELEMENTS OF FICTION
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Point of View (POV)

Be aware of what point of view the story is going to be told. POV needs to be consistent throughout the entire manuscript, no matter which viewpoint is used.

Beware of POV shifts. They are confusing. These are most noticeable when in one sentence (or paragraph) we’ll be in Character A’s POV and in the next we’re inside Character B’s head hearing their thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. 

Typically, there should be only one POV per scene or chapter. Think hard before considering multiple POVs in a scene or chapter.

Avoid switching POVs from paragraph to paragraph. Unless the writing is tight and seamless, do not attempt this. Either stick to a single POV throughout the entire scene/chapter, or have a clear transition/break between POVs within a scene.

Sometimes the adjustment needed to correct this may call for a simple rewording of the sentence(s) while others may require a more transparent or hard scene break. In some areas you may have to restructure the entire scene.

Dialogue Tags

Do not overuse dialogue tags.  Said, asked, etc., are more than adequate. 

Do not get overly creative in your tags—unless you’re trying to be funny. A tag like “hissed” is often used incorrectly, and a tag like “ejaculated” is just plain wrong.

Instead of relying on dialogue tags, let the words (and the context) dictate the tone of voice whenever possible:

	“I told you to leave me alone!”

Not
	“I told you to leave me alone!” he shouted/growled/hissed/ejaculated.

But sometimes, if there is room for ambiguity or misinterpretation, a tag should be used:

	“I told you to leave me alone!” she shouted gleefully as the clown tumbled down the stairs.

If more than one person is talking, make certain the reader knows who is talking. This does not require a dialogue tag every time someone speaks, but the reader should be aware of who says what:

	“Where do you want to go for dinner?” asked Mike.
	“I’m in the mood for Chinese,” said Gloria.
	“I don’t want Chinese.”
	“Hey, you asked me what I want, and I want Chinese.”
	 “I wish I hadn’t asked now.”

Typically, if dialogue is between two people, you only need to identify the speaker the first time. If the scene/dialogue breaks, identify the next person who speaks if necessary:

“Where do you want to go for dinner?” asked Mike.
	“I’m in the mood for Chinese,” said Gloria.
	“I don’t want Chinese.”
	“Hey, you asked me what I want, and I want Chinese.”
	Mike raked his fingers through his hair. “I wish I hadn’t asked now.”

A note about dialogue
Make your dialogue fit your character whether they are a PhD genius or an illiterate inbred. Not everyone speaks with 100% perfect grammar all the time. However, be aware that when you are writing dialogue, do not get too carried away with this idea or you risk annoying your reader.

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
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Quoting Copyrighted Material 
Sometimes an author may want to quote song lyrics or use a poem or excerpt in their work. While this is acceptable, it is stated in the LL-Publications contract that the author must obtain written permission from the copyright holder and present a copy of this permission to the publisher for their records. The author will be responsible for any/all costs in obtaining this permission without reimbursement from the publisher.