Style Manual

A style manual is a set of rules and guidelines that define how language, punctuation, and formatting should be used within a text.

In publishing, style manuals ensure consistency, clarity, and professionalism across all written material. Editors and proofreaders refer to these manuals to make consistent decisions on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and citation.

Which Style Manual We Use

At BubbleCow, we follow the relevant style manual for the project in hand. This may include the Chicago Manual of Style (US English), the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook (journalistic writing), or the New Oxford Style Manual (UK English).

If a writer does not specify which manual should be followed, we apply the following defaults:

• American English: The Chicago Manual of Style will be used.
• British English: The New Oxford Style Manual will be used.

Why a Bespoke Style Manual Is Needed

Traditional style manuals do not cover every stylistic or formatting question that arises during editing. Fiction and creative nonfiction, in particular, often include stylistic elements (such as text messages, ellipses, or sound effects) that require house guidelines. For this reason, BubbleCow maintains a bespoke internal style manual to ensure consistency across projects.

BubbleCow Style Manual

The following are examples of house preferences and approaches for elements not fully covered by traditional manuals.

Text Messages

Preferred approach:

She checked her phone.
Where are you?
Running late. Be there in 10.

If the writer is already using italics in a non-standard way and there is a risk of confusion, use dialogue tags for clarity:

She checked her phone.
Tom: Where are you?
Anna: Running late. Be there in 10.

Ellipses

Standard approach:

She hesitated … then spoke.

For digital formats: When white-space removal during ebook conversion might cause issues, use this version:

She hesitated... then spoke.

Em Dashes

Writers should be mindful of how often they use em dashes. Frequent use has become a stylistic marker sometimes associated with AI-generated text. Editors should flag heavy reliance on em dashes. This does not mean they must always be changed, but editors should include a note advising the writer to use them sparingly.

Dialogue Tags

House preference:

Correct:
"Hello," he said.

Not preferred:
"Hello," said he.

Spacing After Full Stops

Standard approach:

Correct:
She looked at him. He turned away.

Not preferred:
She looked at him.  He turned away.

Sound Effects

Avoid writing sound effects as standalone words (e.g., Clang. Bang. Crash.). Instead, weave the sound naturally into the narrative.

Correct:
Davis drove it deeper, the hammer producing a dull clang as metal hit metal. Another roar. Villard stepped up, misty-eyed. With one final strike, the spike sank flush with the rail.

Not preferred:
Clang. Davis drove it deeper. Another roar. Villard stepped up, misty-eyed. With one final strike, Clang., the spike sank flush with the rail.

Numbers and Dates in Narrative

Establish when to spell out versus use numerals so that numerical information remains clear, consistent, and unobtrusive in the prose.

• Spell out whole numbers from one to one hundred in running narrative; use numerals for 101 and above. Keep consistency within a sentence or closely related context.
• Ages, time, measurements: Use numerals for ages (He was 9), clock time (3:45 p.m. or 15:45), and measurements (5 km, 12 kg). Use a space between the numeral and SI unit (5 km), except with degree symbols (e.g., 23°C).
• Ordinals: Spell out first through tenth in narrative; use numerals for 11th onward where brevity is needed.
• Dates (British English): Prefer 14 June 2025 (no comma). For American English projects, follow the chosen manual’s norm (e.g., June 14, 2025 if using Chicago).
• Large numbers: Use combination forms for readability (1.5 million, 2 billion), avoiding excessive zeros.

Examples:
She ran five miles before dawn.
The boy was 12 and already 1.6 m tall.
The concert is on 14 June 2025.

Swearing, Censorship, and Euphemisms

Define a consistent approach to profanity, taking into account tone, audience, and publication requirements.

• No automatic masking: Do not replace letters with asterisks unless the publication context (e.g., YA imprint, retailer policy) explicitly requires it.
• Authorial intent first: Preserve intended voice and register. Flag overuse, tonal inconsistency, or gratuitous profanity that weakens impact.
• Consistency: Be consistent with regional variants and euphemisms within a single work.
• Sensitivity notes: Where necessary, raise a brief editorial note suggesting alternatives in context (e.g., heightened tension via description rather than repeated expletives).

Editorial guidance:
Maintain voice; avoid gratuitous repetition; align with target audience and market norms. If masking is mandated, apply it consistently (e.g., first and main syllables).

Formatting Scene Breaks

Define clear, accessible scene transitions that survive print and digital workflows.

• Preferred: A single centred hash on its own line.

#

• Alternate (digital-first): Three spaced asterisks if the hash proves visually distracting.

* * *

• Spacing: Insert one blank line before and after the break marker. Do not use decorative glyphs unless contractually required.
• Conversion safety: Avoid images or intricate characters that may be dropped in ebook pipelines.

Foreign Words and Phrases

Apply consistent treatment to non-English words to balance authenticity with readability.

• Italics on first use only when the meaning is not immediately clear. Thereafter, set in roman (upright) if the term recurs.
• No italics for words considered naturalised/fully adopted into English (e.g., tapas, café, déjà vu).
• Provide gloss/translation at first appearance if context does not clarify meaning; avoid footnotes in trade fiction—prefer in-line clarification.
• Diacritics: Preserve where possible and practical; ensure consistency across the manuscript.
• Dialogue code-switching: Use sparingly and consistently; avoid tokenism and ensure cultural accuracy.

Examples:
He ordered a café solo and waited.
We shared tapas on the terrace as the sun went down.

This approach maintains narrative flow and avoids breaking immersion with isolated or inconsistent treatments.