This style guide is designed to help writers produce better content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Writers should refer to this style guide for reference. It is a work in progress but represents our current standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good writing is more important to us than consistency. We're writing for the web, not for an academic journal. In addition, we write with a view to ranking in search engines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Novelists who have a loyal audience on the web can succeed with quirky writing. As a result, our web writing is characterized by simple, comprehensible sentences that provide relevant information that helps the reader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, we don't expect writers to all sound the same. Use your personality and be original in your writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t
If in doubt, use the American<\/strong> spelling of a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We prefer short paragraphs. Like this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don't waste space welcoming people to the blog or introducing people to the article. If the title does not begin with “what is”, you can leave out a definition of what it is<\/em>. People will typically find the content by searching Google so if they search for “how to make sushi” and you start describing sushi like you're writing for Wikipedia, you're missing the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a few thoughts on writing for your target audience (website readers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lists should be formatted like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that the list ends with a period because that is where the sentence ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The serial (or Oxford) comma is the comma before the “and” (“or”) at the end of a series. For<\/p>\n\n\n\n example, Alfred Pennyworth, Jack, and Jill<\/em>. Just use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes it is necessary for clarity: Jack Benny, Groucho Marx, and Burns and Allen. Clarity is never reduced by having it where it isn\u2019t necessary. So why worry?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Titles of major works of art are italicized<\/em>. Generally: paintings, films, books, games, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, small works of art are not italicized but rather put inside quotation marks. So: poems, short stories, and so on. Musical compositions are italicized if they have a name but not if they have a purely descriptive title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example: Mozart wrote Eine kleine Nachtmusik<\/em> and the Symphony No 25 in G Minor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the active voice whenever possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Passive voice: “The book was read by the man”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Active voice: “The man read the book”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second example is succinct, to-the-point, and is much easier to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, even when writing for the web, it's important to show and not tell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Telling: Bob was hungry. \u274c Telling: Adding milk to the recipe is not recommended. \u274c Telling: Nobody likes using windows PCs for this task. \u274c Use punctuation to guide the reader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If a word ends with the letter s, only add an apostrophe after it to make it possessive. When making a group possessive, only add an \u2018s (or just \u2018) to the final word if they represent a group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus is would be: Key & Peele\u2019s comedy<\/em>. If the joint possessive is not a group, add an \u2018s (or just \u2018) to all subjects. Thus: Key\u2019s and Peele\u2019s cars<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t use brackets except for editing notes. (They are also used in some programming languages where you will need to use them in sample code.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the colon to introduce what comes after. It is most often used to introduce lists, but can be used for emphasis. Don\u2019t use it to introduce a quote unless it is in a block. Do not capitalize the first word after a colon unless it would normally be capitalized. Don\u2019t overuse the colon. Colons always go outside quotation marks when they end together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Commas are the bane of writers. If there are too many commas in a sentence, it is either has too many thoughts for a single sentence, or is poorly structured. But don\u2019t leave out necessary commas. It is better that a reader be able to figure out what you mean, even if it isn\u2019t clear on first read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally, add a comma before the conjunction if it links two clauses that could stand alone: I could have gone to Princeton, but instead I went to Yale<\/em>. If there are two things the subject did, do not separate with a comma unless the subject is restated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dash is used in a couple of ways. First, it is used as a kind of super comma, allowing nonessential clauses to be set off. It can also be used to add a phrase to the end of a sentence. If a full sentence is added, use a semicolon, not a dash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use for exclamations. Don\u2019t use them when writing for Fat Frog Media. Ever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, avoid hyphens if you can. For example, email rather than e-mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Put sentence punctuation outside the parentheses. However, if you insert a complete sentence inside parentheses (Even short one) capitalize the parenthetical and end the sentence with the appropriate stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use it. Often. Short sentences are usually best, because they are clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sentences should deliver one idea. So use the period. But don\u2019t use periods in abbreviations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use US rather than U.S. Periods always go inside quotation marks when they end the sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said, \u201cI\u2019ll be right there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the question mark to end a sentence that is a direct question. How do you do this? Do not use it to end an indirect question. He asked how you do it.<\/em> Question marks go inside quotation marks when they are part of the quoted material; otherwise, it should be outside. He asked, \u201cWhen will you be here?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Quotation marks are used to demarcate quoted material. Periods always go inside quotation marks; exclamation points and question marks depend upon whether they belong to the quoted material; and colons and semicolons always go outside the quotation marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a quotation spans more than one paragraph, the ending quotation mark is skipped on all but the last paragraph. However, quotes like this should be presented as block quotes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use semicolons to connect complete sentences that are closely related. They don't see clean energy as a way to help our shared economy; they see it as a threat to their short term profits.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, don\u2019t capitalize unless it is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Capitalize after a period, exclamation mark, and quotation mark. Do not capitalize after a dash or a semicolon. Do not capitalize after a colon unless what follows it is a full sentence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Words that are not capitalized, should be capitalized when they start a sentence. The only exception to this is when a title is capitalized near the beginning. So a sentence starting with the word “cPanel” should be left like that instead of changing it to “CPanel.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n We use The Chicago Manual of Style for title capitalization. Basically, it means you capitalize every important word in the title. Capitalize the first and last word no matter what. Capitalize all words with 4 or more characters. Capitalize words of less than 4 characters if they are nouns, verbs, or other “important” words. So capitalize “it” no matter what, but only capitalize “the” if it is at the beginning or end of the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But you don't need to worry about it. You can use this great tool<\/a>. Enter your title and it will capitalize it correctly for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some general thoughts on writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Omit needless words<\/strong>. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. You do not always need complete sentences<\/strong> — just complete ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Avoid figures of speech<\/strong>, cliches colloquialisms and jargon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Concentrate on Nouns and Verbs<\/strong>, not adverbs and adjectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Avoid qualifiers<\/strong> like very, rather, little, pretty<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Strong Headlines \/ Titles<\/strong> are the most important part of web content creation\/marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And always remember George Orwell\u2019s six rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Headlines, subheads and bullet points should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n See Also<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25cf 10 Sure-Fire Headline Formulas That Work<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25cf 7 More Sure-Fire Headline Templates That Work<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nParagraph Length<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Intros<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
General Thoughts on Style<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Formatting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Serial Comma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Titles of Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Active voice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Show, Don't Tell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Showing: Bob hadn't eaten in days and his stomach rumbled. \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Showing: Milk tends to curdle because of the pan's high heat. \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Showing: Windows PCs are slower and harder to use for tasks like this so most people prefer to use Macs. \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\nPunctuation Style<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Apostrophes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Brackets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Colon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Comma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Conjunctions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Exclamation Point<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hyphen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Parentheses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Period \/ Full Stop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Question Mark<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Quotation Marks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Long Quotations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Semicolon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Capitalization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Punctuation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Titles and Headlines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
General Style<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Rules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Orwell\u2019s Six Rules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Titles and Bullet Lists<\/h3>\n\n\n\n