Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for Fiction

Some Tips on Style Used by Publishing Houses

Jun 19, 2009

Writers should be aware that the style books used at colleges may be different from the style book used by a publishing house for novels.

Many colleges use the MLA (Modern Language Association) Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, also known as the MLA Style book. However, the style book used by most major publishing houses is the Chicago Manual of Style.

The Chicago Manual of Style Is the Industry Standard

While the MLA Style book is a good resource, most major publishing houses adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) instead. There are some differences in terms of punctuation, grammar, and word usage.

Fiction authors submitting to literary agents or editors should make sure their manuscript adheres to the CMS. Otherwise, differences in punctuation and grammar will make the manuscript look unprofessional, even though it adheres to the MLA.

Writers should strive to submit their best and most professional work, because a manuscript’s unprofessional appearance can adversely affect the agent or editor’s impression of the writer and the quality of the work. “Incorrect” grammar can negatively color the agent or editor’s impression of the story.

Each Publishing House Has Its Own Style Sheets

While major publishing houses adhere to the CMS, they will often have their own “in-house” style sheets that indicate where their grammar, punctuation, and/or word usage will differ from the CMS.

The writer’s best bet is to simply adhere to the CMS. Editors realize that an outside writer would not know the in-house style sheets, and therefore, they will not reject a manuscript for not adhering to it. However, they will expect the manuscript to adhere to the CMS.

One Exception Is the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style

Many major publishing houses who publish exclusively in the Christian market will adhere to the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style in addition to the CMS. Where the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style differs from the CMS, the houses will usually go with the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style.

Writers submitting to Christian market publishing houses may want to make sure their work adheres to the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style as well as the CMS. Most of the differences between the Christian Writer’s Manual and the CMS lie in how religious terms are used and punctuated.

Know Your Grammar

Writers should have a strong grasp of grammar and punctuation, regardless of whether they adhere to the MLA or the CMS. If your grammar and punctuation is a bit weak, it will be worth it to spend some time brushing up.

A cheap and easy way is to get a middle school grammar book from a family member and study it. There are also good resources online like www.dailygrammar.com and www.grammarcheck.com.

The copyright of the article Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for Fiction in Writing Techniques is owned by Camy Tang. Permission to republish Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for Fiction in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Jul 14, 2009 3:27 AM

Garridon :

If cost is an issue (CMS at my bookstore is $55, though Amazon is cheaper), the library will have older editions available for checkout.

I did a crit where the writer had repeatedly posted samples that were so ridden with grammar problems. When people told her to fix the grammar, she poohed-poohed them away and tried to direct people to look at the story. What she kept missing was that there are so many difficult aspects of writing fiction to learn. Without the grammar part in place, it's extremely difficult to get to the next step of learning. It's even difficult to grasp some of the intermediate writing steps.

Jul 14, 2009 1:23 PM

Guest :

Thanks for this post, Camy! I'll definitely have to brush up on my CMS knowledge before I submit my manuscript. :)

Jul 15, 2009 12:17 PM

Camy Tang :

The library is a good place to look through the CMS. However, be wary of older editions, because sometimes there are small changes, and most houses go by the most recent edition.

Grammar is extremely important. Poor grammar makes a manuscript look unprofessional, and it will often impede a reader from seeing anything else but the bad grammar. Also, I personally believe that a writer, who makes a living with words, should have a passable grasp of grammar because otherwise, it's not being true to the requirements of your profession. Like a fireman being out of shape or a surgeon who doesn't know how to suture.

Aug 5, 2009 4:17 PM

Guest :

Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips are also a great place to start understanding basic grammar rules. :)