Consistency is a highly desirable virtue in setting anything in type.
So far as possible we try to have all the Little Blue Books conform
to one typographical style--but the colossal number of 1,400--soon,
1,500--different titles has made for a certain inconsistency that could
not be avoided.
By consistency here, I mean spelling the same word the same way
throughout the manuscript; if possible, throughout the entire series
of Little Blue Books. I mean a consistent policy of capitalization,
hyphenating, punctuation, and so on.
Use care in preparing your manuscript. Spell your words correctly. Do
not blunder ahead in the notion that the editor or the proofreaders
will be glad to correct your misspelled words, dress up your awkward
sentences, and put in your missing commas. Train yourself to spell
correctly, to write clearly and smoothly, to punctuate for the easy
reading of your work. Such training can do nothing except speed
your success as a writer. To ignore these matters may handicap your
manuscript; better craftsmen than you will get work to do that might
have been yours had you been more conscientious.
The standard of spelling and hyphenating in the Little Blue Books
is Webster’s New International Dictionary. In general, words like
_theater_, _center_, _reconnoiter_, and the like, are spelled with a
final -er (instead of -re). Words like _honor_, _color_, _valor_, etc.,
are spelled with a final -or (instead of -our). Wherever two spellings
are permissible (as recorded in the dictionary), the spelling given
first (as preferable) by Webster’s New International is the one to be
used. Words like _traveler_, _traveling_, and _traveled_ are spelled
with a single _l_, etc.; the rule here is that if a word (like travel)
ends in a single consonant following a vowel, derivative forms do not
double the consonant unless the syllable containing that consonant is
accented. Thus, when _traveling_ is formed from _travel_, the consonant
_l_ is not doubled because that syllable is not accented (the accent
falls on trav-). But when _occurring_ is formed from _occur_, the
consonant _r_ is doubled because the accent falls on -cur. So also in
the other derivatives: _occurred_, _occurrence_, etc.
As to capitalization, aside from the usual rules for the first word
in every sentence, etc., all proper names are of course capitalized.
The names of the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) are spelled
with a small letter. In place names such as Grand Avenue, Brown
Street, Mississippi River, etc., the common noun is capitalized as an
integral part of the place name (_not_ Grand avenue, Brown street,
Mississippi river, etc.). The word Negro is always capitalized in
all Haldeman-Julius Publications. As a rule, atheist, agnostic,
freethought, and similar words, are not capitalized.
In hyphenating words (compound words) follow Webster’s New
International Dictionary _with this exception_: divisions of time such
as today, tomorrow, and tonight are spelled without a hyphen.
In punctuation considerable latitude is allowed. The general rule is
one of common sense--punctuate according to the sense of your writing,
to make it easy for the reader to grasp your meaning, and to avoid
any possible ambiguity. Never use more than one exclamation mark or
interrogation point after a single sentence. Put periods and commas
always _inside_ of quotation marks; colons and semicolons _always_
outside of quotation marks. Put exclamation or interrogation marks
inside of the quotation marks if they belong with the quotation, but
outside if they do not belong with the quotation. For example, “Shoot
him!” The exclamation is inside the quotation marks because it belong
with the quoted words. But, “The word he used was ‘ain’t’!” Here the
exclamation belongs with the entire sentence (not with the word _ain’t_
alone), so it is placed outside.
Accent marks are kept over letters in words from foreign languages--as
the acute, grave, and circumflex accents in French words. These should
be indicated in your manuscript. You can write them in with ink, since
the characters are not on most typewriters.
In general, the principles set forth in Little Blue Books of grammar,
punctuation, and spelling (Little Blue Books Nos. 681, 682, 683),
are fairly safe guides for Little Blue Book manuscript style. If the
prospective Little Blue Book writer follows these books rather closely,
he will never go far astray.
It is seen that the matter of style in Haldeman-Julius Publications is
not at all extreme or individual. The standard is fairly universal,
and though it may differ in minor points, the writer cannot make any
great mistake in accustoming himself to these fundamental rules for
spelling, punctuation, and so on.
_One Last Important Word_: Always be sure that your name and address
are clearly typed in the upper left-hand corner of the first page of
your manuscript. Do not forget your name and address. _This is vitally
important._