Q: In my writing I strictly follow the rules in The Chicago Manual of Style. For example, in a sentence joined with an "and," I place a comma after the last word before the "and" when the first part of the sentence is a complete sentence. I have received a rejection with the first page sent back and the editor's deletion marks are in contradiction to the rule in the Chicago Manual. Should I follow the Chicago Manual in my fiction writing or not?--Carolyn Boyles


A: According to Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript (and editors I've spoken to at conferences), most book publishers use The Chicago Manual of Style—or some variation of it—as a formatting guide for their books. So when writing your novel or nonfiction work, it's best to follow those guidelines. But if you haven't been using The Chicago Manual of Style or an editor comes back with changes that contradict it, don't panic.

The key to writing any manuscript is to be consistent—in other words, no matter what style you are using (Chicago, AP-style, your sixth-grade English teacher's rulebook), stick with it. Publishers and editors tend to be forgiving when reading a manuscript that doesn't embrace their style, but are less forgiving when the formatting is all over the place (e.g., using a comma in a parallel sentence structure sometimes and not using it other times; italicizing book titles in the first few chapters but underlining it others.) This lack of consistency looks unprofessional and lazy—two traits that could potentially cost you a deal. To a writer it may seem like nitpicking, but to an editor it shows discipline and an author who values the craft.

Most magazine and newspaper publishers, on the other hand, use The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual as a guide for their publications. Although many, like Writer's Digest, take a few liberties with it to fit their own particular house styles. So don't read too much into style edits.

It's probably wise for all writers to have both the Chicago Manual and the AP Stylebook on their bookshelves—along with maybe a good luck charm.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: When should a prologue be used? Is there a difference between prologues for fiction and nonfiction?
—Sonya Ryan

A: A prologue is used when material that you want to include in the opening is out of time sequence with the rest of the story. For example, let’s say you’re writing a book about a woman getting married. While your story focuses on the year leading up to the big day, there’s a funny anecdote from her childhood about her idea of the perfect wedding that foreshadows the actual event. Because this section is seen from her perspective as a child, it’s out of sequence with the rest of the book—which is shown from an adult’s perspective—and might work better as a prologue.

You can use a prologue in fiction and nonfiction, but it’s used only to explain key information that doesn’t follow the time flow of the rest of your book. So if your “prologue” doesn’t fit this criterion, either cut it or change it to Chapter 1.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q: I've recently decided to turn my book into a screenplay and I've read several articles that say you must have a "logline" if you want to sell your script. What's a logline?—Jennifer Bickel

A: Hollywood executives are so busy that they have very little time to spend on anything, including listening to your pitch.  So when you have the ear of anyone who has the power to get your script produced, it's important to keep your spiel short, simple and specific. How short? You should be able to sum up your 100-page screenplay in one sentence—you read that right: one sentence. 

In the industry, this is called a logline. A logline is a one-sentence summary of your script that consists of three major elements: the character, the character's goal and the antagonistic force. Here are examples of a few strong loglines (can you name the flick?):

After a twister transports a lonely Kansas farm girl to a magical land, she sets out on a dangerous journey to find a wizard with the power to send her home.

I'm sure by now you've guessed that this logline belongs to The Wizard of Oz. It contains all the key elements:

The character: a lonely Kansas farm girl
The character's goal: find a wizard with the power to send her home
The antagonistic force: sets out on a dangerous journey

Here's another example:

A 17th Century tale of adventure on the Caribbean Sea where the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow joins forces with a young blacksmith in a gallant attempt to rescue the Governor of England's daughter and reclaim his ship.

This one belongs to the mega-hit Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. While it's a little harder to dissect, you can still see the all the logline essentials:

The character: Captain Jack Sparrow
The character's goal: rescue the Governor of England's daughter and reclaim his ship
The antagonistic force: adventure on the Caribbean Sea

Creating a logline is also a good way to tell if your script has substance. If you spend hours and are still unable to come up with a clear sentence breaking down your movie, you have a hole that needs to be filled. Because if all the variables are there, the logline should practically write itself.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.

Q. When I’m submitting a manuscript to a publisher, should I paper clip or staple the pages? Are the rules the same when submitting to a contest?—D. Fuson

A. In general, publishers want manuscripts paper-clipped, not stapled. It’s more difficult to read through 300 pages harnessed together by staples than it is to take off a paperclip and browse through a manuscript. But be sure to check the publisher’s guidelines, because some may have different preferences. And it’s most important to follow the rules of the potential buyer. If they want it stapled, then staple it. If they want it in a Manila folder with a picture of Zac Efron taped to the front, steal your daughter’s Seventeen magazine and give them what they want.

Similarly, different contests have different rules, so consult the contest guidelines before submitting your work. But when in doubt, go with the paper clips.

Brian A. Klems is the online managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine.

Have a question for me? Feel free to post it in the comments section below or e-mail me at WritersDig@fwpubs.com with “Q&Q” in the subject line. Come back each Tuesday as I try to give you more insight into the writing life.