Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 15:25:41 -0400
From: Ted White <tedwhite at compusnet.com>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: style
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

"Strong, Lee" wrote:

> Erica,
>         Yes, I would like to borrow _Alternate Realities_ at the next WSFA
> meeting.  I looked for it in two library systems and they don't have it.
>         I did find a copy of Heinlein's _The Number of the Beast_ and
> started rereading it for his thoughts.  My previous read influenced my
> thoughts on this subject.
>         And as a professional proofreader, is it correct to indicate the
> title of a book by quotation marks or underscores or what?  I have been
> using quotation marks for short stories and before-and-after underscores to
> simulate italics for full length books, etc.  However, most people use
> quotation marks for both, and I request your advice.

This is purely a matter of Style, and as such is individually determined by each
publisher/publication.  The standard is as you indicated:  quotes for short
story titles (and song titles) and italics for the titles of publications,
books, movies and record albums.   Quite often the publication refers to
*itself* (and sister publications) in large & small caps.   This was the style I
used at AMAZING & FANTASTIC.

That said, there are compromises required for plain text posts.  Italics,
obviously, are out.   But the preceding (and following) underscore is ugly and
not quickly tracked/translated by the eye (probably because it is below the line
of type -- for this reason some people use the = instead, but it has never
caught on).  I prefer to substitute ALL CAPS for such titles.  The eye
immediately recognizes this for what it is.

--Ted White