What is the proper format for a novel title as referenced in a letter? More specifically, an e-mail letter? I usually use italics but you cannot count on formatting through e-mail. Maybe there's even something more correct that I should use for snail mail?
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I know that for snail mail, italics or underline do it.
It's conventional in cyberspace to do this with _'s, as in _A Tale of Two Cities_. I don't know if editors are familiar with this.
Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :
It is also common to use all caps for a title in a plain text e-mail for titles in email submissions. As in:
Dear Sir,
I am submitting for your consideration BIG TIME NOVEL.
And it is true many editor's don't use the _ marker. Some even use quoatation marks. Email is so informal and format unfriendly that just about anything reasonable and professinal in appearance is acceptable. Most editor's are not as picky about email communications and they can be rather informal. Not to say you should.
[This message has been edited by JBSkaggs (edited April 20, 2005).]
Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :
I would prefer using double quotes. Those will always show up properly -- I hope.
For instance, "The Greatest Tale Ever Told"
Posted by Doc Brown (Member # 1118) on :
In formal communications, I believe double quotes are used for smaller works like short stories, TV episodes, and magazine articles. I believe that more substantial works, like novels, plays, and motion pictures, get italics or underscore.
Different publishers may have variations on these standards. If you are using plain text these formats are not available and you must make do with _this type of underscore_ or other variations.
Posted by Doc Brown (Member # 1118) on :
Also, I believe all titles use the same rules of capitalization. Always capitalize the first and last word of a title. Intervening words are usually capitalized, uless they are particularly short or insignificant words like articles or some prepositions.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
Thanks, everyone. I went ahead and did the underscore since that was the first thing that came to my mind. Hopefully, it is at least one acceptable method. Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
I know you've already got the solution, which is a fine one, but from way back in the days of typewriters, the answer would have been Double Quotes. Double quotes were used to indicate italics, just like underlining indicates italics in manuscript format.
Which I guess means the answer is use italics on the printed page and double quotes if you can't rely on formating going through in an email. At least, that's my answer.
