Thirty Tables of Contents: A Flickr set from the Design Observer Group Some quick-&-dirty ToC tips: Title it "Contents," not "Table of Contents." ToC should always begin on a recto page (usually page v of the front matter). If every chapter begins with an introduction, you can safely leave the "Introduction" subheadings out of the…
Inside the Mind of a Copyeditor
When reading for pleasure I don’t read as slowly as when I copyedit, but I am not a fast reader. Often I will read a sentence more than once, then flip back and forth comparing it with other sentences, just like I do when copyediting. I think I’ve always read like a copyeditor, even way…
Mechanics of Latin Abbreviations & Initialisms
Not everyone follows the styles shown below for frequently used Latin words, abbreviations, and initialisms, but these are my usual choices. Chicago 16 instructs us to set common Latin in roman type, with sic being a notable exception. I will, however, sometimes depart from those rules for whole Latin words, depending on author, intended reader,…
DIY Book Care and Repair
BOOKCRAFT: Simple Techniques for the Maintenance and Repair of Books (pdf) is meant for schools and libraries, but provides quick reference to the parts of a bound book along with illustrated guides to their maintenance and repair. The Alaska State Library also has a helpful series of PDFs, collectively called Conservation Book Repair: A Training…
Butterick's Practical Typography
Lawyer/typographer Matthew Butterick created this tight and tidy shareware/donationware online book, which covers most of the basics of typeset punctuation, text formatting, and fundamental page layout principles. If you find yourself having to make a published document but do not have typeset or layout experience, this book will quickly get you familiar with the fundamentals.…
Fox Editing 