tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251174860490089038.post404766753060747644..comments2024-01-20T00:23:09.683-06:00Comments on The New Podler Review of Books: "The Final Page" Tip of the Week: Use the "find" functionDEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07266406676643270732noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251174860490089038.post-3940228136528420972010-05-16T09:59:31.374-05:002010-05-16T09:59:31.374-05:00Neil,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you....Neil,<br /><br />Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. When I edit non-academic work, I use Chicago style, which has specific rules for when to use an en-dash in a manuscript. It's not for creating a break in sentences, though--that's a job for an em-dash without spaces.<br /><br />That said, I do see many printed books in which the typesetter used an en-dash with spaces. Typesetting is more aesthetic than editing, however, and if you are making conscious choices about your font face or have an irregularly sized page on which an un-spaced em-dash will make awkward line breaks, I don't think anyone will pass over your book because it uses en-dashes.<br /><br />The rule of thumb in indie publishing, if ever I've seen one, is just to have something to say, say it well, and make it look nice.<br /><br />Good luck!Sarah Cypherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14675454668536913182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251174860490089038.post-56167583302943731532010-05-03T21:59:48.868-05:002010-05-03T21:59:48.868-05:00Very helpful post.Very helpful post.DEDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07266406676643270732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251174860490089038.post-50380969809901545292010-05-03T12:46:53.479-05:002010-05-03T12:46:53.479-05:00Hi Sarah, Thank you for your very useful check lis...Hi Sarah, Thank you for your very useful check list, particularly on the capitalisation of Internet, and hyphenation of e-mail.<br /><br />One item continues to puzzle me, and that is whether em dashes should have spaces fore and after and I wonder if you have any comments on this extract from Wikipedia:<br /><br />'The en dash (always with spaces, in running text) and the spaced em dash both have a certain technical advantage over the unspaced em dash. In most typesetting and most word processing, the spacing between words is expected to be variable, so there can be full justification. Alone among punctuation that marks pauses or logical relations in text, the unspaced em dash disables this for the words between which it falls. This can lead to uneven spacing in the text.'<br /><br />This is music to my ears as personally I prefer spaces, but I'd be interested to hear your views. <br /><br />I intend to self-publish shortly - thanks again for your very helpful articles. As you say, as self-publishers (should that be hyphenated?) we have an extra duty to the 'movement' to get these things right! <br /><br />NeilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com