What Is a Style Sheet?
Editors, especially copy editors, use what’s called a style sheet when working on new projects, though style sheets are not exclusive to the editorial profession. Style sheets can actually benefit writers as they write. Let’s look at how we can make use of them.
In this post:
What’s the purpose of a style sheet?
Why should writers use one?
What can I use it for?
When shouldn’t I use one?
What does a style sheet look like?
Style sheet template
What’s the purpose of a style sheet?
In the editing field, a style sheet is a document that makes it more manageable to review a manuscript for consistency. It becomes a reference for all the little minutiae that an editor might otherwise have to remember about a piece.
Instead of memorizing each spelling choice, for instance, an editor will note them down on the sheet as they encounter them. Then, correcting any wayward spellings becomes fairly simple (though sometimes a conflict in spellings first requires a query to the author.)
Think about it: if you have multiple different spellings throughout a single document, doing a quick search and replace won’t capture everything. You’ll need to call in reinforcements.
Oftentimes, a publisher will have their own in-house style guide in addition to whatever dictionary or other reference materials they might rely on. That’s because reference materials, though handy, don’t always cover everything, and really, neither do in-house style guides. Sometimes there are bits and pieces unique to the manuscript at hand. That’s when you create a style sheet.
Why should writers use one?
Though common in the editorial field, writers don’t often use a style sheet. In fact, this might be the first time you’re encountering the concept. Why is that? Well, if you’re a writer, you’re more likely to be engaged with the actual writing of the piece, first and foremost. You might be thinking, “Isn’t it the editors job to check all this after I write?” It’s true—sometimes, and to a certain extent—but I can just about guarantee there will be times where you wish you had a style sheet. And really, why not use all the tools at your disposal?
In some professions, writers might be given a particular style guide or set of rules to follow as they write, but the majority of the time, they still have to make some things up on the fly.
What can I use it for?
Let’s look at capitalization as an example. Are your headings in title case or sentence case? How do you spell certain names and abbreviations? Is it “USA” or “U.S.A.”? Or perhaps it’s “the United States of America.” Are the “US” or “the States” also acceptable? If it’s up to you, trying to keep it all straight might make you bananas. To avoid this, note it down. That way you don’t have to bother checking the first iteration every time.
I say this because, as a writer, I know that we are often also called upon to be our own editors. In a perfect world, you’d have someone else come in and tidy all that up, but unfortunately, that’s just not how it is sometimes. Having a style sheet handy basically means you can set it and forget a lot of things even as you write.
If you aren’t the person reviewing your own work later, you might still want to note things down. I know I’ll get into a groove, then pause if I can’t remember how I did something before. Or maybe I’m worried that someone reviewing my work later will think I’ve made a mistake somewhere when it was actually a deliberate choice. If I hand them a style sheet with my choice recorded on it, they’ll know they don’t need to correct it (unless there’s a legitimate reason for doing so.)
Lastly, if you decide to hire an editor later on, handing them a style sheet will save them time since they won’t have to check back in the manuscript or query you on any differences already noted down. Saving time here means you’ll have your manuscript back sooner, and, if they charge by the hour, you’ll save on the overall project cost.
When shouldn’t I use one?
Not every situation calls for a style sheet. If you’re writing a piece that’s only one page long, you likely won’t need one. You’ll really only start to see a benefit when you’re working on something longer than a couple pages. (That said, sometimes it takes a little while to build up the habit of using a style sheet, so practicing on short pieces may be beneficial.)
Otherwise, if you’ve been given a thorough style guide and enough reference material, you may be covered and not need to make any additional choices. In that case, you can probably forego the sheet.
What does a style sheet look like?
A style sheet can look like anything you want it to really. You might work best on a program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, or you might prefer pen and paper. I personally prefer Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for easy sort and search functionalities. There’s also nothing stopping me from printing it out if I prefer a physical copy.
Some programs like PerfectIt, a plugin to help you review Microsoft Word documents, can even create a sheet for you as you make style decisions. Ah technology…
But in case you’re having trouble picturing it, here’s a simple example:
At their most basic, style sheets might look something like an index; they usually contain a list of words sorted in alphabetical order. Since spelling choices vary so much, you can end up with a pretty long sheet after a time, so sorting keeps everything neat and tidy.
Otherwise, it’s up to you. Style sheets can be as simple as the alpha list (what you see above), or they can include more details on other style choices. Sometimes editors (including myself) will add spaces for the project name, what dictionaries and other reference materials were used, contact information and dates. These can be really helpful when the sheet is shared with a colleague or the author.
It may also be helpful to keep track of things like place names or characters in a specific section. These pieces of information tend to come up a lot in a manuscript, so it’s handy to have a quick reference point for them.
Style sheet template
I’m a big believer in creating templates. I have a template for almost every resource that I use. I heartily recommend it! If you want—I mean, I really have no agenda here.
If you do choose to create a style sheet and you like the way you’ve put it together, just wipe all the specific information and save the blank copy for next time. Templates are a great way to reduce the start-up cost for new projects.
Or, you can grab one online—I know I’m happy to share my own. Just click the Google Sheets link down below to make a copy for yourself. Feel free to tweak as you see fit. I promise I won’t be offended (I won’t even know unless you tell me about it). Hopefully it saves you a lot of time and effort!
Mary Kehoe provides structural, stylistic and copy editing services for a variety of written works through her agency, Elixir Editorial. From time to time she dabbles in her own writing projects which tend toward the speculative genre.
She is a member of both Editors Canada and the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), as well as a founding member and former chair of the Toronto Arts & Letters Club writing group. A longtime lover of the English language, Mary is passionate about supporting writers on the journey to inspire the world.
