This is a must for writers, editors, and proofreaders. I fall into all three categories, thus it serves me well.

This is actually two books in one. The first part is "New Hart's Rules". This is a great reference tool for such as understanding when and when not to use bold, italics, capitalization, etc., plus many other intricate details that separate the serious writers and gifted editors from those who are determined to get published/get the job done as quick as possible.

Although this is a reference book, I "skim-read" this first part, gaining insights where needed.

The second book in this volume is called the "New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors". This is not a standard dictionary, but rather one that focuses on ambiguous or grammar, the differences between British and American English, and other spellings/rules that are not so obvious.

All aspiring writers should bear in mind that a good story should be backed up by good English style. Use this handbook and reduce the amount of time editors and proofreaders need to spend checking your work, allowing them to polish the manuscript to the highest standard possible, thus increasing the opportunity of literary agents and publishers noticing you.

Editors and proofreaders new to the business should not be without this guide. ( )

New Oxford Style Manual

Oxford University Press

Billed as an essential handbook (regarded as the editor’s bible) for anyone involved in any way with text, or indeed anyone who is looking for an authoritative reference point on matters of spelling, style and presentation, this second edition combines updated versions of New Hart’s Rules and New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors first published in 2005. It reflects the work done for the third edition of the OED which draws from the vast Oxford English Corpus database of words.

New Hart’s Rules is designed for anyone working with text, not just those using it for academic publications. Its advice is relevant to anyone working with English, be they author, copyeditor, typesetter, working with books or any other printed medium, or involved with web content or online publishing. Although still based around the ‘house style’ of OUP, it
also gives details of contemporary practices in all areas of writing and publishing and usefully discusses the style differences between British and American publishing. The 20 chapters include matters such as how to punctuate and hyphenate, capitalization guidelines, how to prepare copy, use quotations and cite material, as well as how to prepare a Bibliography and Index, amongst much else.

The New Hart’s Rules came as a revelation when contrasted with my
much loved, well-thumbed but very elderly copy of Hart’s Rules. The design, layout and typeface of the book are excellent; the design is spacious and generous, every paragraph is numbered, which, with the judicious use of headings and bold, makes it a very user-friendly reference book – easy to dip in and out of, easy to skim through to find what one needs. There is a most useful Glossary, a number of Appendices including the invaluable list of proofreading marks, and an extensive Index. I liked the fact that it is much more informative and less didactic than the original Hart’s Rules, and also that the discussion regarding style differences between British and American writing is
carried on throughout. As one would expect, it has been fully brought up to date, including discussion of matters pertaining to internet and online publishing – the Bibliography section is particularly useful in this regard.

The second half of the book, New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors, is a wonderful resource: a guide to all those words you need frequently to refer to on account of their spelling, capitalization, hyphenation etc. Plain English words – the ones you can never quite remember how to spell – foreign words, proper names, proprietary names…a veritable cornucopia of useful words (25,000 of them). All in all the New Oxford Style Manual is an invaluable and interesting reference tool for anyone working with the written word: I am sure that my copy will soon become as dog-eared, coffee-stained and well-thumbed as its hitherto invaluable predecessor.

Sally Ferard, September 2012