Monochromatic Style
Monochromatic Outlook spans over fifteen years of writing and as such, style decisions that seemed appropriate at one point seemed wrong later. It is a known certainty that there are variances from any style system in examples throughout this site. Nevertheless we strive toward consistency, and to that end the Monochromatic Outlook style guide is being created here.
Sections
Monochromatic Outlook uses the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual as the foundation for its style and usage, but varies from AP style in many regards. If not mentioned on this page, content on Monochromatic Outlook should adhere to AP Style.
User comments are exempt from any style requirements and in most cases will not even be edited for spelling.
First class of exceptions: Monochromatic Outlook considers Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style to be the highest canon. Anywhere AP style varies from Strunk and White, Strunk and White takes precedence. For example, Monochromatic Outlook prefers Charles’s friends to AP’s Charles’ friends except when referring to royalty or ancient figures. Similarly, use of the serial or «Oxford» comma is preferred.
Also evaluating The Economist Style Guide.
Typography: Within the bounds available with Internet typography, Monochromatic Outlook adheres to rules set forth in Robert Bringhurst’s The Elements of Typographic Style.
Spelling: Though automatic spellchecking and occasional lookups are done with the Oxford American Dictionary (used in Apple OS X spellcheck and dictionary apps) preferred spelling of words is found in The Chambers Dictionary, preferring listed American variations over main listings where they occur. Many of these, eg gray rather than grey, will be found in AP style. In the unlikely case of a conflict between AP style and Chambers, Chambers will be preferred except in the case of American spellings.
- Manifestos, not manifestoes (as per The Economist Style Guide.)
- Traveler, not traveller. The latter seems correct intuitively, which might be why they do it that way in other English-speaking countries.
Quote marks: use guillemets in the French style, eg «guillemets.» When technologically feasible, a quarter-em non-breaking space should go between the guillemet and the word it is next to. Possibly use HTML <q> tags or an output filter with CSS to make it automatic.
Abbreviations: do not use periods to terminate abbreviations. Dr Jones, Mrs Smith, eg, ie, etc. Considering Economist (British) style recommendation to use a period for actual abbreviations but not contractions, eg Mrs Johnson of Johnson & Co. spoke at the meeting. Unsure about this as it retains the possibility of confusion at end of sentence.
Serial commas: Use ’em. Dick, Jane, and Sally. The strippers, JFK, and Stalin, not the strippers, JFK and Stalin.
The Royal «We»: Use sparingly to indicate matters of policy rather than personal opinion. In a single-person blog this could get awkward, so take care. Refer to the blog in the third person if it helps eg «I believe that Gary Johnson is the best person for the job. Therefore though normally we do not make political endorsements, Monochromatic Outlook endorses candidate Gary Johnson for the Presidency of the United States.»
Words/usage
Shop is preferred for a place to buy things. A store is a place where things are kept in storage. The latter is an acceptable substitute for the former especially in avoiding repetition, but use shop first in series or pay attention to shifts in context eg «The shop was recommended highly. Upon entering we found the store was enormous.» In this example, shop is used first in sequence but also the context is subtly different. The place of business in question starts out being a place that was recommended for buying items, but store refers to the collection of items waiting to be purchased.
Pronouns/gender
Multiple aspects must be balanced here, not limited to: not offending the sense of grammar, not arbitrarily giving preference to gender, respecting the wishes of an individual, and being clear to the reader. These may not have solutions with perfect balance.
They ought be used only for plurality, not for generality. Therefore prefer alternating she or he and he or she when referring an unknown or hypothetical individual. In cases where it needs to be clear that the same hypothetical is used eg where there is a narrative and the same hypothetical person is referred to multiple times, use only she and he, but switch gender when changing context.
Say a customer of yours wants a widget for her company. You would do well to have a conversation with her about the kinds of widgets she needs. Then when you put in an order with your supplier, you can be clear with him what specifications are needed. When dealing with a customer, make sure to listen to her or him.
Where names and/or gender identity has changed use the name and pronoun which is preferred by the individual in question. In the past tense use née to indicate the former identity, but continue to use the current pronoun. «Vanity Fair’s cover photo featuring Caitlyn Jenner has created quite a stir. To some she is a hero, to others she is an enigma. Younger people only know her as a character in a reality TV show, but anyone born around or before 1970 can’t help but remember Caitlyn (née Bruce) Jenner setting world records and bringing home the Gold Medal for decathlon in 1976.»