sow style guide

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SoapOpera

Weekly

StyleGuide

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THEPRESSINGTREND in modern society is the need to save time. And time saving,

particularly when communicating, is a necessity when people have more to do, more to

read, and less time to do it. This consideration (for our readers) is very widely neglected.

Some of the items in this guide will help you sort out ideas for stories, but some are

aimed squarely at copy editing. Some of them are concerned with writing, but ultimately

will help you be a better editor. And many will alleviate the problem of wordy,superfluous text.

The purpose of the Style Guide isnt to serve as a textbook on grammar. Use AP

Stylebookfor that (see below). We should strive for simplicity and clarity in our writing

and editing. The Style Guide can help achieve this.

This guide aims to clarify WEEKLYs editorial voice and the style used in our writing

and editing. In addition to grammar notes and writing tips, you will find entries for

commonly used industry terms, acronyms, and proper names. The entries are listed

alphabetically. The article a is discussed at the beginning, commas are broached under

C, and so on. The longer general tips entries are for you to read at your convenience.

All attempts have been made here to be as accurate as possible. Editors and reporters

should also rely on their own sources for up-to-the-minute accuracy, especially with

regard to company executives and actors names, addresses, etc. Corrections and

suggestions are welcomebutplease do not enter anything into the Style file itself.

If you think theres an error or omission, consult the copy desk. The copy chief will

be happy to review and make any needed additions/corrections.

SOAP OPERA WEEKLY usesAP Style and the brand-new Websters 11th. Unless there are

exceptions listed in this Guide, stick to AP Style. If the word or information is not there,

checkWebsters 11th.

There are very few exceptions to AP style. Among the WEEKLY exceptions: Weitalicize show, movie, play and book titles, works of art, WEEKLY departments, and CD

and song titles, rather than putting them in quotes. Band names, and newspaper and

magazine titles are in Roman type, no quotes.

When proofreading, keep the most recent issue handy. Compare the new page with

the one that ran in the previous issue. Make sure the new page has all the necessary

elements, such as heds, decks, dates, directional arrows, and so on. Question

discrepancies.

The grammar entries here are taken from AP Style and augmented for WEEKLY if

necessary. You can always check AP for more information.

Problem words are those that are frequently used and frequently misspelled. The ones

that are more commonly used (and misused) than others have individual entries,alphabetically; the others are listed under Problem Names/Words. All (except for the

names, of course) can be found in Web. 11 or AP, so if its in here, you dont have to look

there.

Above all, DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING. If theres a fact or name or whatever

that you believe is wrong, look it up again.

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--Michael Karol, Copy Chief

January 20, 2004

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AA vs. An

John Chancellor, writing several years ago in The New York Times, noted the following:

The rule is clear. Using a or an before a word depends not on how the word is

spelled, but on how it is pronounced.

Use a before words beginning with the sound of a consonant. Examples: a Clinton

victory, a disaster for Dole; a one-way ticket to nowhere (pronounced won-way); a united

electorate (pronounced you-nited); a tooth for a tooth.

Use an for words beginning with the sound of a vowel. Examples: an hour of

triumph (silent h); an heir to the Kennedys; an awesome dictionary; an eye for an eye; an

elephants trunk. Mr. Chancellor was particularly disturbed with those who misused an

in front of the words historic, heroic, and Hispanic.

Accents

If a word has an accent in its entry in Websters Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition, we

use the accent in all text references.

Accept vs. Except

Accept means to receive; except means to exclude.

Acronyms

For first reference on acronyms and abbreviations, spell out the whole phrase/name, then

put the acronym in capital letters in parens: She also gives to the Worldwide Peace

Organization (WPO).

For the plural of any acronym, including acronyms ending in S, add a lowercase s

Many new soap BBSes have cropped up lately.Please note: Never begin a callout (or the first sentence of a story that carries a drop

cap) with an acronym. Rewrite the sentence to avoid this in all cases.

Active Voice

Active is always better than passive. Instead of: The system must be set up carefully,

write: You must set up the system carefully.

Actors Names

Refer to actors by last name on second reference; exceptions might be made for a

columnists personal style, or if two or more people have the same last name.

adapter not adaptor

Addresses (in text)

Follow AP style.

When using a complete address, abbreviate directions and the words Street,

Boulevard, and Avenue: 41 W. 25th St., 620 E. Fargate Blvd.

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Spell out directions and the words Street, Boulevard and Avenue if the full

address isnt used: The office is on West 25th Street; I used to live on East Park

Boulevard.

Other words for street, such as Drive, Terrace, Circle, etc., are always spelled out:

Michael lived at 261 Adelaide Terrace.

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns: The little boy slept. Adverbs modify verbs,

adjectives or other adverbs: The girl talked quickly.

Adopted vs. Adoptive

Parents are adoptive; children are adopted. The following is correct: Her adoptive mother,

Jane.... His adopted son, Joe.... To remember which goes with which, think about whos

doing the adopting and who is adopted.

Affect and EffectTo affect means to influence; to effect is to create. As a noun, the effect is always

correct; the affect means emotional state or result, is awkward, and should be avoided.

Adverbs

Words ending in ly should neverbe followed by a hyphen.

adviser not advisor

African American not black or Black

Alternate vs. Alternative

Alternate means occurring every other time, as in, She works on alternate days.

Alternative means offering or expressing a choice.

Amid vs. Amidst

Both mean "in the middle of" or "surrounded by." Amidst is the second choice in

Websters 11 and is not generally used in modern conversation.

Among and Between

The former is used when speaking of several people; the latter is used when speaking of

two people.

and/or

This usage is acceptable only in quoted material, i.e., if someone actually says and/or

and you must keep it in the quote. Usually, its unnecessary.

Another

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Adjective: Something different from a first thing.

Pronoun: An additional one of the same kind.

You cannot have another unless you have a first. For example, The company

ordered 10 boards last week and another 15 today is wrong. Correct: The company

ordered 10 boards last week and another 10 today, or The company ordered 10 boards

last week and 15 more today.

antitrust

Any more vs. Anymore

Any more is two words as a phrase of quantity comparison, as in, I dont want you to eat

any more candy, or I couldnt hurt her any more than I could kick a dead horse.

Anymore is one word as an adverb of time/repetition, as in, I dont want you to eat

candy anymore.

ApostrophesFollow AP Style.

Singular nouns not ending in s: Add s. Singular common nouns ending in s: Add

s unless the next word begins with s (e.g., the hostesss invitation, but the hostess seat).

Singular proper names ending in s: Use only the apostrophe, as in, Dickens novels.

Plural nouns not ending in s: Add s. Plural nouns ending in s: Add only the apostrophe.

Last names ending in s get an es to form the plural: keeping up with the Joneses,

but simply an apostrophe for the plural possessive: the Jones dog.

Single letters, acronyms, and digits do not take any apostrophe in the plural form:

The 1s and Ts in this code are important. Or: Strong BBSes cultivate a loyal

following.

TheAP Stylebookhas much more on the use of the apostrophe (see also thePossessives entry).

When abbreviating decades, be sure the apostrophe goes the correct way.

Examples: The 70s, The 90s, etc. This is incorrect: The 90s, The 50s. How do you get

the correct apostrophe? Hold down the shift and option keys, and hit the right(close)

bracket key.

Assumptions

Dont make them; dont print them.

AttributionAlmost always present tense. Check with the writer of a story if you have any doubts.

All claims, allegations, estimates, projections, and opinions must be attributed to

someone, or a company, or an association. Dont refrain from attributing something for

fear the text might be redundant, or because you think the reader will assume the

information is coming from the source mentioned in the previous paragraph(s).

If more than one source is cited in a story, make sure it is clear to the reader which

company or source is providing the information.

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Please note: William Zinsser in On Writing Well wrote, The readers eye skips over

he said anyway, so its not worth a lot of fuss. If you crave variety, choose synonyms

that catch the shifting nature of the conversation, such as he pointed out, he explained,

he replied, and he added; these all carry a particular meaning. But dont use he

added, for example, if your source is just talking and not putting a postscript on what

he/she just said.See also the entry Says vs. Said.

Auxiliary Verbs

These are helping verbs that modify the main verb, as in Gail can win, Gail did

win, Gail could have won. A question often begins with an auxiliary verb: DidGail

win? CouldGail lose? The various forms of the verbs can,have,is and does

frequently act as auxiliaries.

Avoid using couldve (unless quoted) and could of (at all) for could have.

AwardsStyle as follows: Emmy Awards (capitalize the A, since its part of the proper name);

Academy Awards (capitalize the A, same reason); but Tony award (lower-case the A,

since the official name is the Antoinette Perry Awards).

First reference: Soap Opera Digest Awards; subsequent references: Digest awards

Awhile

Means for a while. According to AP, awhile is one word except when preceded

by for. Examples: Its been awhile since the actress started this job. Hell be filling the

role for a while.An older contraction dating from the 12th century, it is always better to

use a while.

Bbacklit

back order (noun)

back-order, back-ordered (verb)

backup (noun, adj.)

back up verb

backward not backwards

bar code (noun)

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bar-code (adj.)

-based

Use sparingly; phrases like the Boston-based computer seller are fine without

-based.

Because vs. Since

Use because to note a cause-effect relationship: He went because he was told. Use since

to note a time element: He has been sick since Tuesday.

Believe, Feel and Think

Someone believes something in his/her heart,feels it with his/her hands, and thinks it with

his/her brain. Thinkis often unnecessary because by virtue of the fact that an interviewee

is directly quoted, we can assume the quoted material is what he/she thinks. If you must

use feel in a context other than touch, precede it with says, as in, She says she feelssick.

Beside vs. Besides

Beside means at the side of. Besides means in addition to.

blond/blonde and brunet/brunette

An exception to AP: Use blond and brunet to refer to men with the respective hair colors;

use blonde and brunette for the female adjectives.boast(s)

This word, which means to brag or be excessively prideful, can have a demeaning

connotation, so watch the context, and use sparingly as a quote attribution.

Brackets, use of in text

Brackets, like parentheses, are jarring to the reader. Use them only if absolutely necessary

for clarity, for example, in a quote when an actor says something like, Its the worst

and we have to clarify [Working late] is the worst, or someone is naming names of

people and we need to add a first/last name or a title for clarity.

Brackets may also be used to explain missing words or context in a quote or

regular text; re the latter: [Editor's note: blah blah blah] or [In order to film the

underwater sequence, blah blah blah...].But its better to recast the sentence and not use them, if at all possible. See also

the entry Quotation Marks.

bulls-eye

buses plural for bus per Web. 11.

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Bylines/End Slug

Stories inHit or Miss andApplause (and some news items) are followed by the writers

initials in all caps, boldface, with no punctuation, preceded by an m-dash (), at the end

of the story. See also the entry M-dashes. Most other bylines are the authors full name,

and appear at the top of the story (all opinion pieces get bylines). Art will style those.If a byline doesnt fit on the last line of text, it goes on a separate line, flush right.

Never put initials ( MK) on a line by themselves. The star only goes after the last story

in a section (i.e., news, Pub Op, etc.).

All sections or features end with a letter space and star. Set the star by typing a

Capital H, and then setting it in Zapf Dingbats at 8 pt.

Ccallback (per Web.11)

Callouts

Pull quotes, blurbs or callouts: Use single quotation marks, but ONLY if it is actual

quoted material. Written text from columns such as Pub Op doesnt get quotation marks

if its the authors words.

Capital vs. Capitol

Capital is most often used to indicate a city serving as a seat of government or a city

preeminent in some way, as in Milan is the fashion capital of Europe. It can also mean

a capital letter, or refer to goods other than income accumulated by someone.

Capitol is the building in which local, state or national government officials meet

to conduct business. Capitalize Capitol when referring to the one in Washington,D.C. NOTE: The city where a seat of government is located is the capital. The building

where a governments offices are located is the capitol. Capitol building is redundant.

Capital Letters, Use of in WEEKLY Text

We have stoppedusingall caps for the first lines of stories and in captions.

In subheads, capitalize all words except articles (eg: a, an, the, and so on).

Exception: Actors names are in all caps, boldface for the Personal Appearances section.

Captions

Captions should clearly ID everyone shown.In a group shot, ID everyone by both names, no matter where else they appear.

Use (left), (far left), (from left) and so on, to clarify. Ideally, there should be room for

actors full names, characters first names and show abbreviations. Specify on the dope

sheet [the photo list for each edit file] how much room youll need in the caption for this

information.

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Note: Captions dont have to parrot the information in the text. They can contain

supplemental information. This is especially helpful with articles that have had to be cut

to fit.

Pictured above is Mary Smith is not a good caption. Theres no supplemental

information. Try to be informative and entertaining, without giving too much of the

article away; a clever pun based on characters names or situations on a show is alwaysgood.

catalog not catalogue

caveat

The word means a warning (as in caveat emptor: let the buyer beware) and not a

drawback or a flaw in a product.

CD-ROM

Cents

Spell out in text if 99 cents or under. Do not use $0.25.

Character Names

Always refer to former show characters by first names (e.g.: ex-Fred); the exception is if

the role has been recast and the character is still on the show (e.g.: ex-Beth). If the show

is defunct, always use ex for all characters.

In features, get to the name of the actor, character and show as soon as possible,

preferably in the lead.

To check spelling of actor and character names, refer to:Shows or networks Web sites

Reference books such as Gary Warners ABC books: One Life to Live: 30

Years of Memories, and so on, or encyclopedias like Total Television

IMDB.com

WEEKLYs cast and ex-cast files.

If you find a discrepancy between any of the above and our cast files, check other

sources and update the cast file if necessary. Put a note in the file that the info is correct,

and cite your source and the date.

Clichd and Overused Words/PhrasesAs editors, be aware of a writers attempts to be breezy, humorous, witty, etc. But watch

out for overuse of colloquialisms or hot-button words. Try to avoid using any word more

than once on a page or spread, but especially the following:

elegant

vintage

flea-market find

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modeled after

inspired by

perfect (adj. or verb)

perch/perched

Avoid using the following in copy if at all possible.apples and oranges (esp. as in apples and oranges situation)

author (as a verb)

chicken and egg (in any context other than food)

confection (as in a bubbly confection)

cutting-edge

decadent

epicenter

eponymous

fun (as an adj.)

glorious

heavenly

host (as a verb)

impact (as a verb)

masterpiece (except when referring to a true masterpiece like the Mona Lisa)

negative cash flow

negative growth

no-no

notables

Old World (as an adj.)

optimize

peerlesspen (as a verb, substituting for write)

robust

savvy

script (as a verb; substituting for write)

state-of-the-art

stunning

tap (when meaning appointor choose)

The mother of all

timeless

Tis the season to

trendyunderstated yet elegant

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Colons

Use colons when the clause or sentence following the colon is reasonably short and

amplifies the preceding statement. The two statements musthang together. Dont overuse

colons: Two complete sentences would have been fine in this instance.

Capitalize after a colon only when the colon introduces a complete sentence:

This is the best show weve reviewed: It has love, death and even taxes in it. Forincomplete sentences following semicolons, use lowercase: This is the best show weve

reviewed. It has everything: love, death and even taxes.

Commas

Commas should only be used to make the meaning clearer, to show the relation of parts

of speech and to prevent the misreading ofsentences.

The following commas are unnecessary:

The documentation, which, in places, doesnt properly explain the setup of this

peripheral, is, for the most part, thin and poor.

Instead, rewrite: The documentation, which for the most part is thin and poor,

doesnt properly explain the setup of this peripheral.

WEEKLY does NOT use the serial comma: The show offers sex, violence and a

little love. Exception: When connecting a series of phrases that use and as the

connector, place commas in between to facilitate understanding: On Halloween, actors

portrayed Lucy and Desi, Eminem and 50 Cent, Batman and Robin, and Laurel and

Hardy.

When a sentence begins with And, But, or So, dont follow with a

comma.Example: And the system that looked least promising actually scored highest.

Compared To vs. Compared With

Compared to involves comparison between dissimilar objects; compared withimplies comparison or contrast involving similar things.

Compound Words

If you dont know whether a word should be one word, two words or hyphenated, start by

looking up the word in the AP. If its not listed, look up the prefix or suffix involved, if

appropriate (eg: half-, sub-, -wise, -out). Check the entry Problem Words for

exceptions. If there are no appropriate listings, look it up in Websters. If it isnt listed

there, use two words and hyphenate if an adjective. (Note: AP will often direct you to

follow Websters.)

Comprise vs. Compose

Comprise means include: The software package comprises three utilities and some

unique clip art.Not: The software package is comprised of three utilities and some

unique clip art. Use composed of in that case. Compose means to create or put

together.

Consonants and Past Tense

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In some words, the final consonant is doubled before ed is added.

If the accent is on the first syllable, as in cancel, do notdouble the consonant before

adding ed: canceled, totaled.

If the second syllable is accented, double the consonant before adding ed: referred,

allotted (use first spelling per Websters).

Continuous(ly) vs. Continual(ly)

Continual(ly) allows for possible interruption. Continuous(ly) means without pause.

Examples: I have continually asked you to soundproof the room so that we dont hear the

continuous noise of the waterfall.

Convince vs. Persuade

These words should not be used interchangeably. You convince someone of a thought or

belief; you persuade someone to do something. See the AP Style or Web. 11 definitions.

Copy editing, General TipsThe prime directive for copy editing is to make sure the writing is accurate, clear,

concise, and simple, but not simplistic. Read for sense and trim excess words; check for

correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.Editdo not rewrite, except when its

absolutely needed for clarity and correctness. In the latter case, discuss with the Copy

Chief or story editor rewrites of any lead paragraph.

It is of the utmost importance that NO changes are made that affect the meaning

or accuracy of an article. Look things up.

Avoid overly long paragraphs and sentences. Where possible, and while maintaining the

sense of the writers meaning, break paragraphs that contain more than a half-dozen or so

sentences. Sentences should be concise and formed correctly with a subject, verb and

object. Shorten run-on sentences. Break up compound sentences. Theres always a wayaround an awkward phrase.

Check for contradictions, and if you find any, check with an editor if you cant resolve

the conflict.

Check figures that that are totaled in any sums in an article: Do the math, and make sure

all comparisons are accurate.

Dont accept vague modifiers such as nice, fine, very, rather, somewhat, or

good. Instead, for example, make sure the article says specifically how well someone

or something performed.

Use the simplest language possible. For example, instead of makes use of, write

uses. Sentences beginning with there, such as There is a new version available, can

be edited into: A new version is available. (See the Fog Index entry for further

amplification.)

Avoid repetition of words or phrases, and watch for jargon that is overused and obscure

language or neologisms that appear to be made up. (See the entry Clichd

Words/Phrases.)

Avoid the gender bias that appears in phrases such as The reader should carefully

consider his budget. But also avoid The reader should carefully consider his or her

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budget, which is awkward. Instead, use the plural, Readers should carefully consider

their budgets, or better, if possible, use second person: You should carefully consider

your budget.

Sentences should not start with numerals or lowercase letters, both of which are

sometimes found in company and product names. Recast the sentence: Instead of 1997

will see many new introductions, write, There will be many new introductions in1997. Instead of just thinkis a great new magazine, make it One great new magazine

isjust think.

Use of commas, dashes, and parentheses: See the Dash it All entry.

Credible vs. Creditable

Credible means believable. Creditable means worthy.

Currently vs. Presently

Currently means now; presently means soon or shortly.

Cyber, Use of

In general, cyber should not be taken as a prefix. See examples below. We will add to

the list on a case-by-case basis. For other words/phrases, or in any questionable case(s),

check with Copy.

cyber age two words

cyber caf two words

cyber power two words

cybernaut one word

cyberpunk one word

cyberspace one word

D

Dash it AllThe dash is running away with itself, wrote William Safire several years ago in The

New York Times Sunday magazine. Too many writers, who ought to know better, are

using dashes (which God knows! we could not do without) too often.

Use commas, my friends, to slip in a phrase like my friends without making it a big

deal.

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Useparentheses when you have some information to add and want to downplay the

insertion instead of letting it overpower the rest of the sentence.

Use dashes hey, are you listening? when you want to grab the reader by the

throat with the interjection of a sudden aside or sentence-dominating phrase.

Put simply, commas are large, parentheses giant, and dashes supercolossal.

Dashes may also be used, Safire wrote, for an afterthought, or leftover phrase(fragment) that can be flippantly chucked in at the end of a sentence.

database one word

Datelines

Refer to theAP Stylebook, which lists U.S. and foreign cities that can stand alone,

without a state or country, in text.Dates

Use dates in text per the following examples.

Aug. 19, 1996

April 1988

Monday, July 4 (not July 4th)

September 23 (spell name of month)

September 11 or 9/11

the forties, the sixties, the seventies (spell out, no caps)

the eighteenth century, the twenty-first century (spell out, no caps)

the 1860s, the 1720s (1800s refers to the decade 1800-1810, not the century)

Exception: Use the sixties for the 1960s when it is clear it is the twentieth century. When

unclear or more than one century is being discussed, use 1960s.

This fad dates back to the twenties.But: This fad, thought to have started in the 1890s, is actually from the 1920s.

a 49 Latour

the Depression, Great Depression (cap D when the era is meant)

Event dates always get a regular hyphen in text, as in October 6-12, 1997.

Departments (in WEEKLY)

See individual entries alphabetically; e.g., Public Opinion is under P. Note: all

departments are italicized when referred to within the magazine.

desktop

dialog

Dollars

Use dollar signs and numerals, as in $1.98 or $1 million. See also AP Style entry.

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double-click (noun and verb)

downside

downtime

Ee.g.

Latin abbreviation meaning for example. In a sentence: He had to use all his skills

when writing, e.g., his facility with synonyms.

Ellipses

Create using the option + colon keys. Use ellipses sparingly; often commas or dashes will

do the job more actively. If ellipses fall at the end of a full sentence, add a period at the

end and one space. Start the next sentence with a cap (e.g.: Thats it for now. But later

we may hear more.) If ellipses fall in the middle of a sentence, no space or cap is needed

(e.g.: She wants a ring, a yacht, a condoanything else?). No period is needed after

ellipses if an incomplete sentence just trails off; use three dots, space, start next sentence

with cap.

e-mail (electronic mail)

encyclopedia notencyclopaedia

end user (noun)

end-user (adj.)

End Slug

See the entry Bylines.

Ensure vs. Insure

Use ensure to mean guarantee: To ensure that profits were reaped, the editors slaved

through the night. Use insure for references to insurance.

Entitled vs. Titled

These words are not interchangeable. Entitled means to have the right to do or have

something. As in: She was entitled to take a vacation day. Use titled when referring to

the name of a movie, book, play, TV show, screenplay and so on.

etc.

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Generally, using etc. makes it seem that the writer was too lazy to check out the

alternatives, so please avoid using in text. If you must, substitute with something like

and so on.

Exclamation Point

Use sparinglyif at all! And NEVER use more than one on a page or together. EVER.Exception: the editor may choose to use one or more on the cover if it is warranted.

FFact Checking Procedures

With regard to fact-checking the stories that appear in WEEKLY, please note the following:

Theperson writing the piece will fact-check as theyre writing, come to Copy with any

questions not resolved, and then Copy will back it up.

If a writer/editor has a piece with LOTS of information to be checked (i.e, Copy

this Look and its many designers), the editor/writer should fact-check his or her text as

best they can. Once finished they can then list (or e-mail Copy) places where they've

found the spellings, if, for example, they couldnt find an official Web site.

Regarding sources: We routinely use the IMDB, but the problem with it is that

anyone can upload info to it (it is supposedly fact-checked before it goes up, but I know

there are mistakes in the Lucille Ball entry, for example), so while much of it is true, we

cant say that for 100 percent of the stuff you get from it.

Use books like Total Television or Leslie Halliwell's Film Directory for correct

titles. For shows/movies that arent listed (i.e., more recent stuff) try the networks/studios

first, then the Web searching for a star's official site, for example. One would hope they

have it all correct on those.With the exception of Copy, no one should be putting any cqs in any files unless

he or she is 100 percent sure that the information they are entering is correct. That means

confirmed from a minimum of three different places.

Farther vs. Further

Farther refers to physical distance: He walked farther into the woods. Further refers to

an extension or degree of time: She will look further into the problem.

Feds capital F in copy when referring to federal agents like the FBI.

Feet See the Inch entry.

Fewer vs. Less

Use fewer for individual items: Fewer than 400 people attended the opening. Use less for

bulk quantities: The CDs cost less than $17.

fiber optics

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Fictional vs. Fictitious

Fictional means existing only in a work of fiction; fictitious means imaginary.

filename one word

fistfight one word, per Web. 11

Fog Index

Space in the magazine is at a premium; it

makes sense to use the shortest method

to say what we mean. Keep text lively

but simple. Don't use long words when

shorter substitutes will work. Use the

exact word/s you need, the most

economical expressions possible. Avoid

clutter.

But please keep in mind that we

are not out to put the reader to sleep, and

that in some instances a more descriptive

(or even florid) style might be desirable.

This should be decided on a case-by-

case basis.

Some examples follow:

Dont UseUseaccomplish...do

attempt...try

construct...build

deficiency...lack

equitable...fair

infrequent...rare

occurrence...event

requisite...required

Don't use words with extra or padded

syllables.

Dont UseUse

administrate...administer

discontentment...discontent

irregardless...regardless

orientated...oriented

preventative...preventive

Use compact substitutes for wordy

phrases.

Dont UseUse

on the order of magnitude of...about

in the nature of...like

in view of the fact that...since

give encouragement to...encourage

make an adjustment in...adjust

is equipped with...has

avail yourself...use

a majority of...most

take into consideration...consider

large number of...many

at an early date...soon

at a rapid rate...rapidly

at the present time...nowaware of the fact that...know

due to the fact that...because

during the time that...while

in close proximity...near

in a situation which...when

in many cases...usually

in the event that...if

take the place of...substitute

made his home...resided or lived

Avoid using words that duplicate the

meaning of a word or words

already used.

Dont Use...Use

basic principles...principles

hollow tube...tube

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mutual cooperation...cooperation

personal opinion...opinion

exactly equal...equal

consensus of opinion...consensus

past history...history

ask the question...askstill continues...continues

general public...public

widow of the late...widow

give careful consideration to...consider

for the purpose of...for

not aware of the fact that...unaware

was the speaker...spoke

totally destroyed...destroyed

present incumbent...incumbent

invited guest...guest

as a general rule...as a rule

was in receipt of...received

the issue in question...issue

The following list allows the writer to

streamline copy by substituting shorter

words of the same meaning for longer

ones (in some cases also substituting

more familiar words). You can also use

this list for quick synonyms.

Instead of...You can use

accidental--chance

acknowledge--admit

acquiesce--agree

additional--added

affluent--rich

alleviate--ease

alteration--change

alternative--option

apparent--clear, plain

assemble--gatherauthentic--real

beneficial--helpful

commence--start

compensate--pay

competent--able

conclusion--end

consequence--result

constructive--helpful

convenient--handy

conversation--talkcorrespond--agree

corroborate--confirm

counterfeit--false, fake

courageous--brave

courteous--polite

defective--faulty

demonstrate--show

designate--name

development--growth

difficult--hard

discontinue--stop, give up

discussion--talk

dominate--control

dubious--doubtful

duplicate--copy

eccentric--odd

educate--teach

elevate--raise, lift

emphasize--stressemployment--work

encounter--meet

enigma--riddle

entirely--wholly, fully

equitable--fair

erroneous--wrong

evident--plain

exhibit--show

extemporaneous--offhand

facilitate--easefortunate--lucky

frequently--often

fundamental--basic

generate--produce

genuine--real

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gigantic--huge

hazardous--risky

humorous--funny

identical--sameimitate--copy, mimic

imminent--near, close

impartial--fair, just

imperative--urgent

inaccuracy--mistake, error

incorrect--wrong

indefinite--vague

indicate--show

individual--person

information--news

initiate--start, begin

instrument--tool

intimate--suggest, hint

intimidate--frighten

intrepid--fearless

inundate--flood

manufacture--make

modify/modification--change

objective--aim, goalobligation--duty

obvious--plain

opportunity--chance

partially--partly

peculiar--odd, strange

permanent--lasting

powerful--strong

principal--main, chief

probability--chance

procedure--method, way

regulation--rule, lawrelinquish--give up

remainder--the rest

remedy--cure

replica--copy

saturate--soak, fill

skepticism--doubt

scrutinize--watch, inspect

selection--choice

similar--like

stimulate--excite

substantial--real, strong, large

subsequently--later

sufficient--enough, ample

terminate--end

ulterior--hidden

ultimate--last, final

uncertainty--doubt

unmistakable--plain, evidentunnecessary--needless

utilize--use

variation--change

visualize--picture

Fractions

We create fractions in text as follows: regular number followed by fraction, with the

numbers in the fraction as superscript (slash) subscript: 31/2

Frequently Misspelled Words

This list is by no means all-inclusive, and will be added to as time permits. See also the

entry Hand Words.

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absence, accelerate, acclaim, accommodate, accomplish, accordion, accumulate,

acknowledge, acquaintance, acquire, across, address, advertisement, aficionado,

anoint, apology, apparent, axle

balloon, barbecue, bargain, beginning, biscuit, broccoli, business

camouflage, candidate, cantaloupe, carburetor, Caribbean, cartilage, category,

chauvinism, chili, chocolaty, clothes, coliseum, colonel, colonial, commemorate,

congratulations, coolly, courtesy, criticize

Dalmatian, deceive, defendant, defiant, desiccate, desirable, desperate, deterrence,

development, dining, diorama, disappear, disappoint, dispensable, dissipate, difference

easily, efficiency, ecstasy, eighth, eligible, environment, equivalent, especially,

exceed, excellent, exercise, existent, explanation

facsimile, Fahrenheit, February, fiery, finally, flabbergast, flotation, fluorescent,

fourth, fulfill

gauge, generally, genius, government, grammar, gross, guarantee, guttural

handkerchief, height, horrific, humorous, hypocrisy

ideally, imitate, immediately, implement, inadvertent, incidentally, incredible,

indispensable, ingenious, irascible, irresistible

knowledge

labeled, led (past tense of verb to lead), leisure, length, liaison, lieutenant, lightning

(thunder and), lightening (she was lightening her hair), liquefy, lose, luxury, lying

magically, mantel, marshmallow, minuscule, miscellaneous, mischief, misogyny,

missile

nauseous, necessary, ninety, ninth, noticeable

occasion, occur/occurred, octopus, official, omission

parallel, parliament, particular, peninsula, permanent, pharaoh, physical, piece,

pigeon, pistachio, pleasant, plenitude, possess, potato, potatoes, precedence,

preferable, presumptuous, prevalent, proceed, propagate, pursue

quantity, questionnaire, quizzes

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raspberry, receipt, reference, referral, refrigerator, relevant, religious, remembrance,

reminiscence, renowned, rhythm, ridiculous

sacrilegious, salary, sandal, sandwich, satellite, savvy, scary, schedule, scissors,

seize, sensible, separate, shishkebab, siege, similar, skiing, souvenir, special,

spontaneous, subpoena, subtle, success, sufficient, supersede, syllable, symmetrical

tableau, tariff, temperature, thorough, though, through, tomato, tomatoes, tomorrow,

tongue, too/to/two, tragedy, transferring, tries, truly, twelfth

ukulele, undoubtedly, unique, unnecessary, usable, usage, usually

vacuum, vicious, village, visible

Wednesday, weather (the weather outside is?), weird, wherever, whether (whether or

not), wholly, withdrawal, withhold

yacht, yield

zucchini

full-size (not full-sized)

full time noun and adv.

full-time adj.

GGibe vs. Jibe

To gibe means to taunt or sneer: They gibed him about his software design. Jibe means to

shift direction or, colloquially, to agree: Their stories didnt jibe.

Gimmicks/Puffery

Some companies think its cute to use all caps and exclamation points when writing about

a product/service. We dont (one exception follows). Whenever possible, refrain from

using all caps except for acronyms. Use italics to emphasize a word or phrase in

someones speech, not caps. Exception: WEEKLY is always in caps.

Grammar and Punctuation, General Tips

WEEKLY follows standard English language usage that, as writers and editors, we

sometimes take for granted as being understandable. Some highlights:

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Sentences need subjects, verbs and objects, whether the sentence is simple, compound

or complex. Sentences also need subject-verb agreement.

Above all, there should be clarity in sentence construction avoid dangling phrases;

ambiguous or remote modifiers; repetition; mixed verb tenses; and omissions of

necessary parts of speech such as articles or possessive pronouns, prepositions, or parts of

verb phrases. Watch inconsistent comparisons. Dont mistake some clauses for sentences: Dependent clauses cannot stand alone; they

need complete independent clauses (which function as simple sentences).

Adjectives generally precede nouns; dont place them too far from the words they

modify; adjectival phrases, like adverbs, generally follow the words they modify; and

some words function as both. Prepositions take an object (a noun or a pronoun), and

prepositional phrases that begin a sentence usually are followed by a comma.

Its important to make sure that verb tenses agree: If the text is in the present

tense, dont let it switch to past tense, or vice versa.

graphics (adj. and noun, except in graphic arts, graphic artist, and graphic design, and

in graphical user interface)

Hhalf-inch spell out and hyphenate in text.

Hand Words

Spell as indicated below, per Web. 11:

firsthand

handblown (one word)

handbook (one word)hand carved (two words, hyphenate when used as a modifier)

handcraft, handcrafted, handcraftsman(ship) (all one word)

handgrip (one word, meaning grasping with the hand)

handgun

handheld, handhold (one word)buthand-holding (hyphenate)

handicraft, handicrafter, handicraftsman (one word)

handiwork (one word)

handmade (one word)

hand-me-down (hyphenate)

handout (noun, one word), but hand out (verb, two words)

hand-painted (hyphenate)

handpick (one word)

handpress (one word)

handprint (one word)

hand puppet (two words)

handsaw (one word)

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handwoven

hard copy (noun); hard-copy (adj.)

Head

Do not use as a verb. Use another word, such as lead: He will lead the meeting.

Held

Meetings and other events are not held; they dont fit in our hands. Say: The group met,

or They had a meeting.

home page two words

hotshot

hot spot

hour-long (adjective) Not to be confused with something that takes an hour long: It was

an hour-long show, and that was one hour too long!

Hyphenation

Hyphens are used in most compound adjectives (and some compound nouns), both before

the noun modified and after: The show is well-designed.

One hyphenation rule that is frequently misunderstood: Any compound modifier

using the word well that appears after a form of the verb to be needs a hyphen so as

to avoid any misinterpretation. Example: I can be well-prepared if I study.

Adverbs used in phrases such as finely written get no hyphen, since they need

none. The -ly tells you that the adverb modifies the following word, just as a hyphen

would.

Foreign-language phrases used as compound adjectives need no hyphen: Ad hoc

testing, laissez faire attitude. The foreign-language phrase works as a unit. The same

is true for certain familiar phrases and industry terms: high school teacher, hard drive

utility.

Generally, if the meaning is clear without a hyphen, dont use one. Hyphens are

for resolving unclear sentences: The small businessman ran into his office. Unless the

man is very short, that sentence should read: The small-businessman ran into his office.

(Of course, you can always rephrase the sentence.)If a phrase with least, more, or most is unclear, you must use a hyphen.

Example: More useful PDAs should be selling by the holidays. Does this mean

a greater quantity of useful PDAs, or PDAs that are more useful? Hyphenate it: more-

useful.

Example: The least expensive unit reviewed here is the Quantum Leaper.

Least, as an adjective, means many things: smallest, unimportant and most

inferior, among them. To avoid confusion, write least-expensive unit.

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For hyphenation of compound nouns with understood plural elements, its not

necessary to make the first word in a two-noun phrase plural: station break, as opposed

to stations break. This is how most compound nouns are formed. Its not babies-

sitter, shoes salesman, or windows dresser. Some exceptions exist, particularly

noun-plus-gerund noun forms of modifiers, such as parts shipping.

The same holds true for compound adjectives with understood plural elements.Its 200-pound man, not 200-pounds man, so use 300-dot-per-inch rate, not 300-

dots-per-inch rate.

Note: Hyphenation between lines in text sometimes depends on how words are

used, e.g., pro-ject (as in, to project ones voice) and proj-ect (as in, the project youre

currently working on). CheckAP Style and Web. 11 if youre not sure how to break a

word by its syllables.

See also the entries Dash It All and M-Dash.

Hypothetical Questions

In text, generally avoid these.

Ii.e.

Latin abbreviation meaning that is: I will not be caught dead at a Courtney Love

perfromance, i.e., any event where she is singing.

Inch, Feet

Spell these out in text and use with a number: 3 inches, 7 feet.

Inter vs. IntraGenerally, dont hyphenate with these. Inter refers to activities between people or

entities. Intra refers to activities within an entity.

Internet always capitalized in text; also referred to as the Net or the Web, both also caps

in text.

Internet Addresses (see Web Addresses entry)

intranet always lowercase in text

Italics/boldface/quotation marks in text

We italicize show, movie, play and book titles, artwork, and WEEKLY departments rather

than putting them in quotes. Band names, and newspaper and magazine titles are in

Roman type, no quotes. CD titles are italics, but individual song titles get quotes. The

latter is a change in WEEKLY style.

Use italics in text sparingly for comprehension or emphasis.

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Be conservative in using boldface or quotes for terms; much of it is unnecessary

and only serves to take the reader out of the story.

Foreign phrases incorporated into English, such as coup detat, need no italics.

Check the dictionary: If you find your phrase in the main section, its considered English

now. If your phrase is in Foreign Words and Phrases, put it in italics.

Italics and boldface should extend to any punctuation following in the text.Example: The Family Monster: A Look at Soap Villains.

Its vs. Its

See the Possessives entry.

Jjet-setter hyphen, per Web. 11

judgment

Jr.

Do not use a comma between persons name and Jr. (per AP).

just deserts

Although it may be frequently seen, just desserts is incorrect. Its just deserts, with

one S. The reason? It stems from deserve, as in You get what you deserve. And its

also listed in Websters under desert, as the second definition.

KKarat vs. Carat vs. Carrot

Carat: a unit of weight for precious stones (diamonds, sapphires, rubies and so on)

Karat: a unit of fineness for gold

Carrot: Bugs Bunnys favorite food.

kosher

Always lowercase.

kowtow

kudos

Credit or praise for an achievement. Singular, takes singular verbs (per AP).

Llady Never use in place of woman.

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laptop one word

Last vs. Past

Use as follows:

The companys cash flow increased by $2 million in the past two years (meaning the two

most recent years).But: The companys cash flow fell by $2 million in its last two years (implying the last

years of the companys existence).

Last Week

See the entry Sneak Peeks and Last Week.

Libel

SeeAP StylebookLibel Manual.

-like ConstructionsGenerally, like words are one word with no hyphen. Exceptions: words ending in l or

ll, words of three or more syllables, compound words, most proper nouns, or other forms

difficult to read. The exceptions are hyphenated.

Some examples: catlike, apelike, coffeelike

But: jewel-like, Godzilla-like, Styrofoam-like, vacuum-bottle-like, Limoges-like

log in, log on (verb)

login, logon (noun)

long term noun

long-term adj.

longtime one word

MM-dashes

These are the longest dashes, and the ones we use in text the most (line breaks are a

separate case, and are made by Quark using regular hyphens; compound words alwaystake a regular hyphen). They are made by using the shift/option keys; hold them down

and hit the hyphen key. Use a space before and after m-dashes in text.

Mail Call

Actors or characters referred to in Mail Call should be completely identified, in the same

style as Pub Op (see separate entry).

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Mc

If a name starting with Mc is in CAPS text, like a headline, leave a tracking of 15 or so

between the Mc and the rest of the name (eg: MC KEE).

Mean, Median, Average

The mean and average refer to the sum of all numbers in a group, divided by the total

numbers in the group. The median is the number in the middle of the group. So, if three

test scores are 67, 85 and 94, the mean/average is 82 (the total of the three numbers,

divided by 3), and the median is 80.5 (67+13.5 and 90 13.5).

medium-size (not medium sized)

midrange

minuscule

mother-of-pearl

Gets hyphens as noun or adjective per Web. 11.

More than

This phrase is nota synonym for over. See the Over entry.

mouse plural is mice

mouse pad

multimedia

multipart

multitasking

multiuser

N

Necessary vs. Necessarily

Usage: Someone or something can be necessary to the success of a project, but that is not

necessarily a given.

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Nicknames, Familiar Names

Use a nickname or the familiar of a first name (Bob instead of Robert) only when

preferred by the interviewee.

No.

Per AP Style, use as the abbreviation for numberin conjunction with a figure to indicateposition or rank: No. 1 man, No. 3 choice. Dont use in street addresses or school names.

non

Non generates a compound word that is almost always closed (i.e., no hyphen) as in

nonviolent, nonunion and so on. See the entry Prefixes for more.

News Stories

In News stories, refer to characters currently on shows by first name only.

Storyline or episode titles, as in The Cruise of Deception, and The Case of the

Stolen Heart, go in quotation marks (this applies to daytime and nighttime shows, ofcourse).

All news stories must include show names in the hed and the text. The only

exception: if theres a graphic button with the show name.

Use character names and show name in the lead graph; ID only actors who are

quoted in the story.

Since almost all stories start with a drop cap, try to avoid opening with a quote.

Also, dont insert a note at the beginning of a story; art cant add a drop cap if you do.

Instead, put the note after the first word.

Nielsens (Nielsen Ratings Chart)

The Nielsen dates are separated by a hyphen, e.g., Nov. 4-8. It should just have the dates,

not Week of... Check against previous issue(s) if any questions.

TheNielsens chart is read by Copy to make sure the numbers are all in the correct

order. If the household numbers are the same for two or more shows, its considered a tie,

even if the shares are not the same. If the shares are not the same, the show with the

higher share goes first; if the shares are the same, they go in alphabetical order.

Numbers

Spell out numbers zero to nine (single-digit numbers) in text; use numerals for 10 and

above. Always use a numeral for ages, unless the age is the first word in a sentence.

Exceptions:-6-pound, 7-ounce son

-percentages (3 percent), time (2 milliseconds, 5 seconds, 3 hours, 4 minutes).

-charts always use numbers.

-numbers and prices four figures and higher: $4,000

Fractions are set by Copy, super- and sub-scripting the numbers.

Ordinals: spell out, such as first, second, tenth, hundredth, one hundred first.

See also the Inch, Feet entry.

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Ooffline

offsite

okay Exception to AP: spell out, not OK.

on/off

Only use in quoted material.

onboard

online

On Presenting

In the interest of variety, here are verb alternatives that can be used in place of presents

(as in gives) or offers: spotlights, unveils, debuts, reveals, exhibits, discloses, launches,

announces, designs, markets

onsite (noun, adj.)

Over, Under vs. More than, Less than

Over and under express positions in space, as in the cow jumped over the moon. Use

more than/less than with figures or amounts: More than 50 people won the lottery this

week. Use more than and less than in cases such as She looks more than one hundred

years old despite her face-lift."

P

Parentheses

As AP notes, Parentheses are jarring to the reader. The temptation to use parentheses is

a clue that a sentence is becoming contorted. Try to write it another way.

If parentheses (parens) or brackets are used inside a sentence, the finalpunctuation goes outside the parens or brackets. E.g.: Susan Lucci has been nominated

for an Emmy (again).

Final punctuation goes inside the parens or brackets if a separate full sentence

is contained within the parens, as in: Susan Lucci has been nominated for an Emmy. (No

surprise.)

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Never use parens within parens. WRONG: Many stars were there (including

Marcy Walker (Liza,AMC), David Canary). Preferred style: Many stars were there

(including Marcy Walker, who plays). There are no exceptions.

See also AP Style and the entry Brackets.

part time (noun and adverb)

part-time (adj.)

Past See Last entry.

Phone Numbers (in text)

Phone numbers, including toll-free numbers, begin with the area code in parentheses.

There is a hyphen between the prefix and the last four digits: (800) 555-1212.

Photo CreditsPhoto and illustration credits are mixed. The style is PHOTO: Jim Warren;

ILLUSTRATION: Peter Spacek

If the photo credit is part of a group, style is upper/lowercase:Michael Knight

photo: Jim Warren

The grooming, hair, makeup and similar credits run wherever art positions them,

in this format: Grooming: Mr. Michaels; Hair: Michaels Mister; and so on.

Possessives

Per AP: add s on plural nouns not ending in s: womens, shows. Plural nouns that end in

s get only the apostrophe:Days Carrie, girls toys, horses food.

When referring to joint possession, use s only after the second noun: Reuben and

Sylvias children. But if two individuals each possess an object, it should be: Reubens

and Sylvias tattoos.

With singular words that happen to end with s, like hostess or lens, use s;

hostesses and lenses are theplurals of those words, not the possessives.

Be aware of the difference between the possessives its, theirandyour, and the

contractions its, theyre andyoure:

Its/Its: Many otherwise intelligent people make this mistake.Its is technically an

adjective that means of or relating to it or itself, especially as possessor, agent or object

of an action, as in, its claws were sharp, its final enactment into law, a child proud of its

first drawings.Its is a contraction that usually stands in for it is, occasionally for ithas.

Their/There/Theyre:Theiris a plural possessive pronoun: Their time is up.

There is an adverb indicating direction: They went there to play. Theyre is a contraction

of they are: Theyre playing at home now.

Your/Youre: Youris the possessive adjectival pronoun, as in your outfit is

stylish;youre is a contraction of you are.

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Prefixes

Usually, combine as one word: antinuclear, coproduce, midafternoon, midday,

multistory, nonviolent, overcharge, postmodern, postwar, prewar, underused. If unsure,

consult Web. 11.

Exceptions:1. When combined with a proper noun: anti-American, non-Catholic.

2. To prevent misreading: re-create/recreate, re-cover/recover, and so on.

3. Hyphenate all extra- and self- compounds, e.g., extra-large or self-aware.

4. mid-nineteenth century

5. When the last letter of the prefix is the same as, or matches, the first letter of the word

it is being added to: co-own, pre-existing, re-examine, and so on.

preset

press time two words

pretape

prime time Two words when used as a noun; eg: He made the change to prime time.

prime-time Adjectival form is hyphenated; eg: prime-time actor, prime-time series.

Principal vs. Principle

Principal means most important, consequential, or influential: chief as an adjective, and

a person who has controlling authority or is in a leading position as a noun.A principle is a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption

and only a noun.

Problem Names/Words

Heres our list, alphabetically. Always

check the WEEKLY Master List for actor

name spellings; the more unusual

spellings can be found here, too. Please

do not add anything to this list without

checking with the Copy staff. NOTE: A

few of these are exceptions toAP Styleand/or Websters 11 but most are in one

or the other.

ABC Daytime

Actors Equity

Actors Theatre, in Louisville, Ky.

afterparty

afterward (no s)

ahem

airdate

airtime

a.k.a.

a la: no accent, AP

all right (not alright)Alphabet Network (ABC)

alter ego

a.m. and p.m.

American Indian (not Native American

everybody born here is a native

American)

anti-hero

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archenemy

babysitter (n.), babysit (v.); per Webs.

back burner (n), back-burner (adj.),

back-burnered (v.)

backseat

backstoryback yard, per Webs.

Bada-bing

ball game

barbecue

bell-bottom(s)

Maurice Benard

bighearted

blaxploitation

blow-dry, blow-dryer, hyphen all forms

bona fide

boytoy

breakup (noun and adj.), break up (verb),

per AP

bubkes: Yiddish for nothing or the

leat amount, per Web. 11

Eva La Rue Callahan

call letters: WPJF-FM (N.Y.)

canceled, cancellation

carjacking (one word, like hijacking)

Carnegie Mellon U. in PittsburghCarolines (comedy club in NYC, no

apostrophe)

cast mate

catalog(s)

catfight

Catherine Hicklands Cat Cosmetics

cesarean

Chanukah

cliff-hanger, cliff-hanging

clockwise

closed-captionedclose-up (as in, Im ready for my)

cloud nine

coed

coffeehouse

coffeemaker (Web.)

coffeepot

coffee-table (adj.), coffee table (n.)

co-host

comedianuse this for both sexes

compact disc

confidante, confidant (feminine,

masculine)corn dogs

co-star

coworker

country-western, NOT country and

western as in Web; usually just country

is enough

cutout

cut up (verb, noun)

damnedest

darnedest

day in, day out

day player

daypart

dcor

dj vu

DJ

Dana Delany

Kim Delaney

Kamar de los Reyes

Robert De NiroKassie DePaiva

derring-do

Detective John Jones

die-hard

Disneyland (in Calif.)

Disney World (in Fla.)

docudrama

do (hairdo)

dos and donts

doughnuts

Down Under (Australia)dumbfound

Mickey Dwyer-Dobbin, executive in

charge of production, Procter & Gamble

Productions (no need for Mary Alice per

her office)

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EastEnders: British soap

eBay

Ecstasy (the drug)

Eeny, meeny, miney, mo per nypl ref.

elbow room

eleventh-hour decisione-mail

Emmy Award (prime-time), also

Daytime Emmy Award

Barbara Esensten

et al. (Latin for and others)

eyeliner

eye shadow

face-lift (Web.)

face-to-face (per Web.)

fairy tale (n.), fairy-tale (adj.)

farklempt (Yiddish for choked up)

fascinated by (not with)

fast-forward

fte (party)

fianc, fiance (masculine, feminine)

first-class (adj.), first class (n.)

Fox (the network, not FOX)

freelance

front-and-center

front burnerfugeddaboudit (use sparingly!)

fX: This is the Fox basic cable network,

its lowercase f, uppercase X, except, of

course, in uppercase headlines, and when

the cable name starts a sentence.

Game Boy

get-go

getup (noun, as in, what one is wearing)

glamour

glamorousglamour-puss

glasnost (no accent marks, no umlaut on

o, no italics)

go-ahead (as in, given the go-ahead)

gold digger

goodbye

Glenn Gorden (Jacklyn Zemans

husband)

Greenroom (per Web.)

groundbreaking

The Guinness Book of World Records

hairdo

hair spray

hairstyle, hairstyling, hairstylist

half-hour

half brother, half sister (no hyphen)

Winsor Harmons wife spells her name

Candice

healthcare

heartbreak, heartbreaker, heartbreaking,

heart-wrenching

heartthrob

Heh

Kelley Menighan Hensley

hightail it

hip-huggers

hit man

home page

homeowner

hookup (n.); hook up (v.)

hot seat (2 words)

hour-long (but weeklong, monthlong,yearlong)

impostor (per AP)

indie (for independent movie)

Internet (always cap I)

in vitro

Vincent Irizarry

I.D.

I.V.

joe (as in a cup of..., but use coffeeunless piece is written in a specific style)

Juilliard (school)

Sheraton Kalouria, senior vice president,

NBC Daytime Programs

karaoke

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Elizabeth (not Liz) Keifer

kickoff (adj.); kick off (verb)

LBD (Little Black Dress)always in

initial caps

Les Misrables (the show)likable

lineup (n., TV programming schedule)

line up (v., to align)

lip gloss

lip-lock

lipstick

lip service

Loehmanns (the store)

long-lost; hyphenate the compound

modifier (long-lost son, etc.)

long-standing

long-term (adj.)

longtime

look-alike

lookout

Looney Tunes

Los Angeles on first reference, L.A. on

subsequent references or in direct quotes

(unless in an informal column)

love life

lovemaking

MacGuffin: the infamous Hitchcock plot

device; what the story appears to be

about, but its not really what the story is

about

Mafia (but, mob)

makeover

makeupn., cosmetics

make upv., to reconcile

mantel (as on a fireplace)

MasterCardMcDonalds (the fast-food place)

mnage trois

MIA (missing in action)

midseason

miniseries

M.O. (modus operandi)

mo-ped

Alanis Morissette

Mother Teresa (and, she was a nun)

Marianne Muellerleile

mustache (not moustache)

naive no accent marks

NATAS - National Academy of

Television Arts and Sciences

New Age

New York Marriott Marquis

nerve-wracking

Nielsens

nightclub, noun or verb

nighttime

Niki (OLTL)

Nikki (Y&R)

nonmembers

nonprofit

N Sync (most magazines use this sp.)

N.Y.C.

ob/gyn

off-Broadway

offcamera

offscreen

offstageGeorgia OKeeffe (the painter)

on-again, off-again

on-camera

online

on-screen (all uses)

on-set (on the set of a show); onset

(onset of an illness)

onetime

one-shot

onstage

oversize (no D, no hyphen)

PalmPilot, one word per official site

pastime

pay dirt

payoff

Peacock Network (NBC)

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Thaao Penghlis

percent (not %)

personals ad

ping-pong

pinstripe

playactPlayStation

plotz (Yiddish, means to feel so tired,

excited or bursting with emotion that

you could fall over)

the-powers-that-be (TPTB on second

reference)

pre-empt

prenatal

private investigator spell out on first

reference, P.I. is OK on second ref.

Procter & Gamble

R&B (rhythm and blues)

R&R (rest and relaxation)

razzle-dazzle

Betty Rea (not Rae), former casting

director ofGL

read-through (as in rehearsal)

reaffirm

recast

rsum (yes, two accents)rewrite, rewritten

Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (model

married to John Stamos)

round-trip

rundown

Johnny Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls singer

dating Adrienne Frantz)

St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital

San Cristobel (on GL)

SATs (college entrance test)Melody Thomas Scott

Screen Actors Guild (SAG on second

reference)

screen test (two words as noun), screen-

test (verb)

script writer (two words)

set up (v.), setup (n. and adj.)

setside

Sheree, Steve Burtons wife

Nicollette Sheridan

shmatte (Yiddish, meaning a rag)

shoot-outshowbiz, showbizzy

showgirl

showstopper

shtick (Yiddish, meaning bits of business

that, for example, a magician might

perform)

Silicon Valley

sitcom

Slim-Fast

sneaked, past tense of sneak

SoapCenter

soapland

SOAPnet

SOAP OPERA WEEKLY (all caps, no

ital.) WEEKLY on second reference

Soap Talk

SoHo (as in, South of Houston) in New

York; but Soho in London, England

soign, soigne (male, female) French

for sleek, classy, well-groomed.

soul mateSORAS Acronym for Soap Opera Rapid

Aging Syndrome

soundstage

spin off (verb); spin-off (noun)

star-crossed

stepfather

storyline

straight-laced (ap)

straitjacket

streetwise

stripteasestudmuffin

stuntman, stuntwoman

supercouple

superhero

Super Soap Weekend

superstar

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superstardom

T-shirt (cap T)

Tae-Bo

Taggart, Millee

tai chi (per katie)Ta on OLTL

teenage (notAP, which hyphenates)

telenovela

The WB

thirtysomething (the show); 30-

something (the age group)

Thiessen, Tiffani

Tiffany Network (CBS)

tight-lipped

till (not til; try to use until instead)

time slot

top-notch

Toys R Us

toward (no s)

traveling, traveler, traveled

trs

Tribeca: the neighborhood and the show

(show spelling per Fox)

tried-and-true

trouper, as in a real ...

true love (n. two words)TV-movie (compound noun rule)

Tweety (not Tweety Bird)

24/7 (al day, all week long)

Type A (personality)

up-and-coming

up close (adj. and adv.)

Emanuel Ungaro (designer)

U.S. (adj.); United States (n.)

Jerry verDorn

VH1

Meredith VieiraViki (OLTL)

Virgo, Virgos

Virtual Eden (onDays)

voice-over

voil

Diane von Furstenberg (designer)

wackos

Tonja Walker

wannabe/wannabes Slang for wants to

be; use sparingly

WASP (White Anglo Saxon Protestant)

The WB (network)

Web site

whacked (hit or murdered) Use only

when writing about the mob or The

Sopranos, Godfather, and so on.

whitebread

whiz

whodunnit

Tonya Lee WilliamsVanessa L. Williams (Former Miss

America, now actress/singer)

Vanessa A. Williams (ex-Rhonda,MP)

wolfman

yearlong

year-round

Proposes/proposed, use of

We dont have to say proposed marriage in text; proposed alone is fine, as in Eddie

proposed to Morgan. But beware of context, i.e., to make sure the couple inquestion isnt referring to or talking about a business deal.

Public Opinion

Eliminate the I think that fans like to put in their letters; the entire piece is what they

think.

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If the letter refers to a storyline, it is OK to just use the character names and the

show name, without including the actors names. If the letter refers to an actor, the

character name and show name must be included.

The writers names and addresses are italic, flush right. Always use full names for

signers. States are abbreviated perAP Style.

The name and address should be on one line. If its too long to fit, break theaddress onto a separate line.

Note: A letter cannot be used unless the writer signs and includes the address.

QQuotation Marks

Periods and commas go inside quotes; colons and semicolons stay outside. Question

marks and exclamation points go inside the quotes only when theyre part of the quoted

material. When quoting someone who, in turn, quotes someone else, use single quotation

marks for the second (inner) quotation.

In stories that must open with quotes, dont use the opening quotation marks ifthere is a drop cape.g., This music is smokin, says Muddy Watersbut choose a

short quote and get to the close quotes and attribution as soon as possible. Even better, try

to rewrite using a punchy lead sentencefollowedby the quote.

When using quotes, if the actor implies something or skips a word, that

information goes within brackets. E.g.: [Hes] the best actor I know. If were supplying

additional information or clarifying a quote, the information goes in parentheses. E.g.: I

went to a great school (UC Berkeley).

If a quote requires more than one set of brackets or parens for clarity, rephrase the

sentence and skip the direct quote (e.g.: Smith has high praise for his alma mater, UC

Berkeley; Smith says Jones is the best actor he knows). Use single quotes for quoteswithin quotes: I cant understand why, she said, he always refers to Marion as that

nitwit.

In Quark, separate single quotes and double quotes at the beginning or end of a

sentence with tracking of 30.

Quotation marks within a headline are always single quote marks. Example:

Digital Conductors Offer Music Lessons.

Quotes

Common sense dictates which quotes are newsworthy and fit for print, and which are best

left in a reporters notebook (or computer file). We are responsible for everything we

print, including direct quotes.In any story, review all quotations carefully. Do not use quotes that dont make

sense or that dont add any information to the story. Get rid of incomplete, confusing or

unclear quotes and convey the information in your own words, without using quotation

marks: He says hell start in April. should be: He says hell start in April.

On the other hand, in 25 years of publishing Ive never once had a complaint from

interviewees when Ive cleaned up their grammar or made them sound better in print.

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Rreal life vs. real-life

The first is a noun; the second is an adjective.

real time

reveals, use of

Reserve the use of reveals for something that is truly being revealed something juicy

thats being divulged, rather than as an always-interchangeable synonym for says. For

example, the following type of usage does not warrant reveals: I was in five plays

before I got hired on the soap, she reveals. But this type of usage does: We fired him

because he had sex with my wife, reveals the executive.

runtime

Ssans French for without; avoid using in copy if at all possible

sans serif a typeface without serifs

Says vs. Said

All people quoted in SPW stories should be quoted in the present tense; says as opposed

to said, adds as opposed to added, etc. (See also the Attribution entry.)

scalable

Schedule of Events

Actors names are boldface, ALL CAPS. Character names are in parentheses, roman,

upper- and lowercase. Show name is italic, abbreviated in listings other than public

appearances.

In Personal Appearances, spell out full name and the character each time its used

under a different states heading.

If the event is for more than one day, the days and dates are separated by en-

dashes, created by hitting the keys option and (e.g., TuesdayFriday, Aug. 1518).If there is a cover charge and a minimum for the event, the cover is listed first

(e.g., $8 cover, $8 minimum).

Make sure there is a hard return at the end of each line.

Dont use ampersands; spell out and between names if the listing includes

several actors.

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All prices are per person, unless otherwise specified. This should be mentioned in

the note at the bottom; there is no need to mention it under each listing.

Abbreviate tickets as tix after first mention in the same event listing.

Seasons

Lowercase winter, spring, summer, fall and all variations (e.g., summertime) unless partof a formal name.

Semicolons

Neveruse a semicolon to separate lists or phrases, even in lengthy sentences, unless they

(the phrases) contain internal commas.

You may use a semicolon on occasion to connect two simple sentences that are

related. But dont overuse semicolons, em-dashes and parentheses. Too many asides are

distracting to the reader. Its always better to work parenthetical statements into copy.

See also AP Style.

set up verb (I set up the account.)

setup noun and adj. (He told me it was a setup; the setup menu was difficult.)

Show Names

Show titles go in italic, except in heads, decks, pull quotes and the like. Theyre roman in

display type. Exceptions: show names in decks ofApplause, Applause and FYI.

Typically, however, no italics in display type.

Spell out show names in text on first reference, except in sidebars, when they can

be abbreviated.

Abbreviate show names on second reference, in all captions. If the show name isused in a direct quote, try to spell it out.

Use the following in all text (full name followed by abbreviations).

Daytime:

All My Children: AMC

As the World Turns: ATWT

The Bold and the Beautiful: B&B

Days of our Lives: Days

General Hospital: GH

Guiding Light: GL

One Life to Live: OLTL

Passions: dont abbrev except in Nielsens, then use Pas

The Young and the Restless: Y&R

Defunct:

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Another World: AW

Beverly Hills, 90210: 90210

Capitol (not abbreviated)

The City (formerlyLoving; not abbreviated except in Schedule, then just City)

The Colbys (not abbreviated)

Dallas (not abbreviated)Dark Shadows: DS

Dynasty (not abbreviated)

Edge of Night: Edge

Falcon Crest: FC

Flamingo Road: FR

Generations (not abbreviated)

Knots Landing: Knots

Loving (not abbreviated)

Love is a Many Splendored Thing: Splendored

Love of Life: LOL

Melrose Place: MelroseModels Inc.: Models

Party of Five: Party

Port Charles: PC

Santa Barbara: SB

Search for Tomorrow: Search

Somerset(not abbreviated)

Sunset Beach: Sunset

Ryans Hope: RH

Texas (not abbreviated)

The Doctors (not abbreviated)The Secret Storm: Storm

Twin Peaks: TP

shtick Yiddish for routine, as in what someones thing is: Comedy is Lucys

shtick. Spelling is first use in Web. 11

-size

Always use -size for compound adjectives, never -sized. For example: full-size, not

full-sized.

slide show

Sneak Peeks and Last Week / Style

Characters are referred to by first name only. There are rare exceptions: someone very

new to the show, or someone always referred to by both names (Dr. Bob Smith), or if two

recent characters share the same name (GLs Ben Reade and Ben Warren).

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Captions are only used if more than one person is shown. Otherwise, use a

directional arrow in text or a slug.

Avoid passive voice and convoluted constructions. (e.g., write Tom kissed

Mary, rather than Mary was the woman with whom Tom recently shared a kiss.) Keep

text short and snappy.

Song Titles

Change to former WEEKLYstyle: Use quotes, not italics: The Way You Do the Things

You Do. The album title would be in italics.

Spaces

Single space, not double, after each period and colon in text.

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

This is what wedding guests do, as admonished by the officiating clergy, rather than

speak their piece.

speakerphone one word

Split Infinitives

In most cases, do notsplit a verb in its infinitive form to cautiously open should be

to open cautiously.

Exceptions: when necessary to convey added meaning, as in He wanted to really

help his mother, or Those who lie are often found out.

Spokesman, Spokesperson, Spokeswoman

Identify the sex of the source by using spokesman or spokeswoman. Use spokesperson ifthe sex has not been identified in a press release, or if the source wishes to remain totally

anonymous.

spreadsheet one word

stand-alone hyphenated

start/stop

Only use in quoted material.

start-up noun

start up verb

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State Names

Spell them out in text when they stand alone: There are many computer software

companies located in California.

Abbreviate them when they follow a specific city: Apple Computer is located in

Cupertino, Calif.

Note that a third comma is necessary in the following to offset the state from theparenthetical phrase: Michael, who lived in Highland Park, N.J., did not go to nearby

Rutgers.

There are two choices for Oregon and Wisconsin, and the second is preferred in both

cases: Ore. and Wisc.

TheAP Stylebooknotes that eight states are never abbreviated in text: Alaska, Hawaii,

Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. The reasoning behind this is the names look

funny when abbreviated, e.g., Me., Oh., Id. Please adhere to this. (See also Cities

entry.)

SeeAP Style for more.

Story Outline

A story outline might seem like busy work, but it can be invaluable in helping a writer

shape the story. Heres a sample:

LEAD: What are the important conclusions/benefits to the reader (in 20 words or

less)? Then write the HEADLINE. Never write a headline that could be written before

the story is reported or written.

PEG: Why was the story written? (Background, previous article, law, act). Not

required for all stories.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: What will be covered? (A, B, C, etc.)

STRUCTURE: Point by point (for writer only); give information, ideas, figures,

actual experiences, and an authoritative opinion.

Suffixes

Usually, combine as one word, especially if adjectival: picturesque, supplemental,

honorable, helpful, tasteless, funny (yes, y is technically considered a suffix meaning

being like), and so on.

If unsure, consult Web. 11.

See also the Prefix entry.

Ttchotchke

Yiddish for trinket or knickknack; first t is not pronounced.

TelePrompter

Tells, overuse of

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Avoid overuse of tells (or similar verbs) in synopses. In some cases, tells or told

appears four or five times in one synopsis, which is way too much. Try informs,

advises, admits, confesses, relates, fills in, and so on. See also the

Attributions entry.

That vs. WhichThat introduces a restrictive or essential phrase some indispensable restriction for

understanding the sentences main point: The notebook that is on the desk is mine

(meaning that the notebook on the desk is mine; I dont know who owns the one on the

floor). Restrictive phrases are notset off by commas.

Which introduces a nonrestrictive or nonessential clause; one that gives an extra

bit of information: The notebook, which is on the desk, is mine (meaning that the

notebook is mine, and by the way, its on the desk). Nonrestrictive phrases are set off by

commas.

Note: Be careful when removing the word thatfrom copy. Review theAP

Stylebook. It is rarely wrong to leave it in, but it is often wrong to remove it.

Their, There, Theyre

See the Possessives entry.

three-dimensional (3-D)

Time

Use: 8 p.m., 8:30 a.m. Avoid the following: 8 a.m. in the morning, and 7:00 p.m. Also, 12

noon and 12 midnight are redundant; use noon or midnight only. Use numerals when

speaking of the actual amount of time: The test took 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Time zone abbreviations are as follows: ET (Eastern), CT (Central), MT (Mountain),and PT (Pacific). EST (Eastern Standard Time), CST, PST, MST, or EDT (Eastern

Daylight Time) should be avoided if possible.

Hyphenate time spans; e.g., five-and-a-half years, three-and-a-half months, 20-

something and 30-something.

time frame two words

timesaver

Titles, PeopleTitles before a name are uppercase; after a name, they are lowercase: Executive Producer

Jill Farren Phelps; Jill Farren Phelps, executive producer. Or: GHs executive producer,

Jill Farren Phelps. Some specific examples of names that are tricky to spell:

Sheraton Kalouria, senior vice president, Daytime Programs for NBC

Entertainment

Angela Shapiro, former president of ABC Daytime

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to-do list

Toll-free

Use this rather than 800 when referring to free service via phone: a toll-free number.

toolbar

toolbox

toolkit

touch screen

toward do notuse towards

trade in (noun); trade-in (verb)

trade off(noun); trade-off(verb)

Trademarks

Always use the generic term if possible. For example, use facial tissue or tissue instead of

Kleenex, and copy instead of Xerox. Here are some familiar trademarks; check the

International Trademark Association Web site (www.inta.org/tmcklst1.htm) for a very

extensive list of trademarked names. If you must use one, make sure it carries a TM or R

mark, whichever the company uses. Use option+2 to get TM: and option + R to get .

Black & Decker

Breathalyzer

Bud Light

Chia Pet

Chuck E Cheeses

Cover Girl

Cuisinart

Disneyland (California); Walt Disney World (Florida)

Dumpster

Elizabeth Arden

Froot Loops

Garanimals

Hagen-Dazs

Head & Shoulders

Jet Ski; do not use as a verb, i.e., Jet Skiing

Kmart

Levis

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M.A.C (brand of makeup; no period after C)

Magic Marker

Mop & Glo

Neutrogena

Noxzema

NyQuilOrigins

PayDay (candy bar)

Popsicle

Pop-Tarts

Q-tips

Revlon

Rollerblade

Rolls Royce

Shake n Bake

SpaghettiOs

Sta-Puft marshmallow man/woman (no y)

StairMaster (one word)

Starbucks

Steadicam

Tasters Choice

Thighmaster

Tic Tac; plural: Tic Tac mints or Tic Tac candies, NOT Tic Tacs

Touch-Tone (cap Ts with hyphen)

Ty-D-Bol

Velcro

Wash-N-DriWet Ones

Woolite

York Peppermint Pattie

Transitional Words and Phrases

TO INDICATE ADDITION: again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, first,

finally, further, furthermore, in addition, last, lastly, likewise, moreover, next, second,

secondly, third, thirdly, too

TO INDICATE CONTRAST: and yet, after all, at the same time, although true, but,

for all that, however, in contrast, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the

other hand, still, yet, in spite ofTO INDICATE COMPARISON: similarly, likewise, in a like manner

TO INDICATE SUMMARY: in brief, in short, on the whole, to sum up, to

summarize, in conclusion, to conclude

TO INDICATE SPECIAL FEATURES OR EXAMPLES: for example, for instance,

indeed, incidentally, in fact, in other words, that is, specifically, in particular

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TO INDICATE RESULT: accordingly, consequently, hence, therefore, thus, truly, as

a result, then, in short

TO INDICATE THE PASSAGE OF TIME: afterward, at length, immediately, in the

meantime, meanwhile, soon, at last, after a short time, while, thereupon, thereafter,

temporarily, until, presently, shortly, lately, of la

sow style guide

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