The Standard Ebooks Manual of Style

The Standard Ebooks Manual of Style describes a complete approach to editing and producing ebooks, from internal code style to semantic enhancement and typography rules.

If a rule is not covered in this manual, the directive is to follow the rules in the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition.

These rules align closely with the style rules used in modern publishing. However, books from the turn of the 20th century and older may appear to follow different rules. Producers are expected to adjust those older conventions to match this manual.

Having said that, literature is a complex and multifaceted art, and in the process of converting older books some may call for a bending of a rule, or for an outright exception. Producers should not feel bound to slavishly follow these directives if a book seems to cry out for an exception. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” If unsure, producers are welcomed to contact the Standard Ebooks Editor in Chief for final-word guidance.

To contribute to this manual, including reporting issues or suggestions, please visit the GitHub repository or contact the mailing list.

Editor-in-chief: Alex Cabal

Contributors (in alpha order): David Grigg, B. Timothy Keith, Vince Rice, Emma Sweeney, Robin Whittleton.