On Sept. 2, 2026, we hosted a #StetChat about style sheets. We talked about what a style sheet is and how editors create, use, and maintain style sheets while editing.
Please be patient while this blog post page loads—it contains lots of embedded Bluesky links.
We always recommend joining #StetChat live when you can, but that’s not always realistic for everyone. Or maybe you joined us live, but the chat moved so fast that you didn’t see all the questions and insights from fellow editors. We want to make it easy for you to peek into the conversation after the #StetChat is over.
In this blog post, we’ve rounded up the questions we posed and some of the best answers from our #StetChat about style sheets.
There were too many answers to include them all! And some people’s privacy settings mean we can’t link to their posts because their posts are only visible to logged-in users.
Click on the Bluesky links below to read the full threads and posts from #StetChat over on Bluesky.
#StetChat Style Sheets Recap
Click through this Bluesky post to see editors introducing themselves!
#StetChatters, please introduce yourself. Remember to use the hashtag #StetChat for all your answers today.And remember, if you miss a question, you can see all the questions under the Media tab on our profile.
— #StetChat (@stetchat.com) 2026-09-02T19:58:01.512Z
Q1: What’s the difference between a style sheet, style guide, and style manual?
A1: style manual: For APA: The Publication Manual of the APA (7th ed.)style guides: handouts that provide additional examples and context, to help in learning and applying the manual's guidelines: apastyle.apa.org/instructiona…(1/2) #stetchat
— APA Style (@apastyle.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:12:02.836Z
A1:style sheet: specific document an author or editor creates to keep track of decisions within a particular paper. Similar to our tip sheet handout: apastyle.apa.org/instructiona…(2/2) #stetchat
— APA Style (@apastyle.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:12:02.837Z
I've had to use APA Style for a couple of projects. Since I'm so used to using Chicago Manual of Style, I had to keep telling myself "opposite, opposite"!Thankfully, the APA manual is pretty easy to use. #StetChat
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:16:55.302Z
A1: Broadly:A style manual, such as Chicago or APA, provides generalized decisions on lots of scenarios.A style guide covers ways in which a particular publisher or division handles things differently than the style manual.A style sheet covers decisions made on a particular book.#StetChat
— Stevonnie Ross (@mxs510.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:10:31.213Z
A1: If your book is traditionally published, that publisher likely has their own style guide that outlines their house’s stylistic preferences.Your copyeditor will create a style sheet specific to your book.Chicago, APA, AP are style manuals.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:06:04.880Z
A1 pt 1. I think of it like three umbrellas: Big umbrella is the style manual, like CMOS/AP/MLA/APA, etc. Medium umbrella is a style guide, which would be like "house style" [cont.] #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:08:20.045Z
A1 pt 2. and this would blend aspects of the broader manual with style decisions/adjustments for this specific publisher. And a style sheet would be for a specific book, incorporating AU’s preferences with house+manual stylings. #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:09:02.414Z
A1 a: A style sheet can be 1 to as many pages as you need, to catalogue the specifics you use for style, and story elements like character names, habits, descriptions, worldbuilding, language or habitats, magic systems, weapons, word and spelling lists in the MS you are working on.#StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:35:01.786Z
A1 b: A style guide outlines standards for formatting, writing & designing a document or manuscript specific to an AU's multi-book series & more often, a publication (Magazines, Publishing houses). These can be of a few dozen up to a hundred or so pages & often focuses on branding. e.g. APA and AMA
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:35:01.787Z
A1 c: A style manual would be book-length: several hundred pages long with extensive details on formatting, writing and designing standards. An examples of a style manual would be #CMOS: The Chicago Manual of Style 18th Edition
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:35:01.788Z
#StetChat A1Style guides and manuals are more general. A publishing house has their own style guide to ensure consistency in their publications, and style manuals like The Chicago Manual of Style are used widely in the industry as a basis.A style sheet is for a single book/document or series.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:16:20.007Z
Style sheets are useful for common rules we often forget without needing to crack open the full manual.#StetChat
— Joel Tillman (@jtillman.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:07:57.036Z
A1: A style manual or style guide is a widely recognized resource that provides guidance about grammar, writing style, and publication standards for a certain industry or field—for example, the Chicago Manual of Style for book publishing or AP Stylebook for journalism.
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:06:34.773Z
A1(2): A style sheet/house style is for individual companies or projects and lists any exceptions to the guidance provided by their chosen style guide. It's a great place to document character lists or timelines for novels or company branding information and preferences for businesses. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:09:10.728Z
Q2: How did you learn to create a style sheet?
A2: My first client was an editor who was working the other side of the desk and he gave me the house style sheet for the org that I was working on the project for. I read it and used it and that taught me about style sheets. #StetChat 1/2
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:25:31.737Z
Since then, if an editor writes a blog post (say) about style sheets, I'll usually read it to see if I can pick up any tips. 2/2 #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:28:01.563Z
This is one thing I love about proofreading! Every now and then, I see something on another copyeditor’s style sheet that I love, and so I add it to my style sheet template too.
— Kelley Frodel (@kelleyfrodel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:17:20.010Z
A2. For creating them, I think it was primarily through UChicago’s editing program! Plus also getting experience on projects seeing other people’s style sheets and learning how I liked to make my own (as far as formats, sections, etc.) #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:12:30.051Z
A2: I took a course in Copyediting at Emerson College long ago. (And, just as importantly, I observed style sheets made by colleagues and learned by example.)#StetChat
— Stevonnie Ross (@mxs510.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:12:32.335Z
A2: The Copyeditor's Handbook is a great resource for learning how to build a style sheet. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:12:31.066Z
A2: Learned under the tutelage of Christa Desir during my Tessera mentorship, then went and got more nitty-grittt with the details. Then I was on a PR and saw the CE's style sheet and decided I needed to incorporate things like tables.
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:27:40.123Z
A2: I did a deep dive into @amyjschneider.bsky.social's 4-part blog about style sheets on The American Editor, and took EFA's "Copyediting Fiction Part 2: The Style Sheet" webinar.
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:42:25.333Z
A2: I first learned how to follow an in-house style guide while working at an in-house editing role.Then I learned how to create individual book style sheets during my UChicago editing certificate courses. #StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:11:45.772Z
A2: I use a Google Sheets style sheet that I adapted from Jeri Walker’s template that looks like this! You can see more examples of what it looks like in my blog post about how I do my style sheets:carolinavonkampen.com/style-sheet/ #StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:12:18.383Z
I originally learned how to create a style sheet from my editing certificate program at the University of California, San Diego. Over the years, I’ve been an editorial magpie and taken bits and pieces from other editors’ style sheet examples while also creating my own. #StetChat
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:13:19.082Z
"Ad-hoc assemblage of every little thing I see, recategorized, refined and streamlined over the years": my style sheets. #StetChat
— Shecky (@shecky.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:25:19.989Z
A2: I learnt about style sheets while studying copyediting at UCSD
— Saesnes (@saesnes.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:13:15.948Z
A2: Because I am An Old, I learned as I learned most of editing: on the job. Editorial Assistants were trained up kinda like apprentices: you saw what your bosses were doing, read everything they handed you, and asked questions.Then you got to do it yourself, with someone checking on you.1/
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:55.907Z
It's important to remember that in those days, we did not have computers or electronic filing. One of my bosses used a dictaphone and I typed all their letters, including editorial letters. I did all the filing and I read _everything_–copy, contracts, letters, manuscripts, transmittals, etc. 2/
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:55.908Z
Undoubtedly my style sheets are highly idiosyncratic as a result of never having been formally taught or asked to use a template.But they seem to have worked for various publishers over the decades, so . . . . 🤷♀️#StetChat
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:55.909Z
#StetChat A2I took an introduction course to copyediting at the CIEP. I don't copyedit yet, but I do line edits, and the principle of a style sheet is still useful, especially when editing speculative fiction, when you need to keep track of invented terms.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:22:09.603Z
Q3: How do you use a style sheet while editing?
A3: I'm in fiction, so I use it on the first pass to fill out terms, do chapter summaries, and possibly note author style. On the second pass, I fill in anything I missed, a timeline if needed, and style rules that authors may be less familiar with.
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:29:48.863Z
A3a: Setting a style sheet up is one of the first tasks I tackle when starting a new job. When time allows, I like to do one pass of the document where I enter game-specific/book-specific terms as well as any terms that I need to look up. #StetChat 1/2
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:17:30.172Z
A3b: For example, I’ve worked on a light novel series for years. When I read the manuscript, I avoid editing it. Instead, I’ll highlight what I want to fix. I also amend the style sheet with updated info about characters, add new non-English terms, and write brief chapter summaries. #StetChat 2/2
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:17:30.173Z
A3: As a developmental editor and line-editor, I build style sheets as I go. But I don't use them for every project. If there are only a few characters, a real-world setting, and a fairly straightforward plot, my style sheet might be quite short, basically a list.1/
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:01:51.887Z
But for longer or more complex works, I divide by characters, places, concepts (like religion or business naming conventions), animals, invented words, etc. For characters, I sometimes include family tree info & basics of appearance. For places, I usually put an explanation as well as the 2/
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:01:51.888Z
place name, like "Avalon, a forest in the north, mostly pine and fir" or "Bordomme, the smallest of the islands in the eastern chain but for some reason, the only one with a name." For invented words, I add the definition (and use if pertinent). 3/
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:01:51.889Z
A3: I just leave it open as I work and check or add words as needed. #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:37:59.000Z
Ugh! I keep forgetting to #StetChat my replies.A3: I make them in a Word doc–I don't like Excel. I divide it by info on characters, habitat, geography (F, SF). Technology get's it's own section, specific spellings and word list go in another. World and character specific phrases like exclamations.
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:20.312Z
If it's a series, I note which book the character appeared in before. A lot of copy-pasting because I'm still learning how to use the CopyToListAlphabetic macro. I keep the font type and size the same as the MS, just in case I need to add something from the style sheet back to the MS. #StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:20.313Z
#StetChat A3p1As a line editor, I'm not responsible for style consistency, but I still want to make sure I'm not introducing any inconsistencies, so keeping track is still important. I also use the style sheet to reference character names, speculative elements and terminology, etc.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:34:47.305Z
#StetChat A3p2I also keep track of the recurrent choices I make to enhance the voice and prose so the author has a reference to understand the global direction of my edits (this I learnt from the line editing course at the EFA).
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:34:47.337Z
A3: Academic clients sometimes come to me unsure of the style preferred by a given department or journal. Tracking the conventions I've applied helps me stay consistent and allows me or the client to easily make global changes later if needed. #StetChat
— Magedah Shabo (@magedah.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:44:50.009Z
A3 (1): I use a style sheet to track key terms, numbers, and names, examples of citations, special characters like diacritics, and style choices like whether to italicize certain words or enclose them in quotation marks. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:18:45.307Z
A3(2): This is also where I'll jot down notes about formatting the author has requested and any publisher house guidelines that vary from the style manual. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:19:22.570Z
A3: While I’m editing, I have the manuscript open on my main screen and keep my style sheet (and other editing tools) open on the second screen.I look for words that need to be double-checked for spelling, capitalization, or accuracy.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:22:21.955Z
A3: Once I’ve verified the correct spelling of a word, I copy and paste the correct spelling into the style sheet.Copy and paste is key because you don't want to accidentally mistype the word into the style sheet! 😅#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:23:01.373Z
Q4: Do you have any tips or tricks for creating or maintaining a style sheet?
#StetChat A4Update it immediately! You'll forget otherwise.There are plenty of templates and software out there, and all of them work, but find something that works for you. There's no one way to make a style sheet. The important thing is that it's easy for you to fill in and to reference.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:43:35.893Z
#StetChat A4p2Also, macros can make your job so much easier. And in the case of style sheets, it can especially help you to make lists or analyse data.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:45:01.700Z
ProperNounAlyse, FullNameAlyse, and CopyToListAlphabetic are three of my favorite macros for style sheets. What are yours? #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:46:44.952Z
A4. I try to keep any formatting pretty simple so it’s easy + quick to add new info and keep track of which sections go where as info spreads onto/across new pages. I also love using section headers so I can quick jump between each item without having to scroll (kind of like CMOS online). #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:24:15.325Z
Heading style for easier navigation can be a lifesaver! (Also why I recommend formatting all chapter titles with heading style, or will do this for a client if they don't know how to do it themself).
— Mumbling Sage In Wisconsin (@mumblingsage.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:55:39.102Z
Please, please, PLEASE make use of the navigation pane. I have gotten style sheets that are just lists of words with some line breaks and it makes me froth with anger. Help your production team out by organizing the info!!!
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:39:15.879Z
A4: I use the navigation pane religiously and hotlink every subsection of my sheet so I can jump to it immediately, whether it's place names, other words, the character list, the summaries, or styling, like punctuation, capping, number treatment, etc.
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:31:58.080Z
For special circumstances, like ingredients or components, I'll create a new section, add any term I see that fits, then use the alphabetize function in Word to alphabetize. My term lists, I'll alphabetize those myself, as I add terms.
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:33:06.805Z
OH, I forgot – when creating a new template, content controls are so nice to have! Having fields to input title, editor name, etc. is a small touch that makes me feel like a total pro, and content controls are better at preserving formatting. #StetChat
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:51:42.967Z
A4: Use Word styles for headings or character names if the information is particularly dense, so you can use the Navigation Pane to jump to that section in the style sheet instead of scrolling through the document. The Find function is also helpful to navigate an extensive style sheet.#StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:56:46.380Z
A4: Have two (or more) monitors: one for the document you're editing and one for your style sheet. It's easier to update your sheet when you don't have to switch between windows or reopen files. Using a macro like CopyToListAlphabetic is helpful too! #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:23:24.530Z
A4(2): For new clients, we start with a template that has examples built in so it's less overwhelming. #StetChattcb6zn.subscribepage.io
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:27:53.564Z
A4: I just update it as I work. It becomes part of the workflow and that's the easiest way to keep it current. #STetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:40:52.300Z
A4: Always update as you go and sort alphabetically within sections. Even if a name/place/thing appears only once, it's worth writing down, for the copyeditor & proofreader.Plus it then becomes a guide for the next book, if there is one.#StetChat
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:04:33.082Z
A4: As I edit, I can alphabetize the words in my style sheet so that if I encounter the same word later in the manuscript, I can easily double-check its spelling and usage.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:24:16.105Z
A4: I use my MerriamFetch macro to pull up a search for the word on Merriam-Webster to ensure it’s spelled correctly, or if it’s a person, place, or other proper noun, I use my GoogleFetch macro to pull up a search of the word to check its spelling before it goes into the style sheet. #StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:25:21.338Z
A4: At the end, I go through the style sheet and search for variants of words in the MS to make everything consistent.If “bed-and-breakfast” is in the style sheet, I’ll search the manuscript for “bed & breakfast” or “bed and breakfast” to make sure only one spelling is used throughout.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:26:14.933Z
PerfectIt saves my bacon on things like this!
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:34:58.005Z
A4a: First, I’m going to share an article I wrote about creating a 150-page(!) style sheet for Blue Planet: Recontact, a 600-page TTRPG. www.linkedin.com/pulse/gettin… #StetChat 1/2
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:22:28.405Z
Q5: Do you ever use nontraditional sources for your style sheets, such as a fan-created wiki or Urban Dictionary?
A5a: Boy howdy have I! In the last game I edited, I cited the International Olympic Committee’s page about bobsleigh. In my current project, a TTRPG that uses Draw Steel mechanics, I’m using the unofficial MCDM Wiki (MCDM is the company who created Draw Steel). #StetChat 1/2
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:33:43.561Z
#StetChat Q5.Hello, I've been lurking today but this will be a fun one for me to answer so I had to jump in! I've done some editing/reading for a friend who writes Sherlock Holmes stories and I always keep The Complete Sherlock Holmes website handy in case I need to check something against it.
— Amaris (@amarisfarr.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:38:14.209Z
A5: Sometimes! If, let's say, I'm trying to verify a spelling from something in a video game, and I can't find an official source, I will take a wiki made by fans of that video game as good testimony. 😊#StetChat
— Stevonnie Ross (@mxs510.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:37:24.833Z
A5. Yes! I’ve had to go to some fan/video game wikis in the past, as well as referencing styling decisions for other games and TTRPGS using similar terminology. #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:36:03.034Z
A5: I have gone and asked various experts questions about terms. I think the most extra I've been was when I called the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum to verify address and phone number, or when I contacted the Cherokee Nation to verify a myth widely attributed to them. #StetChat
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:10:54.813Z
I've cited OpenLibrary and Amazon "Look Inside" feature for verifying quoted materials.
— Martin Schneider (@wovenstrap.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:39:15.178Z
A5: Oh all the time! Urban Dictionary is great for slang and fan-created wikis are great for verifying spellings and such for quickly verifying references in a contemporary novel
— Lydia Rogue (@lydiarogue.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:25:01.305Z
A5: Oh yeah. Buzzfeed style guide has been consulted. So has Google Ngram for terms that aren't in MW.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:37:17.970Z
A5: For manuscripts that mention real places, I'm often trawling Google Maps to check details about locations!For my current copyedit, I've got a Hawaiian hotel's site open to check the names of pools, lagoons, beaches, and towers.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:37:39.131Z
A5: For books I worked on about birds of Maine and Rhode Island, the Delorme atlases for those states were invaluable (lots of easily misspelled place names in both states that were used over and over again. There was some googling, but Delorme seemed more authorative. #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:53:55.431Z
For the RI book, I had to get a book of the plants of RI, because the author wanted to follow that book’s style for plant common names. #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:48:38.191Z
A5: And sometimes, I'll go look up how a term has been handled in birding magazines or just "How did we do this in the last state book we did?" #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:11:10.063Z
Q5: I'm late to this, but it reminded me of the time I needed to reference the Simpson's fan wiki for a nonprofit's impact assessment.#StetChat
— Wes Cowley (@wes.wordsbywes.ink) 2026-09-02T22:35:01.017Z
A5: All the time as a QA proofreader. For example, if I have to check company names I will go on their websites. #StetChat
— Saesnes (@saesnes.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:37:27.326Z
I frequently reference www.serebii.net for all my Pokémon queries! Joe Merrick did good. I also used to reference pojo.com for TCG info. Actually my first online publication.www.pojo.com/yu-gi-oh/CCG…#StetChat
— Joel Tillman (@jtillman.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:41:09.817Z
Oh, and this one for Neopetswww.jellyneo.net#StetChat
— Joel Tillman (@jtillman.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:27:55.481Z
A5: Urban Dictionary and Wikis can be helpful at times. I also belong to a ConLang, a World Building, and a couple of Interactive Fiction Discord servers that I rely on. I have a couple of edibuddies who help with language-related Qs#StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:01:35.219Z
#StetChat A5A google search can be surprisingly useful when you're not sure where to look, especially for anything specialised or regional. After that, it's a matter of finding reliable sources in the results. I've definitely checked the Urban Dictionary a few times.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:02:53.402Z
A5: I've had to check Urban Dictionary plus the maps and wiki pages for Disneyland/Disney World for manuscripts before. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:35:16.206Z
Q6: Do you edit your own style sheet before you hand it off to the author, publisher, proofreader, etc.?
A6: Of course! I double-check all terms, reread and edit my summaries, and eliminate rules listed that don't apply. Often there are no quotations either, so I eliminate that section of the sheet. #StetChat
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:42:54.230Z
I also mark which terms have been queried with a (queried) and, for nonfiction, sometimes mark the page numbers where an unusual term appears. I like to think I'm helping the indexer.
— Mia Tsai says buy her books (@itsamia.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:45:02.536Z
A6: Yes, because there are going to be errors in the style sheet or things that have changed over the course of the edit. proofreading the style sheet is often the last task I do on a copyedit before I send it to the author/publisher. #StetChat
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:40:59.434Z
A6: I proof/edit everything I write, including my own style sheets. If being an editor for [redacted] years has taught me anything, it's that no one is above making mistakes, and a typo is most likely to show up wherever it would be most embarrassing. #StetChat
— Magedah Shabo (@magedah.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:46.581Z
A6: I do. I'll alphabetize key terms, add subheadings to make searching easier, or note items that the publisher or author need to follow up on. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:42:03.600Z
A6. Oooh, yes, absolutely, because I’m often throwing info in there so that *I* can keep track of it, so then it has to be polished up and formatted nicely and made into a presentable resource. 😆 #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:41:26.858Z
A6: Absolutely. I might rearrange things–might pull a whole family's names out of the character section so I can give a brief family tree. Sometimes I discover there are 12 lakes, so I make a new subsection just for lakes. That sort of thing.Also I double-check my spelling! #StetChat
— Melissa Ann Singer (@masinger.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:06:26.229Z
A6: As others have said, there's always cleanup to be done. My chaotic notes may be clear to me, but not necessarily to others. There may be notes in more than one document, too. #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:15:26.393Z
A6: Oh yeah! My notes are for my eyes only. My client gets a nice, cleaned-up version in a PDF if they require one, otherwise it stays with me.#StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:12:02.936Z
#StetChat A6Absolutely! I make sure the formatting is okay and the navigation pane is actually navigable. And I also proofread it, because you never know.
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:12:06.398Z
A6: Yes! Since my style sheet is in Google Sheets, I transfer it to a Word doc so it’s easily readable by the author.I do a proofreading round of my style sheet before I send it to the author. #StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:41:21.462Z
A6: I try to keep it neat as I go along—with all sections either alphabetized or organized in some other clear manner—but, yes, I will do a quick sweep at the end to make sure it'll be clear to those who follow and that I haven't left anything important out.#StetChat
— Stevonnie Ross (@mxs510.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:44:13.989Z
Q7: How should an author use a style sheet after you’ve done the copyedit?
A7: After the copyedit, the author should review the revisions and note on the style sheet any style/spelling choices they want to stet. Then the updated style sheet should go along with the layout file to the proofreader. #StetChat
— BulletProof Writing Services (@bulletproofwriting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:51:53.235Z
#StetChat A7Don't change anything on the style sheet without also changing it in the manuscript. And I remind them to send it to the next person (copy editor, proofreader).
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:23:05.002Z
#StetChatAnd if it's a series, they'll need to use it for the next book too!
— Jesse – Rainbow Pen Editing (@rainbowpenediting.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:24:28.607Z
A7: I tell my self-publishing authors they should look over the style sheet to review the stylistic choices I made in their manuscript and let me know if there are any errors (a foreign word spelled incorrectly, an errant hyphen in someone’s last name, etc.).#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:48:45.159Z
A7: After an author has looked over the style sheet, there’s not much more they need to actively do with it. But do hold on to it—it might be helpful later.#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:49:11.614Z
As an author, you might need your book style sheet if you:–Hire another editor or proofreader to work on the same manuscript.—Write or publish another book in the series.More here under the heading "How an Author Uses a Style Sheet": carolinavonkampen.com/style-sheet/#StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:49:58.243Z
A7. Very carefully! Lol jk, but I try to make sure authors at the CE stage know (if I’m working w/ indie authors, not a publisher) to be careful w/ tinkering. (Keep Track Changes On!) But definitely review it & if making MS adjustments, adjust the style sheet entry too. Consistency is key! #StetChat
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:52:29.590Z
A7: Pre-edit I ask the AU if they have any notes they used to write their book. I find those helpful and it cuts down on time spent adding info directly from the MS. Less decoding for me to do too. #StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:20:06.029Z
A7: A bunch of my recent projects have been co-publishing deals (the org that hires me + a university press) so my style sheet often becomes the basis for the final style sheet, which is augmented and tidied up by the copyeditor that the university press has working on the project. #StetChat
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@jenniferwhanson.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:24:06.772Z
Q8: Are there style sheet templates or style sheet resources you recommend to other editors?
A8: I give this link to my author clients too, so they can use the format for themselves, and it helps to make my work go smoother when the MS comes to me. There are four parts so look out for the next blog at the end.americaneditor.wordpress.com/2015/01/19/t…#StetChat
— Aisha "Ash P" Panjwaneey (@ashpreads.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:23:29.788Z
Amy Schneider's book The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction has been very helpful, so I'm sure this post is also a great resource! #StetChat
— Rachel Lapidow (@editrix-rachel.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:28:43.929Z
A8. Reedsy has this article with some helpful baseline info for authors who haven't encountered style sheets before. (Both to understand where an editor comes in, and how making one as the author can be useful to keep track of things directly.) #StetChatreedsy.com/freelancer/w…
— Raquel ⟡ Fiction Editor (@raqueledits.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T20:58:54.913Z
One of my backburner projects is compiling a variety of shareable resources to add to my website:apastyle.apa.org/instructiona…www.apa.org/about/apa/eq…www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10….www.sfu.ca/rst/05biblio…open.spotify.com/episode/7aZV…www.youtube.com/watch?v=quiE…#StetChat
— Joel Tillman (@jtillman.bsky.social) 2026-09-02T21:04:50.924Z
A8: You can find style sheet templates online, like this style sheet from Louise Harnby: www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/why-i-c… #StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:57:40.645Z
A8: You can read about how other copyeditors develop and maintain their style sheets, like this blog post about TTRPG style sheets from @editrix-rachel.bsky.social:www.rachellapidow.com/writing/2025… #StetChat
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:58:00.884Z
A8: I wrote a blog post all about how I format and use style sheets while copyediting! carolinavonkampen.com/style-sheet/ #StetChat #amediting
— Carolina VonKampen 📚 Freelance Editor (@carolinavonkampen.com) 2026-09-02T20:58:30.426Z
Join #StetChat on Bluesky
Have an answer to one of the questions that you’d like to share? Have a question to piggyback off of someone else’s answer? Got a random tangential question? Join the conversation on Bluesky.
If you couldn’t join the chat live, feel free to jump in and participate asynchronously—that’s the beauty of a Bluesky chat! Jump into any of these threads and chat with your fellow editors.
And join us live for our next #StetChat! We host #StetChat live on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 4–5 p.m. ET / 1–2 p.m. PT. Read how to join #StetChat here.
Our #StetChat: Red Flag Roulette is Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. Join us!
Got a hypothetical red flag client or difficult editing situation that you want to see discussed in a future #StetChat Red Flag Roulette? Submit it anonymously here, and we may use it in an upcoming Red Flag Roulette #StetChat.
