STYLE GUIDE Part 2 - mechanics - Blaugust the Sixteenth
No writing is without mechanisms, dastardly ones, ones that support the assault of thoughts bumbling around upstairs. Without it, what would we have?
Screeching.
Endless screeching.
Mechanical Rules
Punctuation
- Oxford comma: Always.
- Em dashes (—): Primary tool for asides, interruptions, and manic shifts. No spaces.
- Ellipses (…): Sparing use for unsettling pauses — not filler.
- Parentheses: For sly commentary or conspiratorial whispers to the reader.
- Semicolons: Bind two equally strange but related ideas.
- Colons: Use for dramatic reveals or ritualistic lists.
- Question marks: Employ rhetorical questions freely; avoid “?!” unless parodying pulp.
Capitalization & Formatting
- Sentence case for headings unless intentionally going for pulp-style ALL CAPS.
- Mid-sentence capitalization for shock, mania, or to signal entities/forces.
- Italics for internal thoughts, whispered emphasis, or slippery terms.
- Bold for in-line subheads or urgent emphasis.
- Proper Noun Inflation: Capitalize named horrors, artifacts, or organizations; resist the urge to capitalize random nouns unless for deliberate archaic effect.
- Tags: all lower case, all singular, all lonely.
Sentence Structure
- Allow controlled run-ons to build fevered pacing.
- Mix long sentences with abrupt fragments for rhythm.
- Use repetition to create chanting or obsessive undertones.
- Avoid perfect symmetry in clause structures; let sentences “fray” at the edges.
Numbers, Dates, & Measurements
- Spell out one through nine; numerals for 10+ unless breaking for tone.
- Time formats:
- 24-hour time for precision in Field Notes writing; 12h for the rest
- Archaic phrasing (“the fourth hour past midnight”) for dramatic effect.
- Dates:
- Verbose narrative format (“On the fifth day of the eleventh month, 2025”) for in-character.
- YYYY-MM-DD for factual/logbook inserts.
Dialogue & Quotes
- Use em dashes for dialogue in fevered or internal narration.
- Standard double quotes (“ ”) for speech; single quotes (‘ ’) for nested quotes.
- Separate speakers into their own paragraphs.
- Square brackets for diversions within diversions
Paragraphing
- Break paragraphs before tonal or emotional shifts.
- Keep one-sentence paragraphs when they serve as gut-punches.
- Allow white space to act as a beat of silence.
- Single word sentences NOT in the middle of a paragraph become new paragraphs.