7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors

7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors 7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors 7 Reference Resources for Writers and Editors By Mark Nichol What guides and handbooks does a careful writer (or editor) rely on? I’ve consulted many resources, but the ones on this list have pride of place and show the most wear and tear. 1. The Associated Press Stylebook Associated Press style and Chicago style (see below) differ in some respects, but many of the listings in this alphabetically organized resource will set you straight about how to treat many common and proper nouns. 2. The Chicago Manual of Style This is the primary resource, after a house style guide, for many American publishing companies and other companies that produce publications, providing guidance about grammar and usage as well as topics like abbreviation, capitalization and other emphasis (such as italics or boldface), numbers, and punctuation. It’s only one of many, but it’s preeminent. 3. The Copyeditor’s Handbook This paperback guide, originally conceived as a companion to Chicago, is similar in organization but formatted more like a textbook (I’ve used it as such with great success), with exercises at the back of each chapter. It’s more accessible but not as comprehensive than the preceding book. 4. Garner’s Modern American Usage Language maven Bryan Garner’s authoritative, encyclopedic tome about proper use of words is the definitive specimen of this type. 5. Merriam-Webster’s Biographical Dictionary This is a handy resource for double-checking names of famous people or their life spans (and years in office or on a throne). The publisher’s general dictionary includes in its appendixes both biographical and geographical dictionaries, but the listings in the stand-alone publications are much more extensive. 6. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Actually, I generally use Merriam-Webster Online, but the print version is handy for finding all the words that start with a certain prefix, or coming up with an alliterative adjective. 7. Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary Find out the current spellings of foreign cities and the official names of countries and their land area and population. The latter figure will be out of date, and you can find this information (and that available in the biographical dictionary) online, but you may prefer flipping pages to clicking through sites. This list is not a purchasing guide don’t blindly buy any of these books. Visit your local library and take a look at them, then decide which are good investments for your needs. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a US Business LetterUsed To vs. Use ToPrepositions to Die With