by Bobbie Christmas
Q: Would it be alright to write an entire chapter about someone committing suicide?
A: It would be fine to write a chapter that focuses on one scene or one subject, but it would not be okay to spell “all right” as “alright.”
Q: I see words spelled all sorts of ways, canceled and cancelled and acknowledgment and acknowledgement, for examples. How am I to know which way is the correct way?
A: Your examples show the American spelling first and the British spelling second. If writing for the American market, the correct spellings are “canceled” and “acknowledgment.” To get definitive answers on which spellings are correct or variants, use Merriam-Webster, the dictionary recommended by most American book publishers.
Q: I am checking the proofs of my latest book and need a definitive answer on the spelling of a word. My sources give me conflicting answers. Coworker or co-worker ? Which spelling is correct?
A: Dictionaries differ in their answers, but most book publishers use Merriam-Webster as their final source. According to M-W, the proper spelling is coworker, with no hyphen.
Q: How should I spell the abbreviation for microphone in my novel? Is it “mic” or “mike?” I’ve seen it both ways.
A: Here’s an answer you probably didn’t expect. Don’t use either abbreviation, except in dialogue. Chicago style does not recommend the use of abbreviations in the narrative. Merriam-Webster, however, appears to give the same weight to either spelling of the short form, mic or mike, for use in dialogue. Whichever spelling you use, however, be sure it is consistent throughout the manuscript.
Q: I am writing a book on relaxation. There are many books that give techniques and steps to relax, or to massage, or to breath (sic) correctly. For example, .. (sic) now breath (sic) slowly for 3 seconds, hold for…. or they give specific steps for massage or they do the same for specific yoga movements. I’m wondering if those steps are copywrited (sic) or can someone else write a book citing those same steps almost word for word?
A: Before I respond, let me make sure you plan to use the expertise of an editor before you submit your manuscript or self-publish it. I found at least four misspelled words in addition to other errors in the short paragraph I received. True, it was a first draft, not a polished paragraph, I’m sure, but those errors are still an indication of a tendency to miss obvious misspellings, so I want you to be aware of the issue. Don’t let it stop you from writing your book, though; simply use a professional editor before you take the final manuscript into the publishing phase.
As to your question about copyrights, if you are an expert in the field of relaxation—that is, you have mastered the art and have a new approach for teaching it—you will automatically write your book from your own perspective and not cite the same steps word for word that someone else has written. Techniques cannot be copyrighted, but the words and word order used to describe the techniques can be, so don’t use or even look at anyone else’s descriptions of the techniques when you write your own, and then yours will almost certainly be unique. If your descriptions are unique, not copied from some other source, you won’t have infringed on any copyright.
If you still have concerns, check with an attorney familiar with copyright law. To find an attorney with that expertise, check with the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts organization closest to you.
Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications, will answer your questions, too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Read more Ask the Book Doctor questions and answers at www.zebraeditor.com.
