Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers

by Australian Government Publishing Service

Anyone faced with the task of preparing material for publication needs guidance. This sixth edition of the Style Manual provides guidance and detailed advice on publishing in both print and electronic formats. It represents a substantial revision in response to the rapid and extensive changes that have occurred in publishing since the fifth edition was produced in 1994.The new Style Manual continues to provide detailed information and recommendations on the best practices in design, editing, production and writing.This edition builds on the Style Manual's reputation as an outstanding Australian reference standard for all those who understand the value of effective communication.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Writing, Design, Australia

550 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

Reviews

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential!
This is a life-saver if you're trying to write something for official Australian government use. It seems to tackle an awful lot of potential questions, including how to refer to or address particular government representatives. This isn't the UK and it isn't the US, but we have to tread a line somewhere between them, stylistically speaking.

[Hinterland Hallucinations · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has got to be the best resource for me as an author so far! Most of the books and reference material on the market deal with the U.S. ecosystem or only touch on a small part of the process in editing and getting a product ready for market. ‘Style Manual’ shows all of the basics, standards, and processes for publishing all sorts of material. It can get detailed and not all of the information may apply to you, but it covers all the essentials.

‘Style Manual’ takes into account industry standards, the laws, and even inclusivity. You get language and explanations for everything, right to the back of house stuff that you wouldn’t even think of. I wish I had this earlier in my life because it would’ve been an invaluable resource throughout my career in business.

I love how everything is standardised, yet it lets you allow to tailor your material and what rules you can and can’t break. So many books on the editing basics are from the U.S. and our spelling, grammar rules and standards differ here in Australia and it was fantastic to see it all laid out in one reference to refer to: so if you’re writing for wide release or and American market you have one standard to follow, and if your targeting an Australian market, you have another clear set of standards to follow. It was so simple.

This book covers all the extraneous material too – it would be a long list to include in my review, but just check out the table of contents of the book and you’ll see the enormous topics this book covers. I’m delightfully happy with this purchase and can’t recommend it strongly enough.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Australian editor, this is the "bible". Doesn't mean you have to agree with everything in it or follow every word without thinking, but it's worth knowing what it says. Good background on publishing and printing too, as well as the basics of language copyediting. This 2002 edition is well overdue for an update, as language and practices change over time (the government is working on it).

[Jenna Pretzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential resource for writers.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-have for Australian editors. A tad clunky sometimes to find things. Wish it was online!

[Leila T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

25.11.2011: Reading/referencing it as I copy-edit a PhD thesis that will be submitted to an Australian university.

It's interesting to see the differences among Aus style, US style and UK style, but I have to say that it's only increasing my love for The Chicago Manual of Style.

[Andy Quan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sometimes find info hard to find, and don't always like the layout, but it's not like I have a choice. As an editor in Australia, this is the bible. Hopefully the next edition will have improvements.

[NoBeatenPath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the bible of style for Australian publications. Anyone who is writing or publishing in Australia needs a copy of this book. Simple.

[Kerrie Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential for copyediting/editing + general study/work formatting.