Writing Guide

From Hayven Celestia
Revision as of 10:37, 17 November 2025 by Rick Griffin (talk | contribs)

In Alphabetical Order

Note: You can always break the rules. Just run it by someone before final drafting.

Transcription

  • Accents - Nothing so heavy as to be indistinguishable from gibberish, unless it's a language not yet in the translators.
  • Hands - Use paws, claws, or whatever is appropriate to the species over hands. Or if writing an anup, don't mention them at all, pervert.
    • Exceptions - Words like handed, handling, handsome, handedly, etc. If it's a handy verb or adjective, probably doesn't need adjusting.
      • Exceptions to the exceptions - Punning is pawesome.
  • Man/Woman - No humans here. Use male, female, enby, or species name. You can use terms like "lady" for the vibes, but do so sparingly or try to find an alternative.
  • Measurements - Metric system is preferred.
    • Exceptions - Beer can be measured in pints because metric doesn't have a convenient term for 470ml.
  • Nose - Functional, but consider snouts, snoots, proboscis, or even antennae as appropriate.
  • Puns - As many as you can! Make Gre7g suffer!


Typesetting

  • Bold - At your own risk. In other stories, bold is sometimes used in standalone centered text like reading out signage, but it's preferred not to use it in-line.
  • Italics - For emphasis, titles (books and ship names, not personal titles), thoughts (without quotations), alternative communiques (lip reading, chemical signals, flash [morse] code). In a line of italics, un-italicize to indicate emphasis.
    • ex: We need to infiltrate the White Flower II in order to acquire their delicious fruit pies, she thought.
  • Underline - At your own risk.