When the time comes for you to start writing, please make every effort to follow this house-style guide. This will make the editorial process as efficient, accurate, and enjoyable as possible for everyone involved. It will also reduce the probability of errors later down the line, and makes it easier for our editors to focus on the more important thingāyour writing!
We take great care to ensure consistency across everything we publish, especially within the same series. So before you begin writing, please take a good look at another title in the series you are writing for, if applicableāor a similar Good Book Company productāand follow what you see.
Thank you for making the effort to serve us, and your readers, in this way.
To make your writing as accessible as possible, please use the full name of the Bible bookādo not abbreviate. Bible references should be written as follows:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Subsequent references in the same Bible book and chapter can be referenced like this:
(v 17)
Note: No āvvā required for multiple verses. No full stop after āvā.
Where a reference crosses into a new chapter, link the two chapters like this:
2 Timothy 3:16 ā 4:2
Please ensure you use the correct Bible translation. Most products use the ESV or NIV 2011. You should discuss with your PM if you plan to use something different.
Feel free to quote from different translations where this is important to the point you are making. Please make this clear by denoting the alternative Bible translation in parentheses.
(Romans 5:8, ESV)
Please take care when quoting Bible verses to reproduce them exactly as found in the version youāre using, including punctuation.
If you are a British author, use the anglicized version of the relevant Bible translation. If you are an American author, use the edition with US spellings.
As a general rule, British authors should use UK English, spellings, and punctuation, and American authors should use US English, spellings, and punctuation.
In any case, be aware that your book will be retailed in the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and even further afield. Try to bear this in mind in your choice of vocabulary and illustrations when you are writing.
Use double quotes for...
Jesus ate with tax-collectors and āsinnersā.
āGod-nessā
Only use single quote marks for reported speech within a quotation.
āLamech said to his wives, āAdah and Zillah, listen to me.āā
Maintain regular newsletter communications to announce book milestones, upcoming appearances, and exclusive reader rewards.
Jesus says, Here is the medicine for your sin sickness, and guess what? Itās free!
Use lower case on pronouns and possessive adjectives referring to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit (his, him, he, etc).
Jesus Christ died, and then he rose again.
Nouns referring to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit should generally be capitalized.
King, Holy One, Redeemer, Father, Comforter, Creator, etc.
References to books should be styled as follows: Forename Surname, Book Title (Publisher, Year of Publication), p. X-Y.
For web resources, provide the URL followed by the date accessed in parentheses: (accessed on Mar. 23 2021).
