At the end of the day, writers will probably only work within a very narrow range across one or two manuals at most. Not every single entry in this series will have the same utility for every single writer. No matter which guide you use, though, there are still some general tips that are helpful to all writers.
Which Guide Should You Choose?
The easiest way to avoid any doubt on this question is to check the submission guidelines of the journal or publishing house where you plan to submit. For journals, this is usually pretty straightforward. If you are preparing a manuscript for submission to multiple presses, however, having an editor help you gather and organize the information from different publishing houses can help in a couple of ways. First, your editor can help you evaluate whether you need to reorient anything about your current formatting and style. In addition, they and you will be on the same page regarding style guidelines as you prep the manuscript. This makes planning in advance for any unique formatting requirements much easier.
When in Doubt…
Write to the guide you know. The main reason for this is consistency, the watchword of the path to quicker publication. This scenario mainly applies to journals and other serial publications. While most journals spell out the style guide they use, some provide less clear direction. While you should always reach out to the journal and clarify, if possible, in the meantime write to the general style guide that governs your discipline. Some journals are looser in their style guide requirements, but all will still insist on consistent formatting and grammatical conventions. Also, if the paper itself is internally consistent, it becomes much easier to tweak the formatting later in response to new information. Later, during review, a consistent manuscript gives readers and reviewers much less reason to nitpick your writing.
Planning Ahead
For experienced writers, one potential area where you may run into discomfort is when you need to switch style guides. The first of the two major instances where this is likely to occur is if you are submitting a social sciences monograph for publication. Most publishers (especially academic publishers) use Chicago Manual rules. If you work in a social sciences discipline, however, you most likely use APA. Fortunately, most of the required changes are relatively straightforward. With some advance planning, you or your editor can adapt the manuscript fairly painlessly. The other major instance is when research translates from the academy to industry publications using the AP Stylebook. This scenario requires a bit more lifting from the writer, as you will be working with more generalists. In this case, you are the translator for both your audience and your publishers.
Writers are used to planning, and getting published requires the same basic strategy. Understanding which style guide you need to use and how it works before you even start writing will massively speed up your process to appearing in print.
