The Bottom Line
The Chicago Manual of Style is essential for anyone who works in publishing, but is probably more than most writers absolutely require for their work.
Pros
- The Chicago Manual of Style is THE style book used by the publishing industry.
- It's extremely comprehensive.
- Provides an overview to the publishing process in addition to rules on grammar and punctuation.
- Good for those who work as editors as well as writers.
Cons
- Is expensive.
- Requires some time to get used to the way it's organized.
- Is more than most writers need.
Description
- The Chicago Manual of Style is essential for anyone in publishing.
- It provides a basic background on both the editorial and production process.
- It's unbeatable in terms of grammar rules and punctuation, but expensive.
Guide Review - The Chicago Manual of Style
The Chicago Manual of Style is the Bible for anyone who works in publishing. I can guarantee that its bright orange spine graces the bookcase of every editor at any reputable publishing house. Going beyond rules of grammar and punctuation, The Chicago Manual includes an overview of the entire bookmaking process, including manuscript preparation, the permissions process, and the parts of a book. For anyone who wants to gain a basic overview of the publishing process and a familiarity with the industry's lingo, The Chicago Manual is a great resource.
Because it is the most comprehensive book on grammar and punctuation, I also recommend it for those who work as editors or those with a passion for the rules underlying the English language. The Chicago Manual has never let me down yet; I consult it almost every day on some point or other. However, it does take some time to get used to its system of organization and, at $55.00 per copy, the manual is something of a luxury unless it's required for your job. For the average writer, a lesser style book will definitely do. Many good style books conform to Chicago anyway, and should you wish to understand the editorial and production process better, an hour at the public library will probably do the trick.
