format question about letters

janrafrank · Jul 3, 2009

My character receives and reads a letter from a friend. I have been spacing a line between and after the letter. Now someone has suggested that doing it that way might be incorrect.

Can someone tell me the proper way to do this?

Danthia · Jul 3, 2009

That way is fine. As long as it's clear what text belongs to the letter, it doesn't matter. (baring weird text or spacing of course). For a manuscript, clarity and ease of reading is what's important. The final look of the letter would be determined by the design department of the publisher anyway.

Bufty · Jul 3, 2009

I presume you mean before and after you show the actual letter with the Dear Tom and much love, etc.. or whatever.

Nothing wrong with that.

And no one is going to reject your manuscript if you choose to italicise it, either.

Did your friend have anything to say other than it might be incorrect?

cussedness said:
My character receives and reads a letter from a friend. I have been spacing a line between and after the letter. Now someone has suggested that doing it that way might be incorrect.

Can someone tell me the proper way to do this?

dpaterso · Jul 3, 2009

When this question was asked before, several members said they indent letters or email to set them off from normal text, and some also italicize the text.

-Derek

Molfitz · Jul 3, 2009

I have a "Style" formatted especially for letters and quotes. Then when the need arises I go to "Styles" and select my letters and quote style, which is indented 1" from both the left and right margins and double spaced.

I agree with Bufty, too.

Wark · Jul 4, 2009

I indent. I hate the italics.

That's my vore.

format question about letters

janrafrank

Danthia

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

Molfitz

Wark

Mark Brockman