Numbers: Spell out or in figures

Sarahrizz · Aug 29, 2019

Hey guys. I was wondering what the general opinion is on what to do with numbers? I'm talking here about Fiction writing, as I understand Non-Fiction has numerous formats that get very formal.
I know I've already broken one rule, which is to be consistent, but then what is the editing phase for anyways.
But anyways, as you write...
What is your cut-off number,
Does it make a difference if it is your narrator talking or a character you're quoting?
Does it ever make a difference who you're quoting? I.E. someone that is smart says "Fourteen dogs went round the block," while someone implied to be less intelligent "14 dogs went round the block"
What other factors make a difference for you?
Also, I've read that a rule is applied to the whole sentence, not to individual words. So this can be correct: If 1 dog walked 3,598 steps around the block. But this is always wrong: If one dog walked 3,598 steps around the block. Do you agree with this rule, or am I reading too much into standard grammar laws?

indianroads · Aug 29, 2019

Try this:

numbers in fiction/

lonestarlibrarian · Aug 29, 2019

In journalism class, we'd write out the numbers one through ten, or write it out if the number began a sentence. We'd use numerals for numbers 11 and up. But that might just have been the format we were using-- it might differ with other formats.

SwallowFeather · Aug 29, 2019

As a fiction author, I've always ended up seeing any number I wrote in numerals changed to its spelled-out version by the line editor or copy-editor in the last stages before publication. I've never actually seen them write that the dog took three thousand five hundred ninety-eight steps, but definitely I've seen numbers in the hundreds, etc, all spelled out.

The exception is year dates. For those it's numerals. But for day dates, it's not 1st of September, it's first of September.

I think the other exception they would probably make is if you're directly quoting written text--for example if you include an email or letter in the body of your text--in which dates are given in mm/dd/yy or numbers would be written as numerals or whatever.

RookieWriter · Aug 29, 2019

Ten. I start to use the numbers at 11. Unless of course the number is the first word in a sentence, then I always write it out.

I know a writer who says she always learned to write it out until 100. So I guess that is someplace.

Maryn · Aug 30, 2019

Every editor I've ever had turned all numbers to their words, in both dialog and narrative. (The rule about digits below ten was something they only taught in my journalism classes. It's a common style for newspapers and is even mixed in the same sentence with text numbers.) Fourteen students registered for the seven thirty class. Her savings account held one thousand fifty-four dollars. The thermometer read forty-six degrees. She stood six feet two. The only exception I remember is for clothing sizes. She wore a size 22.

My CMOS is packed away at the moment, but this is one of the reference works some publishers use as the ultimate arbiter on such things. Maybe someone can clarify further and cite their numerical source.

Maryn, getting ready to move

ReflectiveAcuity · Aug 30, 2019

Sarahrizz said:
Hey guys. I was wondering what the general opinion is on what to do with numbers?

I'm glad someone asked this question. I've always wondered about this myself. I have a tendency to write out the number if it's the first word in a sentence, and use digits if it's anywhere in the middle of a sentence. I suppose after reading so many novels, I may have picked up on that from authors.

Carrie in PA · Aug 30, 2019

Since I have the link handy for the thread on writing out time, I'll drop it here, too.

Purdue O.W.L. on writing numbers.

PiaSophia · Aug 30, 2019

What we were taught in school is this:
- you write all the numbers up to 10 in words (one-ten)
- then you write all numbers in digits (11-99, etc.)
- with exception of "round" numbers (are they called that?) (ten, twenty, thirty, but also hundred, two hundred, thousand, ...)

So for example your sentence with the dog would be: "If one dog walked 3,598 steps around the block." Because writing three thousand five hundred ninety eight would be ridiculous and I've indeed never seen that done before.

Cindyt · Aug 30, 2019

I spell out zero - hundred in narrative and all numbers in dialogue.

indianroads · Aug 30, 2019

All these things are guidelines, so I suggest you pick one format and stick with it. Consistency is key.

angeliz2k · Aug 30, 2019

In fiction, my understanding is that you write out all numbers except years. In other writing, you write out the word up to ten, then use numbers, unless it's a measurement.

VeryBigBeard · Aug 30, 2019

This is entirely a style guide thing. The 0 - 10 thing comes from AP Style, which is the basis for most newspapers because AP is a wire service to which most subscribe, so a good chunk of the material in any edition will have that style.

Some papers use slightly different house style for feature writing.

Commercial publishing uses mostly Chicago with a healthy dosage of house styles on top of it. Chicago spells out 1 - 100, any round numbers, and anything starting a sentence.

You can't know house styles in advance and they vary, so how you write in your MS is entirely up to your own personal preference (make your own style guide! it's a great activity for a rainy day!). It's probably not a bad idea to put your MS in Chicago before querying it, but Chicago is pretty expansive beyond just numbers, and since most writers don't know it encyclopedically, it's unlikely to hurt you when querying.

Sarahrizz · Aug 30, 2019

Thank you everyone for adding to the discussion. I suppose it does vary a lot by what background your writing has. Journalism, for one, use the 1-10 cutoff because on a magazine page or newspaper article you are often limited by how many words can fit in the space allotted. While I'm sure that other writers who were, at one point in history, paid by the word preferred to write them out and put the cutoff much higher. Most of us don't really have either when we write, so what we choose to do with numbers is a stylistic decision entirely up to the author. I love that.

ubriel · Sep 25, 2019

In all school settings for creative writing I was taught to spell out 1--99 and then switch to numerals at 100.

At work (formal non-fiction) we use a standard 1--10 spelled out and then numerals for 11 and up. There is a reason for that cut-off at work having to do with consistent and accurate interpretation. Different motivation for styles...

In my experience, number styles will be fixed at edit if you choose something they want to be different.

Numbers: Spell out or in figures

Sarahrizz

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

lonestarlibrarian

senior bean supervisor

SwallowFeather

Oops I just swallowed a feather

RookieWriter

Maryn

Baaa!

ReflectiveAcuity

having patience...right now

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

PiaSophia

Balkan writer of feminist horror stories

Cindyt

Gettin wiggy wit it

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

angeliz2k

never mind the shorty

VeryBigBeard

Preparing for winter

Sarahrizz

ubriel