Christian authors need this book.
by Andy Scheer
I’m ready to replace one of my most-used reference books. While I’ll keep my Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, and my 11th edition Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, I’ll upgrade my Christian Writer’s Manual of Style.
I’ve been using the third edition since 2004. Considering all the changes in the past dozen years, it’s time for a fourth edition.
I tried to order one this morning, but it won’t be available until August 30. I guess I can wait two weeks.
The promised improvements sound enticing:
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, 4th Edition, compiled by veteran Zondervan editor Robert Hudson, contains clear guidance on style questions related to religious writing, including many topics not addressed in other references or online.
Nearly half of this fourth revision is made up of new material, including information about turning blogs into books, the effects of digital media on writing, “adverbial doubles,” “vanishing accents,” word-choice strategies, endorser guidelines, and much more. It also contains an all-new “Word List” which makes up more than a third of the book. The most needful information remains—entries on capitalization, abbreviation, citations, fictional dialogue, and more—but it has all been updated to keep pace with changes in English language usage. This fourth edition also corresponds with The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition (2010), though it isn’t afraid to chart new territory where that reference is unhelpful on issues of religious writing.
A dozen years ago, the previous edition, with 432 pages, cost $20. The new one, with 624 pages, carries a retail price of $35. Considering how much work goes into writing a book, the new edition’s fresh guidance makes it a bargain.
