Martha Stewart Living Style Guide

marthastewart.com
STYLE GUIDE
This style guide is based on the editorial style for the Martha Stewart Living print publications,
principally the Martha Stewart Living magazine style guide. Where necessary, the MSL in-house
style has been modified for the website, with the intent of making it more web-friendly.
With a few exceptions, we follow The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago) for matters of style and
Webster’s Eleventh (Web. 11) for spelling. As supplements, we use Webster’s Third New
International (Web. 3) and Words Into Type (WIT). The Food Lover’s Companion (FLC) is the
primary reference for culinary terms, and The American Horticultural Society: A–Z Encyclopedia
of Garden Plants is the primary reference for gardening. This guide is intended to be just that, a
guide to the marthastewart.com style. Deviations from these rules may be necessary on a caseby-case basis.
CONTENTS
HOMEPAGE
HUBS
NEWSLETTERS
Living
Television
Quick Cook
Body + Soul
GENERAL WEB STYLE
a/an/the
abbreviations & acronyms
accent marks/special characters
addresses
book citations
capitalization
cities
commas
dates/eras
dimensions
email
gardening, names
gardening, grammar and style
Good Things
WORDS & TERMS
HTML and XML
links
The Martha Stewart Show
mini site
MSLO businesses
MSLO titles
numbers
seasons
telephone numbers
time of day
trademarks
web, web-based, website, weblog
wines and spirits
HOMEPAGE
HOMEPAGE
Main Position
• Headers: Typically
all lowercase,
unless otherwise
specified by Art
Director.
Exceptions: Proper
nouns should be
uppcase on initial
letter.
• Subheads: Initial
cap on first word; all
subsequent words
lowercase unless
proper noun.
• Links: All
lowercase, unless
proper noun; should be preceded by the right-arrow icon.
• Images: The lead image in any given slot or selected tab should match
the lead link in that slot or tab. Images are clickable links and should point
to the item pictured.
HOMEPAGE
HOMEPAGE
Slots 1 and 2
• Header: All caps
• Links: All lowercase, unless proper
noun; should be preceded by the rightarrow icon.
• MORE: More is the magic word,
prompting high click-through rates. As
such, we should strive to include a
MORE link for each slot. Should be
ALL CAPS and begin with “MORE” (>
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES)
• Images: The lead image in any given
slot or selected tab should match the
lead link in that slot or tab. Images are
clickable links and should point to the
item pictured.
Everyday Food Slot
• Header: ALL CAPS
• Intro text: Should be in sentence
casing; short and to the point
• Recipe Link: Should be ALL CAPS
• See Other Recipes: This deviates
from MORE style. Should be all
lowercase and read: “see other easy
recipes” followed by the TV icon to
indicate video. We use “see” here
instead of “more” as a cue that user
will be watching video.
• Images: The lead image in any given
slot or selected tab should match the
lead link in that slot or tab. Images are clickable links and should point to
the item pictured.
HOMEPAGE
HOMEPAGE
TV Slot
• Header: ALL CAPS
• The Martha Show: All caps, italics. (THE
MARTHA SHOW)
• Links: All lowercase, unless proper noun;
should be preceded by the right-arrow icon.
Recipe Finder Slot
• Header: ALL CAPS
• Search Chatter: Should read, in ALL
CAPS, “SEARCH MORE THAN
[numberTK] RECIPES” As of
08/02/2006, the number of recipes
online is 5,800. Always make sure
number cited is most up-to-date at
time of publishing. (Need the current
number? Ask the Copy Edit Dept.)
• More Recipes & Tips: Initial caps on
subhead. All lowercase on the copy
below it. Use ampersand.
• MORE: Should be ALL CAPS,
followed by a space and the ASCII “>” character (MORE >)
HOMEPAGE
HOMEPAGE
Marketing Slots
•
•
•
Header: ALL CAPS; usually reads “NEWS & OFFERS”
Copy Blocks: Because this is marketing copy, we can be a little more
flexible in allowing marketing speak. Numerals are OK as long as they
don’t begin a sentence (“… receive 6 stems of Gladioli …”) as are percent
signs.
Action Links: Any link that prompts a user to do something on the linkedto page is an “action link.” Initial c4ap on the first word, subsequent words
lowercase unless proper nouns, followed by a space and the ASCII “>”
character. ( Learn more > or Order Blueprint now > )
‘Verticals’ Links
The “verticals” links appear toward the bottom of the page, in the light-green
shaded area directly below the marketing slots.
• Should be ALL CAPS on everything.
Page Footer
The page footer material is directly below the “verticals” links. These are global
navigation links and have been edited. There should be no need to copy-edit or
change these unless directed to do so.
HOMEPAGE
HUBS
HUBS
“Hubs” are themed pages that collect the best of MSLO’s online content in one easy-to-access
page. Examples: Halloween, Baby Showers, Food.
Hubs generally (but not always) include the following, going from top to bottom, left to right:
• Main Slot: Is typically a Flash-based module consisting of 3 tabbed units.
• Video Module: One large video set to auto-play, with 3 thumbnails (Top Videos) to its
right.
• Slots 1 through 4 (top to bottom, left to right): These slots further subdivide the
themed content, either by recipes, crafts, or any number of subthemes.
• Featured Recipes/Projects: Located in top right-hand part of page. It’s a DHTML
(dynamic HTML) module similar to the main slot in that it is tabbed and usually consists
of three subunits.
MINI SITE
When talking about hubs to the reader, the term used should be mini site: Visit
our Halloween mini site for more spooky ideas.
Main Slot
•
•
•
•
•
Header:
Headers should
be all lowercase,
unless proper
nouns are used.
Dek: If dek
exists (may not
always, as
example at
right), initial cap on the first word, subsequent words lowercase, unless
proper noun. No period at end of dek.
Links: Preceded by right-arrow icon (or other typographic flourish at Art
Director’s discretion). All lowercase unless proper nouns are in use.
Tabs: Tabs are typically numbered. The number of the selected tab unit
should be larger (or otherwise called out in some way) so as to indicate its
“open” status.
Images: Image should match top-most link in links list. If not, links should
be re-ordered or new image should be chosen to match. Images are
clickable and should go to recipe/craft/item depicted therein.
Video Slot
Video slots are generally rectangular in layout, with the main, selected video in the left-hand side
of the module. To its right is the “TOP VIDEO” lineup, with three thumbnail videos and their
attendant links.
HUBS
HUBS
•
•
•
Header: Should read “VIDEO HOW-TO,” all caps.
Caption below main video: Should be in sentence casing. Recipes
names are lowercased, unless they include proper nouns.
Thumbnail titles: Thumbnail titles should be initial capped on all words
(except prepositions of four or fewer letters). Example: Baby Block Crafts
with Martha
o Action link: There should be an action link directly below the
thumbnail video title. It is initial capped on first word only, followed
by the right-arrow ASCII character. Examples: View instructions >
View recipe >
Slots 1 through 4 or
dHTML Tabbed Modules
Depending on hub, the section
just below the Video Module will
either be a series of four boxes
(right) or a dHTML (dynamic
HTML) tabbed module (below).
•
•
•
Header: All
lowercase, unless
proper nouns are
included.
Links: All lowercase,
unless proper noun;
should be preceded
by the right-arrow
icon.
MORE: More is the
magic word,
prompting high click-through rates. As such, we should strive to include a
MORE link for each
slot. Should be ALL
CAPS and begin with
“MORE” (> MORE
CHICKEN RECIPES)
Exception: If
directing use to
more videos, the
MORE link should
read “> SEE
MORE VIDEOS”
•
HUBS
Images: The lead
image in any given
slot or selected tab
should match the
lead link in that slot or
HUBS
tab. Images are clickable links and should point to the item pictured.
Featured Recipes/Projects
This is the dHTML (dynamic HTML) tabbed
module in the upper right-hand corner of
the page.
•
•
•
•
Header: All lowercase,
unless proper nouns are
included.
Tab labels: All lowercase,
unless proper nouns are
included. Selected tab
should be stylistically
different from the inactive
tabs.
Links: All lowercase, unless proper noun; should be preceded by the
right-arrow icon.
MORE: More is the magic word, prompting high click-through rates. As
such, we should strive to include a MORE link for each slot. Should be
ALL CAPS and begin with “MORE” (> MORE CHICKEN RECIPES)
Exception: If directing use to more videos, the MORE link should read “> SEE
MORE VIDEOS”
•
Images: The lead image in any given slot or selected tab should match
the lead link in that slot or tab. Images are clickable links and should point
to the item pictured.
Special Offers
Special offers are generally house ads and cross-promotion for other parts of the site or other
brand assets. Because they’re promo/marketing based, style exceptions may be made in this
text. In general, however, follow house style here.
HUBS
NEWSLETTERS
NEWSLETTERS
Newsletters are the periodical emails we send out to our opt-in email subscriber list. They include:
Living, Television, Quick Cook,and Body + Soul.
Living Newsletter
•
•
•
Main slot: Consists of a large composite image on left side of module.
Image is overlaid with head and subhead as well as a “Do You Know”
element.
o Head: Overlays photo. Use title casing.
o Subhead: All caps.
o “Do You Know” element: Asks the “Do You Know” question of the
week and refers to the attendant answer at the bottom of the
newsletter. The lead-in words DO YOU KNOW should be all caps
and bold, followed by the rest of the question in regular sentence
casing. The DYK question is then followed by the prompt Scroll
down for the answer. Note: The prompt itself should be italicized.
o Link titles: Use title casing.
o Link description: Usually 2 lines, normal sentence casing applies
to description text.
Marketing Slots: There are three marketing slots below the main slot.
o Headers: All caps.
o Slot copy: Typical sentence casing applies.
o Images: Images in are linked. Should lead to item pictured;
destination should match that of link at bottom of module.
o Links: Appear at bottom of slot boxes. All caps followed by rightarrow character.
“Do You Know” answer: Appears in a long, shallow box below Marketing
Slots. The subheader words Do You Know? should be bold and on their
own line. The answer text should be no longer than 2 lines and appears in
normal sentence casing.
NEWSLETTERS
NEWSLETTERS
Television Newsletter
•
Main slot: Consists of a medium-size image on left side of module with
text (and sometimes smaller photos) to the right of image.
o Header: Located within module to right of image. This differs from
other newsletters, whose headers lie above module itself. Use title
casing.
o Links list: TV newsletters are unusual in that the descriptive text
for the link precedes the link itself. Descriptive text is in sentence
case, followed by an action link also in sentence casing. Action link
is in-line with description. Action link is followed by a right-arrow
ASCII character. Example:
Be the first to see our new season’s TV promotional video. Watch now >
•
Slots 2 and 3: These slots appear below main slot. Slot 2 is typically titled
“VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS.” Slot 3 may change from newsletter to newsletter.
o Headers: All caps.
o Video links: Use title casing. Preceded by right-arrow icon.
o Slot 2 links: Preceded by right-arrow icon. First 1 or 2 words are
linked text. Example:
> Email your friends about the exciting second season.
> Tell us what you want to see on the show.
NEWSLETTERS
NEWSLETTERS
Quick Cook Newsletter
•
Main slot: Consists of a medium-size image in upper left-hand side of
module with corresponding link to featured recipe and featured recipe
description to right of image. Below image are SUGGESTED SIDES and
MENU HELPERS subheads.
o Module header: In title casing. Should read: This Week’s Quick
Menu. The words Quick Menu are boldface.
o Featured recipe link: In title casing.
o Subheads: All caps.
o SUGGESTED SIDES links: Use title casing. Third item is often not
linked, as it is typically a basic dish that everyone should know how
to prepare.
o MENU HELPERS links: Are typically sentences; use sentence
casing. Entire sentence is link. Use periods, but they should remain
outside of links.
•
3 Things We Love module: Exists below the main slot.
o module header: Use title casing. Should always read: 3 Things We
Love… ItemTK. The words 3 Things We Love… have a red
background; the item we love has a white background.
o links: Use title casing. Links preceded by right-arrow ASCII
character (>)
o text: Use sentence casing.
o byline: Acknowledges who picked the 3 things. Title of MSLO
employee should be lowercase, employee’s publication in ital and
should follow this format: This week’s picks are from Kristen Evans,
associate food editor of Everyday Food.
Poll: Typically a simple question with a “>Vote” button below it. Use
sentence casing. Poll header in title casing.
Video Picks: Intro sentence followed by 3 selected video links. Links in
title casing, preceded by small TV icon to indicate user will be taken to a
video page. Links list followed by a “> SEE MORE VIDEOS” link; all caps.
•
•
NEWSLETTERS
NEWSLETTERS
Body + Soul Newsletter
•
Main slot: Consists of a large composite image on left side of module.
Image is overlaid with head and subhead. Feature links list is to right of
image.
o Module header: Appears above photo. Use title casing.
o Subhead: All caps.
o Image: Is a clickable link. Should lead to item/story pictured.
o Links: B+S links list uses sentence casing. Links are not preceded
by right arrows of any kind.
o Link descriptive text: Use sentence casing. Should be 2 to 3 lines
in length, no more.
•
Marketing slots: Three marketing slots exist below the main slot.
o Slot headers: All lowercase, unless proper noun is used.
o Images: Are clickable links. Should lead to item pictured.
o Text: Use sentence casing. Because it is marketing-driven, typical
number styles may not apply; use best judgment.
o Links: Links at bottom of slots are all caps, followed by stylized
right-arrow icon.
NEWSLETTERS
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
A/AN/THE
For indefinite articles, use an before vowel sounds and a before consonant
sounds. Use a before words beginning with a pronounced h: a historic occasion,
a hibiscus plant, a utility knife; an onion, an honor.
In recipes and how-tos only, article deletion is acceptable as needed for space
constraints. Elsewhere, do not use truncated language. Lowercase articles in
titles, except when used as the first or last word of a title.
ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
• Use periods for most two-letter abbreviations: I.D., U.S. (as an adjective; spell
out when used as a noun); when in doubt, consult the list of abbreviations in
Web. 11.
Exceptions: LP, TV, CD, DVD
• Abbreviations and acronyms are usually not used on first reference. If it is
necessary to refer to the organization by its abbreviation or acronym, first spell
out the full name of the organization, then place the abbreviation in parentheses.
The abbreviation can then be used on subsequent references.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA...
But if an abbreviation is more widely recognized than the full name, it is
acceptable to use it on first reference.
IBM, AT&T, 3M, Fannie Mae, FBI, AFL-CIO, NBC
• See also ADDRESSES. Spell out states in running text; abbreviate with 2-letter
postal code in Sources.
• Dr., Ph.D., M.D.: In text, use M.D. for a medical doctor, but do not use Dr. in
subsequent references.
Robert Lewis, M.D., wrote a book...
We do not call a doctor of philosophy doctor and do not use Ph.D. designation
after name.
• See also DATE and TIME. Set a.m. and p.m. in lowercase, and use periods. If
time zone is required, use ET, CT, MT, or PT. Set A.D. and B.C. in caps and use
periods. Abbreviations are correct only with numerals.
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
2 p.m., 450 B.C., early this morning (not "early this a.m."), the fourth
century (not "the fourth century A.D.")
Place B.C. after the year; A.D. before the year.
• See also RECIPES. For FD&C approved food colors, abbreviate No. (see FLC,
page 757).
Blue No. 1, Red No. 2, Yellow No. 5
ACCENT MARKS/SPECIAL CHARACTERS
• Use accents marks, tildes, and so on, as they appear in Web. 11.
à la carte, café, jalapeño, crème fraîche
• When using XML, all special characters require HTML coding. See HTML
CODING/XML.
ADDRESSES (see also CITIES)
• In running text, spell out names of cities and states. Include a comma after the
state if it’s followed by text.
He set up his shop in Scituate, Massachusetts, in 1975.
• In source material, use figures for address numbers and numbered streets and
two-letter postal abbreviations for the states; spell out directionals as well as
street, drive, road, and all similar words.
10 Brookside Drive
Greenwich, CT 06830
th
th
601 West 26 Street, 9 Floor
New York, NY 10001
For Manhattan, spell out the names of numbered avenues. (Numbered avenues,
boulevards, drives, courts, lanes, etc. elsewhere should be presented as ordinal
numbers.)
13 Fifth Avenue
Alabama
AL
Montana
MT
Alaska
AK
Nebraska
NE
Arizona
AZ
Nevada
NV
Arkansas
AR
New
Hampshire
NH
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
California
CA
New Jersey
NJ
Colorado
CO
New Mexico
NM
Connecticut
CT
New York
NY
Delaware
DE
North Carolina
NC
Florida
FL
North Dakota
ND
Georgia
GA
Ohio
OH
Hawaii
HI
Oklahoma
OK
Idaho
ID
Oregon
OR
Illinois
IL
Pennsylvania
PA
Indiana
IN
Rhode Island
RI
Iowa
IA
South Carolina
SC
Kansas
KS
South Dakota
SD
Kentucky
KY
Tennessee
TN
Louisiana
LA
Texas
TX
Maine
ME
Utah
UT
Maryland
MD
Vermont
VT
Massachusetts
MA
Virginia
VA
Michigan
MI
Washington
WA
Minnesota
MN
West Virginia
WV
Mississippi
MS
Wisconsin
WI
Missouri
MO
Wyoming
WY
Puerto Rico
PR
Use periods for Washington, D.C., and set off with commas when used in
running text. See also CITIES and COMMAS.
• Use periods in P.O. as in P.O. Box
BOOK CITATIONS
• Book titles should be set in italics
•
If citing a book in source pages, the information should be ordered as such:
author, book title, publisher, year. Examples:
RECOMMENDED READING
John Smith, Milk Glass (Random House; 1998).
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
[Note use of punctuation. Publisher and year are separated by a semicolon.]
• Use the shortest recognizable version of the publisher’s name:
Knopf (not Alfred A. Knopf Inc.)
Little Brown (not Little, Brown & Co.)
HarperCollins (not HarperCollins Publishers Inc.)
Oxmoor House (one of Martha’s publishers)
Exceptions:
o Clarkson N. Potter (Martha’s publisher; not Potter or Clarkson Potter)
o Oxford University Press (not Oxford)
CAPITALIZATION
Generally, lowercase words listed as “often cap” or “usu. cap” in Web. 11;
for exceptions, see Words & Terms. If a term is not listed in Web. 11,
consult Chicago.
• In headlines and titles of books, capitalize prepositions of five or more letters;
lowercase those with four or fewer.
from, with, on, Through, over, Under, etc.
• Capitalize trade names.
Crisco oil, Fiesta ware, Ivory soap, Wedgwood
• Capitalize elective and formal titles and some legal titles only when they
precede a name. Lowercase titles when they are not used with an individual’s
name.
President Washington, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Queen
Elizabeth, Judge Judy
But: the president; Abe Beame, the mayor; Judy X, the judge
• Lowercase civic and descriptive titles.
architect Frank Gehry, novelist Christopher Isherwood,
comedian Chris Rock
See also MSLO TITLES.
• Capitalize the names of official holidays.
Christmas Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, New Year’s Eve,
Presidents’ Day
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
• Capitalize the titles of our recipes when used in body text, captions, or
ingredients lists of other recipes—but do not capitalize our recipe titles in the
recipe steps or is the title has been shortened or changed in any way.
• Always capitalize Champagne (be sure to refer to those from California as
“sparkling wines,” not Champagne). See also WINE.
CITIES (see also ADDRESSES)
References to the following cities can stand alone, without a state designation:
Westport*
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Baltimore
Bedford*
Boston
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Des Moines
Detroit
East Hampton*
Honolulu
Indianapolis
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Orlando
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Reno
Sacramento
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Saint Louis
Tampa
Tucson
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
*It is not necessary to list Connecticut after Westport or New York after Bedford and East
Hampton, as we presume the reader is familiar with Martha’s world. Name the state,
however, if these towns are used in a non-Martha context.
All other cities must have their state designation spelled out: Olathe, Kansas.
Exception: Washington, D.C. (D.C. is abbreviated, with periods).
Use New York City when referring to the city, not Manhattan. Manhattan is
acceptable when differentiating from the other boroughs.
COMMAS
Use the serial comma: the pink, lilac, and blue flowers.
Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction that links two independent
clauses: The computers shut down early, so we had to write with pens and
paper. I was really tired, but I stayed up late anyway.
Do not use a comma within a compound predicate: Everyone contributed to the
party and had a great time.
Use a comma after a complete date: July 28, 1954, was a brutally hot day. When
only the month and year are given, the comma is omitted: July 1954.
Use commas to set off elements of an address: I came all the way from Jackson,
Mississippi, to see you.
Use commas to set off a restrictive word or phrase: Lisa’s brother, Bart, skipped
school today (Bart is Lisa’s only brother). Bart’s sister Lisa plays the saxophone
(Bart has more than one sister).
Use a comma to separate a surname from a professional title: Julius Hibbard,
M.D.
Do not use a comma between a surname and the abbreviations Jr., Sr., II, III,
etc.
If a comma follows a plant’s cultivar name, it should appear inside the single
quotation mark. See Gardening.
Set commas in the typeface of the preceding word.
DATES/ERAS
• Spell out. Do not use caps. Hyphenate only when modifying a noun.
the eighteenth century, the twenty-first century, mid-nineteenth century
eighteenth-century designs, twentieth-century crafts
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
• Set A.D. and B.C. in caps and use periods. Place B.C. after the year; A.D. before
the year. These abbreviations are correct only with numerals.
450 B.C., the fourth century (not the fourth century A.D.)
• For decades, use numerals and add an “s”. Do not use an apostrophe. Use an
en dash for a range, if necessary, otherwise simply use to.
the 1860s, the 1720s (1800s refers to the decade 1800–1810, not the
century)
Exception: Use the sixties for the 1960s when it is clear it is the twentieth
century. When unclear or more than one century is being discussed, use
numerals. 1960s (and dates mentioned in the same sentence or next sentence
should also be explained in numerals).
This fad dates to the twenties.
But: This fad, commonly thought to have started in the 1890s, is actually from the
1920s.
a ’49 Latour
April 1988
Monday, July 4 (not July 4th)
September 23 (spell out name of month)
the Depression, Great Depression (cap D when the era is meant)
DIMENSIONS
• For all how-to’s and other dimension-heavy text, use numerals, hyphenating
only when measurement modifies a noun.
12-by-15-inch cedar log, 9-by-2-inch pan
Sew the edges so the pillowcase is 14 by 17 inches.
EMAIL
No hyphen. Lowercase unless at beginning of a sentence or in a title.
GARDENING, NAMES
Every plant has two names. The name of the plant’s genus, which establishes its
relationship to other plants, comes first. The genus name is always presented in uppercase
italics: Rosa, Hosta, Lilium, Cistus, Coleus. It may or may not have a species name
following it. The species name, which establishes individual identity, comes second. It is
always presented in lowercase italics and always follows the genus name: purpurea,
argentea, aureo. Never refer to a plant by its species name alone. Since there is an
Echinacea purpurea and a Sarraceni purpurea, do not refer to the plant as purpurea.
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
Sometimes, a third name distinguishes a plant from others in its species; this is the
cultivar, subspecies (ssp.), or variety (var.) name (note: var. and ssp. are always roman,
while the surrounding botanical names are in italics). Cultivar names should be
capitalized, presented in roman type and set off with single quotes: Hibiscus syriacus
‘Redheart.’ Other names are set off in lowercase italics: Lilium candidum var. plenum,
Lilium pyrenaicum ssp. carniolicum. Hybrids are expressed using the letter x (lowercase
roman, no period): Mahonia x media.
Many plants also have common names, such as daisy, lily, and rose. These are always
presented in lowercase roman. Sometimes, however, the common name is the same as the
genus name, such as hosta, hibiscus, coleus, and clematis. In these cases, you must look
at its context in the sentence to determine if it should be lowercase roman or uppercase
italics: There are many varieties in the Hibiscus family; I love the pink hibiscus flowers
that dot your backyard. (Often there is no right answer. If you are unsure, ask one of the
editors in the Gardening Department or a member of the Research Department.)
The preferred source for the spellings of common plant names is The American
Horticultural Society: A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. For botanical names,
consult the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants (its website,
http://www.rhs.org.uk, is often more accurate).
For additional information, consult The Best of Martha Stewart Living’s Gardening 101
(Clarkson Potter; 2000).
GARDENING NAMES, GRAMMAR AND STYLE
Never use botanical names as possessives: The violets of Campanula medium (not
Campanula medium’s violets).
Botanical names always take a singular verb. When a comma or period follows a
botanical name, it takes the preceding font (usually italics).
If a comma or period follows a cultivar name, the punctuation appears inside the single
quotation mark.
When botanical names are presented in parentheses, the parentheses should be in roman
type. If the copy block is in italics (as in some captions), then the botanical names are
presented in roman type and the parentheses are in italics.
It is preferred to use the common name, followed by the botanical name in parentheses,
on first reference. The common name can stand alone on second reference.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture divides the United States and Canada into
eleven zones, based on climate. When used, capitalize the word Zone and use numerals:
Peonies are hardy in Zones 2 to 10. Lowercase zone in general usage, however.
After a genus name is spelled out once, it is acceptable to abbreviate it on second
reference if a) a species or cultivar name follows the abbreviation (Hibiscus grandiflorus
has pale-pink flowers, while H. syriacus ranges from violet to white) and b) it is clear
which genus you are referring to. For a story on both Hosta and Hibiscus, it would not be
clear which genus H. is. Often in a story on one particular genus, we refer to a plant
simply by its variety name (e.g., ‘Bluebird,’ without Hibiscus syriacus) preceding it every
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
time.
Spell out the genus name in the first mention on each block of copy or in each caption. In
the case of page spreads, it is acceptable to spell out the name only in the first mention on
the left-hand page.
GOOD THINGS
When referring to Good Things as a column or as ideas, capitalize both words:
Transferring dishwashing soap into decorative glass bottles is a Good Thing.
Note: Because “Good Things” is not a registered trademark, the latter style has been developed to protect
Good Things as part of the Martha Stewart brand.
HTML CODE/XML
Character
Decimal
Rendering in Your Browser
Entity
cent sign
¢
¢
copyright sign
©
©
registered sign = registered trade mark sign ®
®
degree sign
°
°
Latin small letter a with grave = Latin small
letter a grave
à
à
Latin small letter a with acute
á
á
Latin small letter a with circumflex
â
â
Latin small letter a with tilde
ã
ã
Latin small letter a with diaeresis
ä
ä
Latin small letter a with ring above = Latin
small letter a ring
å
å
Latin small letter c with cedilla
ç
ç
Latin small letter e with grave
è
è
Latin small letter e with acute
é
é
Latin small letter e with circumflex
ê
ê
Latin small letter e with diaeresis
ë
ë
Latin small letter i with grave
ì
ì
Latin small letter i with acute
í
í
Latin small letter i with circumflex
î
î
Latin small letter i with diaeresis
ï
ï
Latin small letter n with tilde
ñ
ñ
Latin small letter o with grave
ò
ò
Latin small letter o with acute
ó
ó
Latin small letter o with circumflex
ô
ô
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
Character
Decimal
Rendering in Your Browser
Entity
Latin small letter o with tilde
õ
õ
Latin small letter o with diaeresis
ö
ö
Latin small letter u with grave
ù
ù
Latin small letter u with acute
ú
ú
Latin small letter u with circumflex
û
û
Latin small letter u with diaeresis
ü
ü
Latin small letter y with acute
ý
ý
Latin small letter y with diaeresis
ÿ
ÿ
ampersand
&
&
en dash
–
–
em dash
—
—
left single quotation mark
‘
‘
right single quotation mark
’
’
left double quotation mark
“
“
right double quotation mark
”
”
LINKS
• Are either preceded by a right-arrow ASCII character (>) or followed by a
right-arrow icon
• If link is followed by a punctuation mark, do not place punctuation within
linked text
THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW
On first reference, the television show is The Martha Stewart Show; if space is
tight, may be shortened to Martha on second reference
MINI SITE
When talking about hubs to the reader, the term used should be mini site: Visit
our Halloween mini site for more spooky ideas.
MSLO BUSINESSES
magazines
Martha Stewart Living
GENERAL WEB STYLE
Martha Stewart Weddings
Everyday Food
GENERAL WEB STYLE
Body & Soul
Blueprint: Design Your Life
television
The Martha Stewart Show
Martha Stewart Living
Petkeeping With Marc Morrone
Everyday Food
websites
marthastewart.com
marthasflowers.com
marthascards.com
everydayfoodmag.com
bodyandsoulmag.com
Kmart
Martha Stewart Everyday
Radio
Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio
Newspaper columns
Living
Flooring
Martha Stewart Signature Flooring with Shaw
Fabric
Martha Stewart Signature Fabric with P/Kaufmann
Furniture
Martha Stewart Signature Furniture with Bernhardt
Paint
Martha Stewart Signature Paint with Sherwin-Williams
Martha Stewart Everyday Colors (at Kmart and Sears)
MSLO TITLES
Follow the masthead or title in Inet phone listing. When appearing prior to name,
title should be lowercase:
food editor Allie Lewis, style director Ayesha Patel
NUMBERS
Spell out one to ten. Spell out one to ten followed by hundred, thousand, hundred
thousand, million, billion. Example: let five hundred flowers bloom, 2,500 pounds of clay.
For precise numbers greater than ten, use the figure: 26 pounds, 356-acre farm. This
principle applies to most sections and copy blocks (main text, links, captions).
Exceptions, which follow, do not apply to numbers that begin a sentence. Consider
readability in deciding whether to make additional exceptions:
• percentages: 4 percent; 10 percent to 20 percent (spell out the word percent).
• ratios: a 50-50 mix; add the sugar and salt in a ratio of 5 to 2.
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
• page numbers and step numbers: To make the dressing, follow step 2.
• U.S. monetary amounts: $7.50, $5 bill (omit zeros in whole-dollar amounts),
25 cents (always spell out cents).
• ages of people: a 25-year-old (ages of inanimate objects follow guidelines
above).
• how-to instructions and other measurement-heavy copy blocks (e.g., Good
Things, directions in recipes or crafts stories; usually not in main text): Glue 3
yards of ribbon onto 10-inch polystyrene wreath, and let dry 20 minutes; trim
ribbon 6 inches from end.
• telephone numbers: always include the area code set off with hyphens, not
parentheses: 404-526-5887. Do not use the numeral 1 before the area code, even
for tollfree numbers. Never write telephone numbers as letters (e.g., 516-922WINE).
• In source material, figures are generally used rather than words: Martha
Stewart Everyday 5-Star Hand Towel, Aunt Marge’s 2-hole egg blower, 20thcentury lustreware.
• In marketing slots, figures are permissible.
SEASONS
Lowercase the names of seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall. Avoid using
definite article with name of season (fall, not the fall). Also to be avoided:
springtime, summertime, wintertime – in most cases, spring, summer, and winter
will do.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Phone numbers are generally used only in the source material. Every telephone
number should include an area code attached to the seven-digit number with a
hyphen: 404-526-5887. Never use letters in a phone number; always use
numerals.
Do not use 1 before the area code, even for toll-free numbers (house ads are an
exception).
TIME OF DAY
Use numerals for time of day, followed by a.m. or p.m. (lowercase, with periods).
If referencing a time that falls on the hour, omit the colon and zeroes: 2 p.m., not
2:00 p.m.
If time zone is necessary, as in television or radio schedules, use ET, CT, MT, or
PT (uppercase, no periods). (In most cases, ET will suffice, as users can adjust
for their local time.) Do not use EDT or EST, as these designations will date the
material.
GENERAL WEB STYLE
GENERAL WEB STYLE
TRADEMARKS
In text, a generic name is preferable to a trademark. Use a trademark if there is
absolutely no substitute.
utility knife, rather than X-Acto knife
resealable plastic bag, rather than Ziploc bag
whirlpool tub, rather than Jacuzzi
petroleum jelly, rather than Vaseline
real-estate broker, rather than Realtor
adhesive note, rather than Post-it note
liquid seam sealant, rather than Fray Check
When using, trademarks are adjectives that describe a specific good or service.
Trademarks are not nouns or verbs. Never use –brand or the symbols ® and TM
after the trademark name: Homasote fiberboard, Pyrex dishes, Silpat baking mat,
Velcro fasteners.
web, web-based, website, weblog
Lowercase
WINES AND SPIRITS
Follow Wine Lover’s Companion for capitalization, spelling, and accent marks on
wines and alcoholic beverages. Always capitalize Champagne (those from
California are called sparkling wine).
GENERAL WEB STYLE
WORDS & TERMS
WORDS & TERMS
acid soil
adviser
Aesthetic Movement
Agateware
aïoli
air-dry (v.)
alfresco
A.M., P.M. (small caps)
Ameraucana (chickens, eggs)
anise seeds
antiques shop (not antique shop)
apéritif
Araucana (chickens, eggs)
Arborio rice
Art Deco
artist’s tape
Arts and Crafts
art-supply stores
arugula
Ash Land–Highland (a popular
wedding
site outside Charlottesville, Virginia)
Asiago cheese
Ask Martha
Assyrtiko (Greek wine)
back side
Ball jar
ball pins
basketmaker
basket-making
basket weave
bead board
Bedford (refer to as Martha’s home
or
farm, not estate)
Bedford Grey (the paint color)
bench scraper
bias tape (single-fold and doublefold)
Bing cherries
Black Mission figs
blond (without the e)
BLT
bocce (not boccie)
boeuf bourguignon
WORDS & TERMS
bone folder
bottlebrush (only as a plant), bottle
brush
bouquets garnis (plural form)
bourbon
breadcrumbs
breadsticks
bridesmaid dress (to refer to the
dress
in general; use “bridesmaid’s
[or bridesmaids’] dress” when
emphasizing the person wearing it.
Brie
broccoli rabe
broderie anglaise (a type of fine
white
needlework)
brown betty
brussels sprouts (exception to Food
Lover’s)
Bubble Wrap (trademark)
bûche de Noël
builders’ paper
bulgur wheat
Bundt pan
cachepot
Caesar salad
caffé latte
calligraph (v.)
Camembert
candy thermometer
Cantitoe Corners (Martha’s home in
Bedford)
cappuccino
caprese salad (lowercase)
Cara Cara oranges
card stock
carpenters’ glue
C clamp
celery seed
cell-packs
cell phone
cement glue
chain-nose pliers
Champagne
WORDS & TERMS
champagne vinegar
Charentais melon
cheddar (exception to Food Lover’s)
cheesecloth
chickpea
chile peppers
chili oil
chili paste
Chin Chin (Martha’s baby chow
chow)
Chioggia beets
chocolate cosmos
chuppah (do not use; see huppa)
cipollini
Cobb salad
Cognac
cold frame (a frame with a glass or
plastic
lid; used to capture the sun’s heat)
colonial
Comté cheese
confectioners’ sugar
18
cooperative extension service
(generic name for all
agriculturalinformation
outreach services)
cornbread (differs from Web. 11)
cornhusk
couch (do not use; see sofa)
court-bouillon
craft board (do not use; see cutting
mat)
craft paper (do not use; see kraft
paper)
crafts fair; crafts store
Creil creamware (French)
crème fraîche
crepe (fabric); crêpe (food)
crowd-pleaser
cup hooks
curtains (not drapes)
custom-make (v.)
cutting mat (not craft board)
Dad (Martha’s father; infrequently
referred to as Father)
WORDS & TERMS
deckle-edge scissors
décor
découpage
deejay (not DJ)
dill seed
Directoire
disappearing-ink pen
dishwashing liquid
Dopp kit (avoid; use travel kit
instead)
double boiler
double fold (n.); double-fold (v.)
double-sided tape
Down Under (exception to Web. 11)
drapes (do not use; see curtains)
dress-up (n.)
D rings
dry-mount (v.)
duct tape
dupion (not dupione or dupionne)
e-commerce
églomisé (exception to Web. 11)
e-mail
Emmental cheese
enamored (with a scene, of a
person)
en papillote (French method of
baking
food wrapped in parchment paper)
euonymus
eye hooks
eye pins
eye-screws
extra- (hyphenate all extracompounds;
e.g., extra-large)
façade
facedown, faceup (adv.)
fall (not autumn)
faux bois
farmer cheese
farmers’ market
farm stand
Federal (uppercase for the style of
architecture or decoration: “Martha’s
1805 Federal-style farmhouse”;
WORDS & TERMS
lowercase for government agencies)
felt-tip pen
fete
fettuccine
Fiesta ware (two words; most -ware
words are one word.)
filet (for filet mignon only); fillet for
everything else
Fire-King
flatbread
flathead pins
flathead pliers
flathead screwdriver
flat-leaf parsley (not Italian parsley)
flaxseed
floral shears
floral spray
floral tape
floral wire
foam board (not foam core or
Foam-Core)
focaccia
fontina
force (v., “to coax into bloom”)
Forsterkäse cheese
401(k)
Francesca Blackbird (Martha’s
French bulldog)
Fray Check (use liquid seam
sealant)
French green clay
frittata
fudgy (adj.)
fuller’s earth
fusible webbing
gaffer’s tape
garden center
garlicky (adj.)
génoise
gift wrap (n.)
Gjetost cheese
gladiolus (sing. and pl.)
glassine
glasswork, glassworker
glue stick
gold leaf
WORDS & TERMS
Gorgonzola
19
grapeseed
Great Northern beans (exception to
Food
Lover’s)
grosgrain ribbon
Gruyèye
hairnet
halloumi cheese
Hanukkah
hand-sew, hand-paint (v.)
haricots verts
haroset (not haroseth, heroseth)
Hass avocados (not Haas)
head pins
health-food store
heatproof
hole punch
holiday-supply store
Homasote fiberboard (not
Homosote)
homeowner’s insurance
homekeeping
home-supply store (not home store)
hors d’oeuvres
hot-glue gun
houseware stores
how-to (n.)
huppa (not huppah or chuppah)
iced tea
ID
ink-jet (adj.)
Internet
jack-o’-lantern
jadeite (the generic); Jade-ite (FireKing)
jicama
jump rings
kabob
kaffir limes
Kalamata olives
keyhole saw
Kirby cucumbers
kirsch (exception to Food Lover’s)
kitchen-supply store
WORDS & TERMS
knockwurst
Kostyra (Martha’s maiden name;
siblings: Eric, Frank, Laura, Kathy,
and George)
kraft paper
Kwanzaa (differs from Web. 11)
kuchen (exception to Food Lover’s)
La Tur cheese
Lady apples
lampshade (one word; differs from
Web. 11)
lampstand
lavash (Armenian flat bread)
lawyer (not attorney)
leafstalks
-leaved (not -leafed)
lemongrass
liaison
lighted (past and past particple of to
light;
lit is acceptable idiomatically)
linzertorte
liqueur
liquid seam sealant (not Fray Check)
lustreware
mâche
Madeira
makeover (n.); make over (v.)
mandoline (the slicer, not the
musical
instrument)
mangoes
The Martha Stewart Show (the daily
television program; Martha is
acceptable on second reference if
space is tight)
Martha green
Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living Radio
Martin Luther King Day
Mason jar
mat board
matelassé
mat knife
matzo (not matzoh)
Max, a.k.a. Blue Maximillian Chow
WORDS & TERMS
Chow (Martha’s chow; died
August 1998 at age 16)
meat loaves (not meat loafs)
medieval
Meyer lemons
mezze
mildewcide
millinery fruit
Mimolette cheese
Minneola tangelos
miter box
Moschofilero (Greek wine)
Mod Podge glue sealant
Monterey Jack
Montmorency cherries
mojito
Mother (Martha’s mother,
infrequently
referred to as Mom; aka Big Martha)
MP3
multipurpose cement
Mylar (trademark)
name tag
napolean (dessert)
narcissus (sing. and pl.)
nasturtium
Nativity
20
needlenose pliers
New York Cake & Baking Distributor
Niçoise
night-light
North Moore Street (in TriBeCa; the
N. does not stand for Nathaniel)
nonskid shelf liner (not Grid Liner)
no-slip ruler
NPK (acceptable on first reference
for
the nitrogen-phosphate-potassium
plant nutrient)
NY Central Art Supply
oaktag
off-balance (adj. and adv.)
okay (not OK)
oilcloth
omelet (not omelette)
WORDS & TERMS
oniony (adj.)
online
openwork
orange-flower water
orecchiette
ovenproof
oversize (not oversized)
padauk
painters’ tape
paperwhites
papier-mâché
Parmesan
patty pan squash (differs from
Web. 11)
Paw Paw (Martha’s chow)
parsley (specify flat-leaf or curly leaf)
PBS
pecorino Romano
pegboard
peperoncini
pepperberry
petits fours
Phillips-head screwdriver
phosphorus (n.), phosphorous (adj.)
pinking shears
place card
place mat
place-name
pom-pom (differs from Web. 11)
poppy seed
potpie
prosciutto
proved (not proven)
Provençal
purée (in all forms)
PVC (polyvinyl chloride; no points)
ragù
Renaissance
rice-wine vinegar
rickrack
rococo
Roquefort
rose water
rotary cutter
R.S.V.P. (with points)
sauté, sautées, sautéed (v.)
WORDS & TERMS
scalloping scissors
Scotch bonnet chiles
Scotch whiskey
screw rings
self- (hyphenate all self- compounds;
e.g., self-aware)
self-healing mat
selvage
semi-double
seviche
shammes
shiitake
S hook
shrimp (sing. and pl.)
silk-organza sheers
Silpat baking mat
silver leaf
Sirius Satellite Radio
Skylands (Martha’s house in Maine)
slingback
slip-joint pliers
sloppy joe
snow globe
sofa (not couch)
SoHo (New York City), Soho
(London)
Social Security Administration,
Social
Security card, Social Security
number
soppressata
Spackle (trademark as noun; use
spackling compound)
specialty-food store
spoon bread
spray adhesive (not spray-mount
adhesive)
squash (singular), squashes (plural)
stand mixer
Stilton cheese
stir-fries
straightedge (n.)
sun-dried tomatoes
surform planer
SUV (acceptable on second
reference
WORDS & TERMS
for sport-utility vehicle)
swath (n.); swathe (v.)
sweet pea (two words)
Swiss cheese
tack cloth
tailor’s chalk
Taleggio cheese
terry cloth
thumbtack
tiramisù
T pin
transferware
TriBeCa
trompe l’oeil
turnscrew
Ultrasuede fabric
Union Square Greenmarket
United States (n.); U.S. (adj.)
utility knife
Vacherin cheese
Valencia oranges
vellum
verjus
versus (not vs.)
votive candle
waxed paper (not wax paper)
web-based
weblog (blog on second reference)
webmaster
website
Wedgwood
well-wisher (n.)
wheatmeal
wick sustainer
wineglass
wire (gauge measures thickness; the
higher the number, the thinner the
wire)
wood gouge
wreath form
X-Acto knife (trademark; use
utility knife)
Yellow Pages (use telephone book)
yellowware
yuca (food); yucca (plant)
Yukon gold potatoes
WORDS & TERMS
yuletide
ZIP code
Ziploc bag (trademark; use
resealable
plastic bag)
Zone 1, Zone 2, and so on (cap the
Z and
use a numeral; precede with USDA
on
first reference)
Zu Zu (Martha’s chow
CHANGE LOG
CHANGE LOG