Whether working on medical, environmental, technical, or academic manuscripts, a science book editor needs ongoing training in these disciplines.
For this reason, I recently joined the Council of Science Editors (CSE), “a dynamic community of editorial professionals dedicated to the responsible and effective communication of science.”
Science book Editor Style Guide
In previous posts, I’ve shared the various style guides used in the literary industry and academic fields. Through the Council of Science Editors, I’m able to purchase Scientific Style and Format, the 840-page CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, Eighth Edition. What a wonderful resource!
For more than fifty years, authors, editors, and publishers in the scientific community have turned to Scientific Style and Format for authoritative recommendations on all matters of writing style and citation. Developed by the Council of Science Editors (CSE), the leading professional association in science publishing, this indispensable guide encompasses all areas of the sciences. Now in its eighth edition, it has been fully revised to reflect today’s best practices in scientific publishing.
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo13231737.html
Scientific Style and Format is affiliated with the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), which makes the quick citation guide and online forum especially helpful for science book editors — and science authors as well.
In fact, I recommend that science writers and authors invest in purchasing the book, as it makes sense of the technical nature of topics, for instance:
- Numbers, Units, Mathematical Expressions, and Statistics
- Time, Dates, and Age Measurements
- Geographic Designations
- Subatomic Particles, Chemical Elements, and Related Notations
- Drugs and Pharmacokinetics
- Genes, Chromosomes, and Related Molecules
- Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Astronomical Objects and Time Systems
- and much more (32 chapters in all)
Science-oriented Genres
If you’d like to know more about science genres and where your manuscript might fit into a publishing category, take a look at these links.
* General Nonfiction Book Genre
Have Questions? I Can Help!
Contact me at melaniesaxton@icloud.com and let’s consult about your project.