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Editorial Guidelines & Style Sheet

Editorial Guidelines

Format: Use our style sheet below for common format and style questions.

  • Single space after periods.
  • Single return after paragraphs. No indent.
  • Please use html tags for formatting that requires bold, italics, or hyperlinks. A cheatsheet for tagging can be found here.

    • To Submit: Send all stories as BOTH an Microsoft Word attachment, and as text in the body of an e-mail message to info@independent-magazine.org or to editor's email.  Please include:

  • Headline (title of the story)
  • Sub headline (one sentence of further explanation)
  • Summary (a paragraph that can be used in the email newsletter and on the home page)
  • Byline (your name)
  • Bio (optional) 1-2 sentence bio with your e-mail or website if you wish

    • Length: Typically about 1,000-1,500 words.

    Types of Articles

    • Filmmaker Interviews can be done as a Q&A (e.g. No Ordinary Granny) or as an edited profile with direct quotes interspersed (e.g. ITVS: Has This Key Funding Parnter Lost its Way?).
    • Funder, Theatre or Distributor FAQs should be in a Q&A format.  See examples on the site.
    • Filmmaker Journals should work as stand-alone pieces as well as part of a series.  Preferably, each should have a theme or topic (e.g. distribution, fundraising).

    Style Sheet

    Here are some guidelines that all articles on The Independent must follow for publication.  Also, use dictionary.com for spelling, dictionary and thesaurus or Elements of Style or other Bartleby books for grammar help.

    Abbreviating
    Apostrophes
    Dashes
    Dates & Times
    Internet Terms
    Interviews 
    The Independent References
    Numbers
    Quotes 
    Titles - in Italics

    ABBREVIATING

    Abbreviations are fine, but the full spelling should be included in first-time reference. For example:

    The Independent Feature Project (IFP) is an organization for filmmakers across the country. The main goal of the IFP is to help filmmakers promote their works.

    APOSTROPHES

    Apostrophes should be placed as follows based on whether the subject is singular or plural:

    The filmmakers' goal was to educated the community.

    Mr. Jones's goal was to educate the community.

    DASHES

    Use long dashes not double dashes:

    Several films screened – although no filmmakers attended.

    DATES & TIMES

    If writing a single date:

    August 24th

    If writing a set of dates:

    August 24–30, 2001

    If writing a decade date that is not in this century:

    1960s

    If writing a decade date that is in this century (probably won’t be all that applicable just yet):

    ‘30s

    When writing time of day:

    8 pm

    THE INDEPENDENT REFERENCES

    When referencing our publication, use The Independent.

    INTERNET TERMS

    Always capitalize Internet.

    Use website.

    Use e-mail not email.

    When an URL comes at the end of a sentence, put a period after it.

    Provide complete urls for as many relevant links as possible.

    Hyperlink to a film or organization when it is first mentioned then type as regular text from that point on.

    INTERVIEWS

    Always use the initials of the interviewer and the last name of the interviewee, and bold:

    SH: Why do you make films?

    Wiseman: Because I like them.

    When referring to an interviewee, refer to their last name.

    Since 1990, Wiseman has produced several films.

    NUMBERS

    The numbers 1 – 9 should be written out:

    There were three cats in the room.

    Numbers above nine should be numbers:

    There were 11 cats, 100 dogs, and 1,000 birds.

    Numbers in a series should be written as follows:

    Competitors 1-8 will be first; competitors 152 – 160 will be next.

    Numbers starting a sentence will always be spelled out:

    Five hundred movies were at the festival.

    Awards:

    The first place winner
    The 14th place rider

    Write out percents:

    5 percent
    100 percent

    QUOTES

    Always put periods and commas inside quotation marks. 

    "It’s a great film," said Wiseman.

    Put question marks and exclamation points inside quotation marks unless they apply to the sentence as a whole. For example:

    He wondered, "Will this film be a success?"
    Has anyone heard him say, "Don’t watch that film"?

    TITLES

    Movie titles, book titles, television programs, and episode titles should be in italics.

    Exhibits and programs should be in title case:

    The Wiseman Retrospective
    Screenwriting for Dummies

    Individual pieces within an exhibit should be in italics:

    The Scream was on exhibit at the MFA.