essays do you underline book titles

Let’s Clear This Up: Should You Underline Or Italicize Book Titles?

If your teachers taught you to underline book titles , it probably didn’t make sense to argue.

Plus, underlining is just easier when you’re writing things out by hand.

Not so with texting — or when you’re writing a book of your own.

When you reference your sources, do you underline or italicize book titles?

Are novels italicized or underlined?

And does it matter whether a novel or novelette is part of an anthology ?

What are the rules worth remembering?

The Basics: Do You Underline or Italicize Book Titles?

Some exceptions to the rule: should you underline or italicize book titles, punctuating book titles, book title italics or quotes .

Do You Italicize Books Like The Lord of the Rings?

Do You Italicize the Titles of Sacred Books?

What does the ap stylebook recommend.

If your main question is “Do I underline book titles or italicize them?” most style guides recommend the following guidelines:

If you have italics as an option, use it.
If not, underline.
If underlining isn’t an option, use asterisks or under-slashes to set off titles.

That last one is the way to go when you include a book title in a text message or social media post or comment, where you can’t apply any kind of text formatting.

Underlining can be problematic with digital text (websites, digital apps, and ebooks) since we now associate it with hyperlinks, even if the font color matches the text around it.

Probably the most common scenario, when you can underline but not effectively italicize, is when you’re writing something by hand. While you could switch to cursive mid-sentence, underlining is less likely to be dismissed as a random quirk.

Plus, underlining is easier than cursive.

We’ve already mentioned one exception to the rule favoring italics. Handwriting makes underlining easier and more obvious.

Another exception is when you’re submitting text through a web form, which doesn’t allow text formatting (much like texting and social media posts).

A third exception involves chunks of italicized text that include a book title. In this case, you’ll want to keep the title unitalicized to make it stand out.

Keep these exceptions in mind when someone asks you, “Do you italicize book titles?” Because they do matter.

There’s one final exception, which we’ll revisit at the end of this post, and that has to do with the particular style guide you may be using.

So, what do you do if you’re italicizing a book title and you have to add punctuation — like an apostrophe to show possession — that isn’t part of the title? Do you treat that differently from the punctuation that the author included?

For the sake of clarity, we keep any added punctuation (apostrophes, dashes , ellipses, etc.) — anything not native to the original title — in regular, non-italicized text.

Examples:

“Looking at the books stacked nearby, I saw that Blink ’s cover was slightly creased from its days in my purse.” (The apostrophe-s ending is not italicized because it’s not part of the title.)
“She just finished reading Salem’s Lot , and she’d rather not talk about it. Give her time.” (In this case, the apostrophe-s at the end of Salem is part of the title and is italicized.)

So, are all book titles italicized? And what about titles for smaller works like short stories, magazine articles, and blog posts?

To keep the rule as simple as possible, ask yourself whether the title in question is for a published container — like a blog, a website, a magazine or scholarly journal, or a complete book — or for something that would be contained.

Would you find this title on the cover of a finished whole (an album, the cover image for a podcast, etc.) or in a table of contents or a list of songs, poems, or podcast episodes?

Larger works get the italics treatment, as you’ll see in the following examples:

Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
Back in Black (album) by AC/DC
Live Bold and Bloom (blog)
Authority Self Publishing: Marketing, Writing, and Kindle Publishing Tips (podcast)

Smaller works that a larger work could contain get quotation marks. It’s not about which one is more important; it’s about making it easier for readers to tell them apart.

When you see a story title in quotation marks, you’re more likely to think, “Oh, that must be a short story?” Find a book of short stories and check out the table of contents, and you’ll find quotes around each story’s title.

Each is a smaller part of the whole collection, which bears an italicized title of its own.

Do You Italicize Titles of Novels and Books Included in Anthologies?

So, what about Reader’s Digest Condensed Books (1950-1997) — or Reader’s Digest Select Editions (since 1997)?

Each of the works included are abridged versions of completed books and novels.

If you’re looking up some options on Amazon, you’ll see quotation marks around the titles of the books and novels included in each hardcover edition.

It’s tempting to think the abridgment of the title is the reason for this. But collections like Reader’s Digest editions aren’t the only ones that do this—even when the titles in the collection are unabridged originals.

Read on for another well-known example.

Do You Italicize Books Like The Lord of the Rings ?

Books like LOTR bring together separate books that are all part of a complete series. In LOTR’s case, the complete set is a trilogy with the following titles:

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King

If the book you’re referencing in your own writing is a separate title with its own cover, you’ll italicize the title in-text citations and in your bibliography.

But if you’re using the complete LOTR trilogy under one cover, you’ll set off any of the enclosed titles with quotation marks — as if they were separate parts of a larger book.

The same rule applies to other books that include all the titles in a specific series.

While we do italicize specific editions of sacred books (e.g., The New King James Bible ), we do not generally italicize or underline the generic titles of sacred religious texts:

The Bible (and individual books in the Bible)
The Koran / Qur’an and The Hadiths
The Vedas and the Upanishads
The Tanakh and the Talmud
The Tipitaka (Buddhism)

As for the specific books inside the Christian Bible, if you’re referencing a specific verse, you’ll include the name of the book (or an abbreviation), along with the chapter and verse, and text formatted the same as the text around it (e.g., Matt 3:5 or 2 Corinthians 4:16).

Not all style guides recommend italicizing book titles; the AP Stylebook uses quotation marks instead, maybe just to simplify things.

That said, publications like Writers Digest use the AP Stylebook but choose to italicize their book titles in deference to their own house rules.

Whether you go that route will likely depend on what you or your client wants.

If you’re thoroughly confused right now, the main thing to remember is that in most cases, the rules described above will help you correctly format any book titles you reference in your own writing.

If it’s a container (book, album, podcast, TV series, etc.), use italics.
If it’s contained by a container (poem, TV episode, song, etc.), use quotation marks.

When in doubt, check your style guide. And if you’re writing for someone else, ask them what they prefer or consult their chosen style guide.

Whatever rules you go with, be consistent.

Now that you know how to answer the question, “Do you underline book titles or italicize them?” which points stood out for you as most helpful? And what have you learned that you want to remember?

Should your novel title be underlined and/or italicized? Learn the rules of writing book and novel titles and if these titles have to be underlined and italicized as you read in this post.

How to Write Book Titles in Your Essays

3-minute read

26th May 2023

When writing an essay, you’re likely to mention other authors’ works, such as books, papers, and articles. Formatting the titles of these works usually involves using quotation marks or italics.

So how do you write a book title in an essay? Most style guides have a standard for this – be sure to check that first. If you’re unsure, though, check out our guide below.

Italics or Quotation Marks?

As a general rule, you should set titles of longer works in italics , and titles of shorter works go in quotation marks . Longer works include books, journals, TV shows, albums, plays, etc. Here’s an example of a book mention:

Shorter works include poems, articles, chapters of books, episodes of TV shows, songs, etc. If it’s a piece that’s part of a biggHow to Write Book Titles in Your Essayser work, the piece considered a short work:

Exceptions to the Rule

The rule for writing book titles in italics applies specifically to running text . If the book title is standing on its own, as in a heading, there’s no need to italicize it.

Additionally, if the book is part of a larger series and you’re mentioning both the title of the series and that of the individual book, you can consider the book a shorter work. You would set the title of the series in italics and place the book title in quotation marks:

Punctuation in Book Titles

Do you need to apply italics to the punctuation in a book title? The short answer is yes – but only if the punctuation is part of the title:

If the punctuation isn’t part of the title (i.e., the punctuation is part of the sentence containing the title), you shouldn’t include in the italics:

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Summary: Writing Book Titles in Essays

We hope you’ll now feel confident when you’re writing and formatting book titles in your essays. Generally, you should set the title in italics when it’s in running text. Remember, though, to check your style guide. While the standards we’ve covered are the most common, some style guides have different requirements.

And once you finish writing your paper, make sure you send it our way! We’ll make sure any titles are formatted correctly as well as checking your work for grammar, spelling, punctuation, referencing, and more. Submit a free sample to try our service today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write the title of a book in a sentence.

Set the title of the book in italics unless the book is part of a larger work (e.g., a book that’s part of a series):

When do you use quotation marks for titles?

Place titles of shorter works or pieces that are contained in a larger work in quotation marks:

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Do You Underline Book Titles?

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Home » Blog » Do You Underline Book Titles?

Writing has been around as a form of both creativity and documentation or a long time, and it has changed a lot over the years. One of the biggest stylistic changes that have occurred has to do with the emphasis of titles and many ask the same question – do you underline book titles?

At one point the answer would have been an automatic yes due to the lack of other options. Especially when writing with pen and paper underlining is easy and quick. It is a simple way to draw attention to certain words and ensure the reader knows they are important.

This was also true when the use of typewriters was normal as they did not have an option to italicize. Writing has evolved and technology has become more prominent. With this, additional formatting options have been created. Between italics, underlining, bold text, and quotation marks, it can cause a lot of frustration trying to keep these things straight. So, in these more modern times of writing, do you underline book titles? The answer is a definite no.

Under and Italics – A Little History

Considering the fact that underlining and italicizing do the same thing, some wonder why underlining is an issue. It used to be so common. Asking do you underline books titles is understandable as some people are still adjusting to the change. The best explanation is that technology has evolved past the necessity of doing what is easiest.

Word processors and printers have come a long way over the years and they are able to support and produce any form of text in a sophisticated manner. Italics are generally considered to look more professional, however, it was not always possible to create them. With typewriters, it was downright impossible as it was not even available. Handwritten italics could be done but they would often be too difficult to read.

Writers discovered quickly that certain things needed to be emphasized. It was necessary for the reader to understand exactly what is being talked about. It was also necessary at times to highlight the importance of certain elements. That is why it all began with underlining as it was the most practical option at the time. With more advanced technology, however, italics became more common. They are also considered to be much more professional.

With the arrival of more options, writers began using underlines and italics interchangeably at times. This creates some confusing pieces of writing. This is when guidelines began surfacing. Many had a push for italics to be the accepted form of emphasis for the titles of books and larger works. Unfortunately, not everyone is always on board with this which is why there are still different opinions and sets of guidelines out there.

Consistency is Key

While the most accepted form of emphasis for book titles is to italicize, the most important thing is to remain consistent. The different forms of Italics, bolding, underlining, and quotation marks are not governed by hard and official rules. Everything that currently exists is simply a set of guidelines. While certain things are more widely accepted than others, nothing is technically wrong. Some people may prefer the old ways and choose to underline book titles in their writing. The APA Publication Manual is an example of one style guide that continues to promote the use of underlining over italics.

It is not recommended, but at the end of the day, it is a personal choice. You might you choose to use underlining instead of sticking to the more professional method of italics. If so, it is important that you remain consistent. Don’t go back and forth, don’t do both, and don’t change it up halfway through. Remain consistent throughout a series if what you are writing is a continuous publication – such as a blog, magazine, or series of books.

Academic Writing

When it comes to writing for academic purposes, it is important that you follow your instructor’s guidelines above all else. The world will tell you that italics are the way to go. Despite this, some professors and other educators may still appreciate the old ways. Even if every other source is telling students to italicize, they must adhere to the specific guidelines for their assignment. If the instructions created by your professor tell you to underline your titles, it is acceptable to do so.

When Do You Underline?

If you choose to follow the more popular guidelines of italicizing, you may wonder when it is acceptable to underline something. There are some instances where underlining certain pieces of text is acceptable and even encouraged:

If you are writing with a medium that does not offer italics, it would be acceptable to underline what would otherwise be italicized. Examples of this would be handwritten work or something written with a typewriter.
If you want to draw emphasis to a particular word that is not a title of any kind. For example: “When riding your horse in a wide open field, it is a lot of fun to go fast!” Italics can also be used in these situations, but underlining is acceptable.

Underlining and Punctuation

If you choose to use underlining in any context, it is important to note that punctuation should not be underlined. You may find that your underlined word is the last within a sentence, the last before a comma, or something similar. This rule goes back to the days of typewriters. If a punctuation mark were to be underlined on a typewriter, it would simply be obscured by the underline and become useless. Exceptions to this include cases where the punctuation is an integral part of the word or phrase:

Initials such as U.S.A.
A title such as that of the musical Oklahoma!

It is Best to Avoid Underlining

While you are technically free to choose whichever style you want, it is not advisable to use underlining. Especially in a professional piece of writing, readers will take you more seriously if you stick to italics. It is true that underlining used to be the norm, but times have changed. Underlining is an outdated style and most people prefer the appearance of italics. You will be doing yourself a favor to keep up with the world and italicize your book titles. That’s why we see most people italicizing their book titles in our book writing software, Squibler .

How to Write a Book (10 Mistakes to Avoid)

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Writing A Book Title In Your Essay – The Right Way

Table of contents

1 APA Style: How to Write Book Titles in Essays
2 APA Style Essay: Writing The Name of The Author
3 MLA Style Essay: Citing a Book Title
4 Chicago Style Essay: Writing the Book Title
5 Writing Various Types of Titles
6 Should We Underline or Italicize Book Titles?

When you are writing an academic essay , the book title and author’s name should be written in italics. However, if the book title is part of a larger work (such as a journal article), it should be underlined instead. So, you’re wondering how to write a book title in an essay?

Writing an essay with a book title can be tricky, particularly because each style guide has its own formatting rules for including titles in the main text. Whether you are using MLA, APA, Chicago, or Harvard referencing styles, you will need to consider how to properly format the book title. For more complicated literature-based assignments, seeking assistance from an admission essay writing service may be wise, as they specialize in writing essays that incorporate academic sources.

In this article, we will explore how to write both titles in an essay properly so that you avoid any mistakes!

APA Style: How to Write Book Titles in Essays

When writing an essay, you must follow the style guide provided by your professor. Some teachers may require you to use APA style and others MLA style. There are some rules on how to quote a book title in an essay. You should use italics and quotation marks when writing book titles in essays. For example: “ The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. “

When writing a book title in APA Style , you should be aware of these rules:

Write the book title in italics and place it after the author’s name, which is presented in reverse order (last name first).

Use quotation marks around the headline of a chapter or article.

Capitalize proper names that are not common nouns (names of people, places, organizations), but do not capitalize words such as “and,” “or,” “to,” or “and/or.”

Do not capitalize prepositions that appear at the beginning of titles if they are followed by an article (e.g., “A,” “An”), but do capitalize prepositions at the beginning of titles if they are not followed by articles (“Of”).

The first word of the headline should be capitalized, as well as any other words after a colon or hyphen. For example, “The Elements of Style: Grammar for Everyone” or “Theories of Personality: Critical Perspectives.”

Capitalize proper names and words derived from them (e.g., the names of people, places, organizations), except proper nouns used generically (e.g., ‘a bed’).

APA Style Essay: Writing The Name of The Author

You should always use the full name and surname of the author in your APA essay because this will give proper credit to the writer. If you do not mention the author’s full name, people may not know who wrote what and will think you copied it from somewhere else. This will cause lots of problems for you and your reputation as well.

Make sure that all authors’ names appear in the same format in each entry. For example, if one person’s surname is Smith and another’s is Jones, both have first names starting with “J.” It may seem like they are being cited as different people when they’re actually written differently from each other on separate pages in your paper.

To write an APA essay without any issues, there are certain rules that you need to follow while writing an author’s name in APA essay:

Use only one author’s name in your paper unless there are multiple authors
If there are multiple authors, then use both their last names followed by the initials of their first names
Only use initials of first names when there are three or more authors; otherwise, use full names with their last names

Example: Johnson, M.C., Carlson, M., Smith, J. N., & Hanover, L. E.

MLA Style Essay: Citing a Book Title

Now let’s discuss how to mention a book in an essay. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition, published by the Modern Language Association (2014), contains detailed rules about how to cite a book title in an essay.

The following guidelines will instruct you on how to refer to a book in an essay in MLA style :

List your sources at the end of your paper, before the works cited page or bibliography.
Use italics for titles of books, magazines, and newspapers, but not for articles within those publications, which should be placed in quotation marks.
Include all relevant book information under two categories: “title” and “author.” In the former category, include the work’s title and its subtitle if there is one; do this even if neither appears on your title page (see below). In the latter category, include only primary authors who have written or edited an entire book; if there are multiple contributors, you should cite them separately under each.

The general format for citing the title of the book in an essay is as follows:

Author’s last name, first initial (Date). Title of Book with Subtitle if there is one. Publisher Name/Location of Publisher; Year Published

Chicago Style Essay: Writing the Book Title

One of the most important things to remember when writing in Chicago style is how to write the title of a book in an essay. To write a good book title in an essay, you should follow these steps:

Write it at the beginning of your sentence.
Capitalize it just like any other noun or proper noun.
Put a comma after the title unless it’s an introductory clause or phrase. For example: “The Firm,” by John Grisham (not “by”) and “The Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D Salinger (not “and”).
In addition to the book’s name, punctuation marks should also be italicized.

For example: Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince: Children’s Edition

Writing Various Types of Titles

Now that we covered how to write a book title and author in an essay, it’s time to look at some different types of titles. When you write a book title in an essay, several things must be considered. Whether it’s a book, series, chapter title, editor’s name, or author’s name, how you write it depends on where it appears in your paper.

Here are some key rules for writing headings for novels:

Use capital letters to write the title of the novel. For example, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett .
Use italics and capital letters to write the name of the author and his/her other works mentioned in a book title—for example, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) .

You should use quotation marks when writing headings of short title poems, articles, and stories.

However, before deciding which format to use, it is important to understand the main idea you want to express in your essay. Additionally, you could use essay papers for sale to help you accomplish your goal of writing an essay effectively.

Should We Underline or Italicize Book Titles?

It depends on which style guide you use. The Modern Language Association and Chicago Manual of Style both suggest using italics, while the American Psychological Association suggests using quotation marks with a few exceptions.

The way you write the title of a book in an essay is different depending on the instructions you were given. For example, if you’re writing an essay in APA style, use quotation marks around the book’s name. If you’re writing for MLA or Chicago style , however, italicize the book’s name instead. If you’re writing a handwritten essay instead of using a computer, capitalize and underline the book’s name.

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Italics and Underlining: Titles of Books

When writing, the decision about how to type a title can be particularly vexing. Should you underline the title, use quotations, italicize, or try some one-of-a-kind styling? To make matters more confusing, popular style guides offer different guidelines and grammar rules. Plus, the answer varies, depending on whether you have a book title, chapter title, article title, song title, or movie title on your hands. What’s a grammar enthusiast to do?

Here’s the short answer: italicize book titles.

In this article, we’ll discuss the recommendations that different style guides make and the history of how these formatting preferences evolved.

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The Chicago Manual of Style

Books: Italics

Magazine Articles: Quotes

Albums: Italics

Poems: Quotes, unless book length

Book Chapters: Quotes

Art: Italics

Songs: Quotes

Associated Press (AP Style)

Books: Quotes

Magazine Articles: N/A

Albums: Quotes

Poems: Quotes

Book Chapters: N/A

Art: Quotes

American Psychological Association (APA Style)

Modern language association (mla style), exceptions to the rules.

The above guidelines apply to most books; however, book series, handbooks, reference catalogs, and canonical texts (like the Bible) tend to be handled differently. In the event that you’re writing the title of a non-standard book, be sure to check with your preferred style guide for additional advice.

When do you underline, and when do you italicize?

Since the advent of the word processor, writers have more ways to signal emphasis than ever before. Whereas, in the past, some style guides recommended underlining titles, today most prefer italics or quotation marks. When you’re writing something by hand, underline the titles that would normally be italicized.

MLA, APA, and Chicago guides agree that the use of italics is appropriate for standard book titles. Only the Associated Press prefers quotation marks for the title of a book, and that’s because they do not ever advocate the use of italics. At first, this rule seems arbitrary. After thinking about it, I can picture a foreign correspondent submitting an longhand assignment after narrowly escaping danger; the Associated Press might avoid italics for the practical reason that they’re impossible to write by hand.

It’s not hard to remember the APA style rules—they’re the simplest of the bunch. If you’re writing the title of a larger work that can stand alone, then you should use italics. For shorter works that make up a portion of a larger whole—such as journal articles, short stories, or song titles—always use quotation marks.

As a general rule, the title of an article, album, chapter, or artwork will vary significantly from one style guide to another. Poems and song titles are almost always written the same way, within double quotation marks, no matter which stylebook you use.

How to Reference a Book

Chicago style.

Frost, Robert. Robert Frost: Selected Poems . New York: Fall River Press, 2015.

This publication manual, intended for journalism writing, only recommends in-text citations:

In “Robert Frost: Selected Poems,” Frost compared…
Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind” contains…
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J. K. Rowling became…

Frost, R. (2015). Robert Frost: selected poems . New York: Fall River Press.

Frost, Robert. Robert Frost: Selected Poems . Fall River Press, 2015.

https://apvschicago.com/2011/04/titles-quote-marks-italics-underlining.html
https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/03/how-to-capitalize-and-format-reference-titles-in-apa-style.html
https://morningside.libguides.com/MLA8/title
https://style.mla.org/citing-artwork-from-an-exhibition/
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/titles-using-italics-and-quotation-marks.html
https://twitter.com/apstylebook/status/1110901868350328833?lang=en
https://www.citationmachine.net/

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I’m an award-winning playwright with a penchant for wordplay. After earning a perfect score on the Writing SAT, I worked my way through Brown University by moonlighting as a Kaplan Test Prep tutor. I received a BA with honors in Literary Arts (Playwriting)—which gave me the opportunity to study under Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel. In my previous roles as new media producer with Rosetta Stone, director of marketing for global ventures with The Juilliard School, and vice president of digital strategy with Up & Coming Media, I helped develop the voice for international brands. From my home office in Maui, Hawaii, I currently work on freelance and ghostwriting projects.

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APA Style - 7th edition
Specific Rules for Authors & Titles

APA Style - 7th edition: Specific Rules for Authors & Titles

Basic Information

Rules for Writing Author and Editor Information

Rules for writing titles.

Media Sources
Internet Sources
In-text Citations
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There are certain things to keep in mind when writing the author's name according to APA style. Authors may be individual people, multiple people, groups (institutions or organizations), or a combination of people and groups.

You must include all the authors up to 20 for individual items. For example, if you are using an article that has 19 authors you must list them all out on your reference page.
Use initials for the first and middle names of authors. Use one space between initials.
All names are inverted (last name, first initial).
Do not hyphenate a name unless it is hyphenated on the item.
Separate the author's names with a comma and use the ampersand symbol "&" before the last author listed.
Spell out the name of any organization that is listed as an author.
If there is no author listed, the item title moves in front of the publication date and is used.

An item that you use may have an editor instead of an author or in the case of audiovisual materials a writer or director.

For editors follow the same rules above and put the abbreviation (Ed.) or (Eds.) behind the name(s).
For audiovisual materials follow the same rules as above and put the specialized role (Writer) (Director) behind the name.

Zhang, Y. H. (one author)

Arnec, A., & Lavbic, D. (two authors)

Kent State University (organization as author)

Barr, M. J. (Ed.). (1 editor)

Powell, R. R., & Westbrook, L. (Eds.). (2 editors)

here are certain things to keep in mind when writing a title according to APA style.

Book titles are italicized and written using sentence case (only the first word of a title, subtitle, or proper noun are capitalized).
Book chapter titles are written using sentence case and are not italicized.
Journal titles are italicized and written using title case (all the important words are capitalized).
Article titles are written using sentence case and are not italicized.
Webpages and websites are italicized and written using sentence case.

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (book title, American Psychological Association is a proper noun so it is capitalized)

Student perspective of plagiarism (book chapter title)

Internet plagiarism in higher education: Tendencies, trigging factors and reasons among teacher candidates (article title, Tendencies is the first word of a sub-title so it is capitalized)

Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education (journal title)

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Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023 4:23 PM
URL: https://libguides.library.kent.edu/apa7

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Grammar Guide

Do You Italicize Book Titles?

Kathy Edens

Back in the day, before the internet and blue underlined words meant links to other websites, students were taught to underline the titles of books, magazines, plays, songs, movies, and other titled works. Nowadays, people expect underlined words to be links that take them to even more informative content, so the rules have changed.

Now, in most instances, you italicize book titles, songs, and other full-length works like movies. However, you’ll still find some style guides that require writers to put them in quotation marks. It makes sense to always determine how you’re expected to designate titles of works.

Ultimately, it’s a matter of style and who you’re writing for should tell you the style guide they adhere to, like The Chicago Manual of Style or the AMA Manual of Style . There is no one singular source that governs how to handle titled works. It’s up to you to find out if your source uses the AP guidelines which dictate quotation marks around book titles or another style guide that italicizes.

What if your source doesn’t specify a style guide?

What if a source you’re citing doesn’t italicize published works, default ways to quote books, plays, articles, songs, etc., final thoughts.

Some publications don’t adhere to one style guide over others. If that’s the case, you can ask the editor what his or her preference is, or you can simply pick one way and stick to it across all articles and content. It’s more about consistency than following a style, so if you italicize a book title on page 12 of your article, you better italicize another book title on page 23 later on.

As a writer, your job is to be consistent so you turn in the most professional looking copy across all fronts. Editors will go through your content and make sure you’re consistently using italics or quotation marks for published works titles, but it makes their jobs easier if they’re only looking for the occasional divergence rather than having to implement the correct style from scratch.

Again, it comes down to consistency. If a source you’re citing doesn’t italicize published works, but you’ve chosen that style for your content, you need to stick with it.

For example, say you’ve researched online sources through your library and are referring to the classic book Gone With the Wind . You’re using italics to designate published works in your content, but the source you’re citing uses quotation marks. Stick with your style choice, not the source’s. In this case, regardless of how the source you’re citing sets published works apart, you’ve used italics, so that’s what you stick with.

Italicize longer published works. Use quotation marks for shorter works like chapters, articles, poems, etc. Here are a few examples.

We read A Raisin in the Sun in English class this year. (Title of a play.)

The Wall Street Journal article, "NASA Opens Space Station to Tourists and Businesses," is fascinating. (Title of a publication is italicized while an article in it is set off by quotation marks.)

If you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame , you’re missing one of the best superhero movies out there. (The title of the movie is italicized.)

I thought the chapter, "Why Mornings Matter (more than you Think)," in The Miracle Morning for Writers was the most powerful. (Chapter titles are set off by quotation marks while book titles are italicized.)

Save underline in your digital content for links to other websites. Don’t confuse readers by underlining book titles as well.

Instead, italicize the titles of published works, and put shorter works in quotation marks. (Unless you’re following the AP Style Guide; they don’t use italics.)

To sum it up, follow the style guide your editor recommends. If he or she doesn’t have a style guide, choose one way and follow it consistently across all your work. Present your most professional work by sticking to a single style; only amateurs are all over the place.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Kathy Edens is a blogger, a ghost writer, and content master who loves writing about anything and everything. Check out her books The Novel-Writing Training Plan: 17 Steps to Get Your Ideas in Shape for the Marathon of Writing and Creating Legends: How to Craft Characters Readers Adore... or Despise.

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How To Write Book Titles The Proper Way: A Complete Guide For Writers

February 10, 2022

Book titles within essays or papers can be tricky. There are specific rules that are given for how to include a book title in a way that sets it apart from the content of your writing given by the Modern Language Association. However, as with many other things in life, there are exceptions to the rules. This article will guide you through the rules of the writing style guides so that you can include a book’s title in your paper or essay correctly.

How to write book titles:

Style guides and book titles.

When it comes to book titles within text, there are a few different style guides that have rules you can follow, depending on your writing type. The three types that you will encounter most often are; MLA style, Chicago manual of style, and APA. A writing instructor will usually tell you what style guide you are expected to use for a particular essay or paper.

MLA Style Guide

The MLA handbook states that you should always italicize book titles when styling book titles within your text. The exception to this rule are religious texts. You would not italicize the Holy Bible or the sacred books or titles of other religions. Note the following example.

Pam had stayed most of the summer indoors, re-reading her favorite book series. She was already up to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , and she didn’t regret not being more active or going outside.

In the above example, the book title is italicized. Fiction titles and nonfiction titles alike must be in italics when within the text.

Series Titles in MLA

In the above example, a book from a series was used. But what if the text had not specified which book from the series Pam was reading? Would it still need to be in italics? The answer is: in this case, yes. In other cases, sometimes.

It’s really not as confusing as it seems. When you are talking about a book series but don’t want or need to include the complete series titles for the purposes of your work, you only have to put words in italics that also appear in the book titles. So, because Harry Potter is part of the title of all of the books in the series, you would italicize his name every time you mention the book.

However, if you were talking about Katniss Everdeen, you would not have to do this, as the book series she is featured in doesn’t use her name in the titles of The Hunger Games series. The same would be true of books like the Nancy Drew books.

Quotation Marks

There are instances in which titles should be placed inside of quotation marks within a paper or essay. This is done when you cite the titles of poems , a chapter title, short stories, articles, or blogs.

So, for example, if you were to write a paper that featured a poem from a book, you would put the book title in italics and the poems cited in quotation marks.

An example of an enduring love poem is “Annabel Lee” from The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

Chapter Title

Another time that quotation marks should be used is when using the title of a chapter. If you are citing a specific chapter of a book, you would enclose the title of the chapter in quotation marks, and the title of the book should be in italics.

The desperation and sadness of a man on death row can be seen in the “Wild Wind Blowing” chapter of Norman Mailer’s The Executioner’s Song.

Short Stories

Short stories are another case. Much like the title of a chapter or poem, in which the title is placed in quotation marks, while the title of the book or collection it is found in is italics. The same can be said for sections, stories, or chapters cited within a literary journal.

Stepping away from his norm of horror and gore, Stephen King writes of trust, love, and regret in his story “The Last Rung on the Ladder,” which can be found in his short story collection Night Shift.

Punctuation Marks

If you are citing a story or title that includes question marks, you need to make sure to italicize the question mark when citing. Keep all punctuation, such as a question mark, comma, ellipses, colon, or exclamation mark, as it is in the original individual books.

If you want a funny and irreverent read, you’ve got to try Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea. Chelsea Handler has done a phenomenal job of being vulgar, relatable, and explaining life from her viewpoint in this hilarious and memorable book.

The Digital Age: Are Book Titles Underlined Anymore?

MLA style used to dictate that a book title should either be in italics or underlined. However, that is no longer the case. As computers started to take over as the major tool used in writing, it became unpopular to underline book titles. Therefore, this rule was dropped from the style guides.

However, it should be mentioned that when handwriting an essay or research paper, many instructors prefer that you underline book titles, as it’s relatively difficult to handwrite italics. If you are in a writing course or a class that is heavy on handwritten work, be sure to ask your instructor or teacher which method they prefer for citing a book title.

How to Come Up with Book Title Ideas

Now that quotation marks, italics, and style guides have been discussed, let’s move on to how you can come up with your own book title. If you’d like a title for your book that sounds interesting and will get a reader’s attention, you may find this article helpful.

Coming up with a good title for your book is a challenging yet essential marketing decision . The right title can make your target audience choose your new book off of the shelf instead of another writer’s work. Your book cover and your book title are quite possibly the most important marketing decisions you will make.

How to Choose a Good Book Title

Certain criteria should be met if you want to have a good book title , and there are specific steps involved in getting there. You may have assumed up until now that titles of books were just spur of the moment decisions made by authors or publishers, but a lot of work goes into writing good titles.

Grab the Reader’s Attention

As a general rule, you want your reader to remember your title and to sound interesting, even without the reader having seen the cover. There are several ways to do this. You can be a little dark with your title, be controversial, provoke the reader, or even be funny.

There are many examples of such works that use memorable and attention-seeking titles. The following are some different titles that are effective and would most likely provoke a reader to grab them from a shelf for closer inspection.

Burn After Writing (Sharon Jones)
Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)
Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (Chelsea Handler)
The Devil Wears Prada (Lauren Weisberger)
Chicken Soup for the Soul (various authors)
God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian (Kurt Vonnegut)

Shorter Titles

If your full title for your book is long, you may end up boring a reader or creating a situation where a reader tries to remember the title of your book, but it’s too long and ends up getting it confused with another book. Although you should always do your best to make sure that there aren’t books by other authors that share a title or have a title similar to your book (more on that in a minute), you don’t want a person to get confused and get the wrong book instead.

Research Your Title Ideas

It’s a good idea to take the titles you have considered for your book and make a list. Then, do your homework. You can use tools like Google Adwords to test out your title to see if there are others like it, or you can simply use any search engine and plug your title ideas into the search bar and see what similar or exact titles of the same words pop up.

Readers are generally busy people. They don’t have the time or the energy to ensure that writers get a title right. They’ll look for the book they are interested in, and if it proves to be too difficult, or if there are other books written that have the same title, they’ll move on to something else.

A writer really has to make sure that they have a title that isn’t going to be ignored, is interesting, isn’t too long, and isn’t too similar to other works.

The same goes for titles of short works within a larger body of work. Short works, like poems or stories, need to have unique titles as well when included in a larger body of work, such as a collection. If stories are similar in nature, be sure to title them differently so that readers will be able to tell them apart, as well.

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Do You Italicize Book Titles? MLA, Chicago Manual, and APA Rules (Examples)

Whether you are writing a book, a business blog, a research paper, or a magazine article, staying true (and consistent) to grammar and style is extremely important. It makes the entire article/ manuscript consistent and reading easy !

But with so many styles and style guides around, losing track is very common. This is especially true when you are writing titles – of books, stories, poems, chapters, and more – in your articles. Don’t you wonder whether you should underline the book titles, put them in italics, write them in quotation marks , or follow the traditional capital letter style? Well, we all do, and we often find ourselves hovering over different options, completely unsure of which one to choose .

So, should you italicize book titles or underline them?

The general rule says, always italicize book titles, if they are long and complete work. This keeps them distinct and makes them easily recognizable, especially when you are mentioning a book within your content. Italicizing also helps the reader to understand that this particular book is separate from the rest of the work they are reading. However, short titles – of poems, stories, articles, and chapters are often written in quotation marks.

For example:

Long title: Have you read In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust?

Short title: Grab your copy of “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy.

Now, this sometimes, can get very confusing and can put your writing all over the place. So when you are stuck between a right and a wrong, always follow the rule of thumb – How you write book titles in your work is a matter of choice (style). It is not governed by any grammarian law. There is no single source that governs how you must handle titled works and mostly depends on the style guide your publication is following – APA, Chicago, MLA, or any other.

So ask your editor his/ her preference and stick to it across your content. After all, consistency is the key to turning your writing into the most professional-looking copy .

In this article, we’ll help you learn the styling parameters that different style guides follow while writing book titles:

MLA rules for italicizing book titles

MLA stands for Modern Language Association – a United States-based society that styles manuals for students and scholars across the world. The MLA Handbook follows a particular style for documenting book titles, in the text as well as at the end of the article. As per the MLA style guide:

Titles that are independent and self-contained are italicized.
If the book title has a subtitle, the subtitle is italicized and separated by a colon (:).
Titles that are contained in larger works ( e.g. , short stories, chapters) are put in quotations.
However, when it comes to series titles, the MLA rules are a little confusing. In MLA, if a series title forms a part of the book title, then it is italicized. Otherwise, it is left in plain text. For example, the ‘Twilight Saga’ is a series title that you won’t italicize because it is not the tile of the book. But Harry Potter (a series title) you will italicize because it also forms a part of the title.
Godfrey, Wyck., et al. The Twilight Saga : New Moon . Two-disc special ed. [Los Angeles, CA], Summit Entertainment, 2010.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 1998.

Chicago Manual of style rules

The Chicago Manual of Style is another widely accepted and used citation system. It is used across various disciplines like the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and more. It has its own style for citing books , titles, and full-length and freestanding works. If you want to follow the Chicago Manual of Style while formatting your book titles, here are some points to remember:

Always italicize and capitalize the titles of your full-length, freestanding works. These include books, magazines, journals, blogs, research papers, and more.
Online book citation also follows the same format.
Chapter titles are always written in quotations and are not italicized.

APA style guide rules

The American Psychological Association (APA) is one of the most common and widely used reference styles. It is mostly used as a citation style for books and manuals written in the field of social sciences, psychology, sociology, and more. It has its own set of rules for in-text and reference list citations. But when it comes to italicizing the books’ titles, the rules are pretty similar.

Though in the APA, italicizing is kept to the bare minimum, long book titles, periodicals, webpages, reports, and standalone work are all italicized.
Chapter titles in the APA are neither italicized nor written within quotes; the book titles however are. Also, the name of the chapter’s author is written in the first position.

7th Edition rules

The seventh edition of the APA is the latest edition and its purpose is to help students, scholars, and researchers write and communicate more effectively. Some of the biggest changes brought by the APA in its seventh edition include:

The first letter (of the first word) of the title is capitalized.
If there is a colon (:) in the title, the first letter after the colon is also capitalized.
Proper names in titles are always capital
Titles of books, magazines, journals, and newspapers are always italicized.
Titles of articles or book chapters are not italicized.
The title of the webpage is always italicized.
The publisher’s location is no longer included in the reference.

When to Italicize Book Titles

As you could see , when it comes to writing book titles, a common rule applies across all styles ( barring a few exceptions ). So, if you are not following a particular citation style that asks you to do otherwise, this is a general rule that you can easily fall back on:

Always italicize the titles of self-contained, independent work: books, albums
Always italicize the titles of large books, like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Always italicize magazine names, like The New Yorker
Always italicize newspapers, like The New York Times

Italicizing titles creates a visual hierarchy and helps a reference source stand out from the rest of the text.

When to Avoid Italicizing Book Titles?

While most book titles should be italicized, there are some exceptions to the rule:

Short titles or titles of smaller works are not italicized. These include titles of short stories, poems, and chapters.
The title of the series is not italicized. For example, while you would italicize Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , you would not highlight the Harry Potter Series.
Holy Books like The Bible and Quran, along with their sections, are not italicized.
Headlines and course titles are also not italicized.

Do You Underline Book Titles?

No, we do not underline book titles . Underlining is an old formatting style that was once extensively used to emphasize certain words, phrases, and titles. But today, due to the availability of extensive formatting options, underlining has lost its mark and is not used as a preferred formatting option.

However, if you are writing with a medium that does not offer the option to italicize, you may underline the text to emphasize it.

Do You Quote Book Titles?

Books, magazines, newspapers, and series all comprise many smaller parts, like a short poem, a chapter, a short story, and an episode. When citing these small pieces of work, we prefer writing them in quotation marks.

The teacher read a story titled “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl.

I missed the last episode of “Shaun the Sheep”.

Susan is reading “The Fellowship of the Ring” from the Lord of the Rings .

Do You Italicize Book Series Titles?

While italics are used to emphasize book titles, trilogies and book series titles are only capitalized, not italicized.

What About Children’s Book Titles, Do Those Get Italicized?

Children’s books in style guides get the same treatment as other authored books. That is, titles of full works are italicized but short titles of poems, short stories, articles, or chapters are put within quotation marks. Also, in addition to the author’s name, they also include the illustrator’s name.

Italics and Underlining: Titles of Works
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Do You Italicize Book Titles In APA? A Must Read
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Do You Italicize Book Titles? Essay Secrets Revealed
Should You Italicize Book Titles? A Guide to Formatting Titles

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Knowing When To Underline Or Italicize: Your Go-To Guide

Updated: July 11, 2022

Published: May 27, 2021

Knowing-When-To-Underline-Or-Italicize-Your-Go-To-Guide

Knowing when to underline or italicize can be confusing. But it doesn’t have to be! In this article, we’ll lay out all the basics, plus a few common difficulties that confuse many writers, so you’ll be an expert in no time.

At the end of the article, you’ll get the chance to practice your hand at some sample sentences, so you’ll be sure that you know the ins and outs of using italics and underlines.

Italics Vs Underline: Clarifying The Confusion

In the past (before computers and MLA handbooks), italics and underlines were used to emphasize certain words or titles within the text. It let the reader know what was important, or what was separate from the rest of the sentence. They were both used interchangeably, as long as they were consistent.

Now, with the ability to change formatting with the click of a button, italics are generally used to indicate titles, and only sometimes for emphasis. Meanwhile, underlining is mostly reserved to replace italics in handwritten papers. Manuals and guidebooks, such as the MLA handbook, are now widely used in large institutions or according to the country’s standards, so that specific writing conventions, grammar rules, and formatting styles have become uniform.

With that said, the general rule is that italics are used for titles of books, movies, TV and radio shows, magazines, works of art, and long poems. As mentioned before, underlining is a substitute for italics when writing titles by hand.

Proper formatting in an essay can be confusing for many students: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-blue-blazer-holding-white-paper-3727468/

Titles of long works.

Titles that should be italicized are longer works. These include titles of books, movies, TV and radio shows, journals and magazines, and long poems. In the next section, we’ll see how these works differ from titles of shorter works which are put in quotations instead.

The novel Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, was published in 1847 under the pen name of Currer Bell.
The movie Home Alone , released in 1990, made a worldwide total of $476,684,675 in box office revenue.

Titles Of Smaller Works

The titles of smaller works are put in “quotations” in order to differentiate them from longer works. These smaller works include titles of chapters, short stories, TV or radio show episodes, articles, and short poems.

In the examples below, note how you can recognize the difference between the shorter works and larger works just by seeing how they are emphasized in the sentence. This makes it impossible to confuse the title of a chapter with the book that it belongs to, or the episode from its TV show.

The chapter entitled “The Castaway” in Moby Dick describes the near-death experience of a character named Pip.
Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” was originally published in a Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine.
The pilot episode of Friends , which was released on September 22, 1994, is called “The One Where Monica Gets A Roommate.”

Punctuation In Titles: Common Confusions

Question marks.

Confusion can come up when a title includes a question mark or an exclamation mark in the title itself. For example, the book Who Has Seen the Wind? includes a question mark in it.

The way to deal with these titles is to italicize the question mark as well, just as it is above. By doing so, you can differentiate this title from an actual question, such as writing: Have you read Gone With the Wind ?

The same idea applies to exclamation marks — for example, the movie Mamma Mia! , which includes an exclamation mark in the title. Note the italicization, and the difference between writing Mamma Mia! , the movie, and writing: I can’t believe that you never watched The Parent Trap !

Commas and periods

The confusion of commas and periods when it comes to quotations is a debate between different handbooks and countries. According to the MLA (Modern Language Association) handbook, commas and periods are placed inside of quotation marks.

“The Seinfeld Chronicles , ” the first episode of Seinfeld , had 15.4 million viewers in America.
Among the short stories of James Joyce included in the collection Dubliners are “Araby , ” “The Sisters , ” and “The Encounter.”

Solidify your new skills by completing practice sentences: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-wearing-black-and-white-stripe-shirt-looking-at-white-printer-papers-on-the-wall-212286/

Let’s practice.

Try your hand at your new skills! Below are five sentences without any italics or quotations. Italicize the longer works and put the shorter works in quotations. If you get stuck, check back in the article, and you’ll be an expert in no time. Be sure to pay attention to tricky commas, periods, and question marks.

The Lazy Controller, chapter two of Thinking Fast and Slow, talks about multitasking and its effect on thinking.
The Yellow Wallpaper, a short story by Catherine Perkins Gilman, was originally published in The New England Magazine in January 1892.
John Lennon’s album Imagine included favorites such as Gimme Some Truth, How Do You Sleep?, and, of course, Imagine.
The premiere episode of Family Matters is called The Mama Who Came To Dinner, and relays the drama of Carl’s mother coming to live with him.
The short story Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway was first published in a magazine called Transition, and was only later published in his book Men Without Women.

Why Is Proper Indentation Important?

College essays .

No matter what you study in college, most students write a lot of essays during their school years. While some degrees may put more of an emphasis on writing proper essays , most teachers and professors will expect a certain level of basic grammar and formatting knowledge. Before you even step foot into college, you’ll most likely be expected to write an application essay . It’s important to put your best foot forward, and small formatting rules can go a long way in making a good first impression.

Landing your dream job

In addition to college essays, prospective employers and job positions will require and look for basic (or advanced, depending on the position) writing skills. Whether you think your dream job requires writing skills or not, writing is a part of everyday life and work, from emails and text messages, to presentations and reports. Having good writing skills will help you make a good first impression, land your dream job, and do your best work.

Proper writing is an important skill for any job: https://www.pexels.com/photo/writing-notes-idea-class-7103/

Having a successful career.

Though different students earn a degree for different reasons, many are hoping to work toward a successful career. In order to do this, the right preparation is key. Preparation may be earning a degree, gaining specific skills, or having the right guidance along the way.

University of the People prepares our students for successful careers by providing program advising , mentorship , and an emphasis on career development . We know that these extra details, much like formatting in an essay, make a big difference for the future success of our students. University of the People is a tuition-free online university that offers degree programs in business administration, computer science, health science, and education.

Wrapping Up

Now you know when to underline or italicize, and much more. To wrap up, italics should be used for the titles of longer works such as movies, books, and TV shows, and underlining for handwritten papers.

In addition, we hope you’ve learned the more tricky rules such as question marks and commas, and that you’ve given some thought to the importance of writing for your future education and success.

Do You Italicize Book Titles? And Other Title Conundrums

by Alice Sudlow | 41 comments

Italics, quotation marks, underlines, plain old capital letters—when it comes to writing titles, the rules can feel like a confusing mess. Do you italicize book titles? What about movie titles?

And for goodness' sake, what should you do with pesky things like TV shows, short stories, or YouTube videos?

Do You Italicize Book Titles? And Other Title Conundrums

With so many different kinds of media, it's easy to get lost in all the rules. Plus, the rules can vary depending on which style guide you use. The Modern Language Association (MLA) follows a certain set of grammar rules, APA style another, and the Chicago Manual of Style outlines yet another. It's important to determine which style guide you'll use, then follow the rules for that specific style.

The good news is, when it comes to the use of italics, MLA, APA, and Chicago style share many commonalities. Let’s demystify these italics, shall we?

One Rule of Writing Titles

There are two ways we typically indicate titles: by italicizing them, or by putting them in “quotation marks.” We’ll get into the nuances of each in a moment. But let’s start off with one core principle:

Italicize the titles of works that are larger, like the titles of books, albums, and movies. For shorter works, like a journal article title, song title, or a poem title, use quotation marks.

For example, you would italicize the name of the book, like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , but you wouldn't italicize the book chapter titles, like “The Worst Birthday” and “Mudbloods and Murmurs.” Chapter titles go in quotation marks.

For some kinds of media, like book titles, the rules are clear. For others, like YouTube videos, they’re a little fuzzier.

Whatever kind of media you're working with, examine it through this principle: italics for large works; quotation marks for small or shorter works.

This principle will help you navigate those areas of uncertainty like a pro.

When Do You Italicize a Title?

Always italicize the titles of larger works such as books, movies, anthologies, newspapers and magazines. Additionally, newer media, such as vlogs and podcasts, may be italicized.

What are other examples of large works? I’m glad you asked.

A large work might be:

A book , like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
A movie , like The Dark Knight
An anthology , like The Norton Anthology of English Literature
A television show , like Friends
A magazine , like The New Yorker
A newspaper , like The New York Times
An album , like Abbey Road

This principle holds true for newer forms of media, too, like:

A vlog , like Vlogbrothers
A podcast , like This American Life

The short answer: Do you italicize book titles? Yes.

When Do You Use Quotation Marks?

What do anthologies, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, vlogs, and podcasts all have in common? They’re all comprised of many smaller parts.

When you’re writing the title of a smaller work, put it in quotation marks. A small work might be:

A short story , like “The Lottery”
A poem , like “The Road Not Taken”
An episode of a TV show , like “The One With the Monkey”
An article in a magazine or newspaper , like “Obama’s Secret to Surviving the White House Years”
A song , like “Here Comes the Sun”
An episode of a vlog , like “Men Running on Tanks and the Truth About Book Editors”
An episode of a podcast , like “Just What I Wanted”
A webpage , like “Do You Italicize Book Titles? And Other Title Conundrums”

What About a Series of Books?

It's straightforward enough to capitalize the title of a standalone book, like Moby Dick or Pride and Prejudice . But what if you're referencing a book series?

In this case, each individual book title is italicized: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , etc.

The title of the series, though, is not italicized: the Harry Potter series.

What About Punctuation?

Do you italicize commas? Question marks? Exclamation points?

If the punctuation is part of the title, then yes, it too is italicized. For instance, every comma in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is italicized.

If the punctuation is not part of the title, though, be sure to turn off italics before you type it! Here's an example:

“What do you think of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe ?” “I love it! Also, Oklahoma! is one of my favorite musicals.”

Note that in the first example, the question mark is not italicized. In the second, the exclamation point is italicized because it's part of the title of the musical.

Do You Underline Titles? And Other Ways to Indicate Titles

We haven’t always used italics to indicate titles. Before word processing developed italics that were easy to type and easy to read, the titles of larger works were underlined. Since handwriting italics is difficult, underlining the titles of larger works is still an acceptable notation in handwritten documents.

As our communication evolves, so has our ways of indicating titles. If you’re writing a post on Facebook, for instance, there’s no option to italicize or underline. In situations where neither is an option, many people use ALL CAPS to indicate titles of larger works.

Be Clear and Consistent

Here’s the secret: in the end, all these rules are arbitrary anyway, and different style guides have developed their own nuances for what should and shouldn’t be italicized or put in quotation marks. If you're writing something formal, remember to double-check your style guide to make sure you're following their guidelines.

Remember, though, that ultimately, the only purpose for these rules is to help the reader understand what the writer is trying to communicate. Do you italicize book titles? Whatever you’re writing, whether it’s a dissertation or a tweet, be clear and consistent in the way you indicate titles.

If you hold to that rule, no one will be confused.

Are there any kinds of titles you’re not sure how to write? Let us know in the comments .

Need more grammar help? My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Your prompt: two friends are discussing their favorite media—books, podcasts, TV shows, etc. Write their conversation using as many titles as you can (and indicating them correctly!).

Pro tip: to italicize a title in the comments, surround the text with the HTML tags <em></em>.

Write for fifteen minutes . When you’re done, share your practice in the Pro Workshop here , and be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!

Not a member? Join us here .

Alice Sudlow

Alice Sudlow is the Editor-in-Chief of The Write Practice and a Story Grid certified developmental editor. Her specialty is in crafting transformative character arcs in young adult novels. She also has a keen eye for comma splices, misplaced hyphens, and well-turned sentences, and is known for her eagle-eyed copywriter skills. Get her free guide to how to edit your novel at alicesudlow.com .

10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them

41 Comments

In the movie, “Gone with the Wind”, Rhett Butler said, “Frankly Scarlet, I don’t give a damn!”

(Note: I was unable to use italics in this comment section…. Oh well!)

R. Allan Worrell

You’re running into that same problem that’s prompted the use of all caps on Facebook, and that used to standardize underlining titles: when technology makes it difficult to use the notation you want! That’s a fantastic quote nonetheless.

Alice –

Oh God! The problem with tech! Can you just imagine having a last name with 25 or 30 characters? Many Indian names (from India) are that large, and I would imagine some hyphenated names come close.

“Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate!” ha, ha, ha!

That line was printed on IBM punch cards… way before your time! I never did learn what the word “spindle” meant! ha, ha.

Do you know of any other tech “gotcha’s”???? I think this is a fun subject!

Cheers Alice!

R. Allan Worrell Author: Father John’s Gift

Though it seems content is really more important that the rules of conventions, I am glad to see others are as concerned about accuracy as I am. That said, take note that “Gone With the Wind” should be “Gone with the Wind.” Articles, prepositions, and conjunctions are not capitalized in titles.

I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this! I love thinking through all the nuances of tricky grammar rules and style guidelines, and I’m glad I’m not the only one.

You’re right about Gone with the Wind —according to Chicago style, prepositions aren’t capitalized. In general, though, on The Write Practice we lean towards AP style for title capitalization. That means capitalizing words with four or more letters, regardless of their part of speech. Thanks for pointing that out!

Most of this is what I thought. We used to underline; now we italicize.

However, what do you do when you’re talking about a newspaper as a company: I got a job at The Washington Post. Also, What about sayings: My mother always used to say, all’s well that ends well. My mother is not saying this now, so I can’t use quotes. Would I italicize?

We have the option of adding “that”: My mother used to say that all’s well that ends well.

Your mother used to say “All’s well that ends well.” with quotation marks being appropriate whether or not she’s alive. We still quote Mark Twain with quotation marks, and his death is no longer exaggerated.

Thank you, Wordwizard.

I wouldn’t italicize a company name, but I don’t know if there is generally a rule that dictates that.

I think there is a difference between Macy’s and The Washington Post. One is a publication; the other is not. And therein lies my question.

In Australian English at least, the main issue is context. If you mean The Washington Post as a company, then you use roman. If you mean The Washington Post as a publication, then you italicise.

That’s how I would do it too.

You’ve gotten some great answers below; I’ll just jump in to offer my confirmation.

In Chicago style, the company The Washington Post is not italicized: “She works for The Washington Post.” The publication is italicized: “I read an article in The Washington Post .”

As for the saying, you would put it in quotes. For instance: “All’s well that ends well,” as my mother used to say. You’re still quoting your mother, even if it’s not something she’s saying right now, so you would use quotation marks.

Books get treated one way, and short stories another, but where do novellas and novelettes fall? What if you are unsure which of the four slippery categories something falls within? A children’s picture book is the length of a short story—

Because a children’s picture book is a complete book, and because it is usually bound as a book, you do need to italicise its title. Remember also that the pictures are an inherent part of a children’s picture book, so if each picture adds a thousand words…

Under the standards for Australian English, the main consideration for formatting titles is whether the story is bound on its own or as part of a greater work.

So if your novella or novellette is published on its own, then the title should be formatted as a novel. If published as a part of a collection or anthology, it should be titled like a short story.

The categories as defined by the Hugo Awards categories (which I follow as I write speculative fiction) are below. I have sourced these from the Hugos website:

Novel: A story of forty thousand (40,000) words or more. Novella: A story of between seventeen thousand five hundred (17,500) and forty thousand (40,000) words. Novelette: A story of between seven thousand five hundred (7,500) and seventeen thousand five hundred (17,500) words. Short Story: A story of less than seven thousand five hundred (7,500) words.

Thank you, David. However, I need to know American conventions (British would be good, too.). Also, sometimes the same work is published both as a children’s book, and as a story in a larger work. What then?

I cannot actually tell you those conventions, but I do know that US English uses The Chicago Manual of Style which has an online portal.

British English uses The Oxford Manual of Style.

For works that have been published both alone and also as part of a greater work, I would recommend either using the style that relates to how you are citing the work. Alternatively, I would say you are free to choose whichever best suits your current need.

Davidh’s given some great answers, so there’s not a lot I can add.

Not sure about Chicago style, but MLA style (Modern Language Association style, used for research in literature and the humanities) would have you italicize the names of novellas and novelettes that have been published separately. For instance, Heart of Darkness is a novella, but because it’s been published as its own work, you would italicize the title.

If they have been published as works within a collection or anthology, you would indicate the title with quotation marks, as you would with a short story or poem.

Children’s books may be short, but they’re definitely books, their own complete works. Those titles are italicized.

If a novella or novelette has been published both independently and in a collection, I would err towards italicizing the title. Some anthologies, like The Norton Anthology of English Literature , include works of all lengths, even entire novels and plays. So if a novella has been published separately, I would italicize it, even if it appears elsewhere in a collection.

Obviously, some of these guidelines get dicier as I go along. I’d recommend checking out a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style or searching the manual online (you’ll need a subscription, though). Also, as you write, you can establish your own style to handle these nitty-gritty nuances. As all these style manuals indicate, the intricacies of indicating titles are guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.

Hope that helps!

I only just finished editing several stories of a friend of mine, and I spent a lot of time struggling with italics. If it’s a name of a ship, do you italicize it? What about a government Act? e.g. Would you use italics the way I do in this sentence? “The government passed The Underwater Basket Weaving Act ?

Under Australian English at least, ship’s abbreviations are NOT italicised, but ship’s names are. So in HMAS Condamine, HMAS (“Her Majesty’s Australian Ship”) should be in roman, and Condamine should be in italics.

Very useful. Thanks again.

Again, in Australian English, the rules for Acts and Ordinances of Parliament are a little less simple than many other things.

Our Acts and Ordinances have short formal titles that are approved within the legislation.

The first time you refer to the Act or Ordinance within a work, you need to use the full title (exactly as defined within the Act, including the year, any articles, prepositions, etc.) in italics. Subsequent references need to be in roman text and may (as in optionally) omit the year.

You do not use quotation marks.

So the first time you mention it, it should be in italics: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (sorry, I’m unsure how to put in italics here).

Subsequent mentions within the same work should be in roman text but can omit the year: Acts Interpretation Act.

I am not sure whether these standards apply outside of Australia, but they may be a good starting point for research into the proper form for your local English.

By the way, the Acts Interpretation Act is a real Act under Australian Law. It defines the rules on how to interpret other Acts of the Australian Parliament. I once wrote a short humour piece about it for a newspaper here.

That sounds reasonable. Thank you!

You are welcome! I enjoy this sort of thing!

Those are great questions, Karon—and those are the kinds of nitty-gritty things that make style rules like this complicated. Davidh’s given you great answers.

As he says, ships’ abbreviations aren’t italicized; their names are: USS Enterprise .

As far as I can tell, Chicago style would have you italicize the name of an act. The “the” isn’t part of the name, though, so it would look like this: the Underwater Basket Weaving Act .

This guide doesn’t cover every instance (like the two you brought up), and it’s a little out of date, but I still find it a helpful place to start when I’m wondering what italicize.

Thank you! I’m going to save your article and the one at the link.

Hi, Alice! This is a great post! I have always had doubts about that. I think I used to use quotation marks (for everything) in the past, but lately, I have been using italics (again, for everything). I don’t remember why I changed. But your rule is very simple and makes sense to me, so I think I am adopting it from now on. Thank you very much!

I have another doubt about titles: do you capitalize every word in a title? Or just the first word? Maybe every word, except for prepositions and conjunctions? I’d love to read a post about that!

Hi, Andressa! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

That’s a great question about titles, and there are a lot of different answers—different style guides say different things. Here’s a quick summary:

– Always capitalize the first word in a title. – Always capitalize the last word. – Capitalize all the important words.

That last point is where things get dicey. Chicago style does NOT capitalize articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. AP style DOES capitalize all words of four letters or longer.

I sometimes cheat and use an online title capitalization tool like this one to capitalize titles for me.

You’re right—there’s more than enough material for a post here. I’m taking note! 🙂

Hi! Thank you very much for replying! I’m taking notes here. Thank you for the helpful link, too! I’ll keep an eye out for a post on the topic. 😉

Thank you for this handy reminder.

The standards you describe appear identical to those used in Australian English.

Most national Englishes have their own standards, so it is important to know which authority is accepted for your own version of English.

So for Australian English, the official standard is the Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers published by Wylie. I understand that the Sixth Edition (published 2002) is still current.

The Style Manual is accepted by the Australian Government and various authorities to be the official standard for Australian English. It is a dry, but to me, nonetheless fascinating resource. I keep a copy on or next to my desk at all times.

This is very interesting. I’m not British, but we use British English in my country. I wonder if there is a style manual I can access.

I understand British English uses The Oxford Manual of Style. You may want to Google local retailers.

That’s so true—it’s important to follow the style guide for your type of writing. In the United States, we use several different style guides depending on the discipline and purpose of writing. AP style is used in journalism, for example, and Chicago style is used by book writers. Even between styles, there can be dramatic differences; check out this comparison of AP and Chicago style . (It’s a little out of date, but but still helpful.)

For this post, I’ve focused mainly on Chicago style guidelines for indicating titles. But of course, for any kind of formal writing, you’ll want to double-check the style guide that’s relevant to you.

Can titles of long or large works like books be in bold instead of italics? I often use italics to indicate thoughts. Is this the right way?

You’re not alone in using italics to indicate thoughts; that’s a very common way of writing them. When you write the title of a book within those thoughts, it’s actually not italicized for contrast:

I’ve never read Gone With the Wind , but maybe I should , she thought.

If you’re writing something less formal, like a post on your own blog or a letter to a friend, you could choose to use bold instead of italics. Just remember to be consistent within that work so that your readers understand that’s what you’re doing, since it’s not how we’re used to seeing titles.

I was taught to put titles of major books in bold, but has that changed to italics now?

I usually use quotation marks. It makes it easier. Thank you. This was really helpful!!

You’re welcome! I’m glad it’s been helpful.

I tend to type book titles in caps when I’m writing for emails, email lists, and various forms of promotion because a huge amount of time, the italics disappear. Sure, it’s wrong, but it beats having the book title disappear in a sea of text.

Thanks for sharing, my mother language, as you probably already noticed is not English, I published my first novel (in Spanish) and now I want to publish it in English, one of the first things I have to decide is if I use Italics, Capitalize all or it or what :-(. The title is “TAU 6 AND THE INVASION” it is a 300 pages science fiction novel. Can you make any recommendations? Best regads

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Do You Underline or Italicize Book Titles When Writing? Know the Rules

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Do You Underline or Italicize Book Titles When Writing? Know the Rules

Differentiating Book Titles: Underline vs. Italicize

Understanding the purpose of formatting book titles, the general rule: italicize book titles, exceptions to the rule: underlining book titles, modern conventions: using italics for book titles, consistency is key: stick to one formatting style, recommended approach: italicize book titles for clarity, conclusion: embracing the rules of book title formatting, frequently asked questions, closing remarks.

When it comes to differentiating book titles in written text, there are two commonly used methods: underlining and italicizing. While both techniques serve the purpose of emphasizing a book title, they are used in different contexts and have distinct considerations.

Underlining is an older convention that dates back to the days of typewriters when italics were not an option. In the past, underlining was widely adopted to indicate book titles. However, with the advent of word processors and HTML formatting, italics have become the preferred method. Underlining is now typically reserved for situations where italics are not available or easily distinguishable, such as handwritten texts or when using typewriters or software that lack italics functionality.

On the other hand, italicizing book titles has become the more prevalent practice in modern writing. Italicized book titles are visually appealing, allowing them to stand out while maintaining a sense of elegance and clarity. Additionally, using italics for book titles has the advantage of being more versatile, as it can be easily implemented in digital formats such as websites, e-books, or PDFs. Moreover, italicizing provides a smoother reading experience for the audience, as underlining can sometimes disrupt the flow of text.

Understanding the Purpose of Formatting Book Titles

When it comes to formatting book titles, it’s important to understand the purpose behind it. Correctly formatting book titles not only enhances the overall presentation of your work but also ensures that it follows the standard conventions of writing. Here are a few key reasons why is crucial:

1. Proper differentiation: By formatting book titles, you are providing a clear distinction between the title of the book and other elements within your text. This helps readers easily identify and locate the title, allowing for better navigation and comprehension.

2. Consistency and professionalism: A well-formatted book title conveys a sense of professionalism and attention to detail. It demonstrates that you have taken the time to present your work in a consistent and coherent manner. Furthermore, consistent formatting throughout your book establishes a polished and cohesive appearance, making it more visually appealing to readers.

When it comes to referencing books in your writing, there is a general rule you should follow: italicize book titles. Italicizing book titles not only helps to distinguish them from the rest of the text but also gives them importance and emphasis. By using this formatting convention, readers can easily identify and locate the book titles within your writing.

Exceptions to the Rule: Underlining Book Titles

While it is generally accepted that book titles should be underlined, there are a few exceptions to this rule. It’s important to be aware of these exceptions to avoid any confusion or inconsistency in your writing. Here are some instances where underlining book titles may not apply:

Using quotation marks: Instead of underlining, book titles can be enclosed in quotation marks. This is common when referencing shorter works, such as short stories, poems, or articles within larger anthologies. For example, you would italicize the name of a book like Pride and Prejudice , but use quotation marks for a short story like “The Lottery” or an article like “The Importance of Being Earnest: Analyzing Oscar Wilde’s Satire.”
Foreign language titles: If you are discussing a book written in a different language, it is customary to maintain the original language’s formatting conventions. For instance, if you are writing about the French novel Les Misérables , it should be italicized rather than underlined.

Remember that consistency is crucial when it comes to formatting book titles in your writing. Once you decide on a specific style for underlining or using quotation marks, make sure to apply it consistently throughout your work. Familiarizing yourself with these exceptions will help you navigate the proper formatting of book titles, making your writing polished and professional.

Modern Conventions: Using Italics for Book Titles

In the vast world of modern conventions, italics play a crucial role in emphasizing book titles. When it comes to formatting writing, using italics serves as a visual cue to distinguish book titles from the surrounding text. This simple yet essential practice not only helps readers easily identify the names of literary works but also enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the written piece.

To effectively utilize italics for book titles, it’s important to keep a few guidelines in mind. Firstly, titles of standalone books, such as novels, autobiographies, and anthologies, should always be italicized. This includes both fiction and non-fiction works. Italicizing book titles is a universal standard across various writing styles and genres, ensuring consistency in formatting. However, it is worth noting that within the body of the text, the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns in book titles should be capitalized, regardless of whether the original title follows this convention.

Moreover, it’s crucial to distinguish book titles from other types of written works. While italics are employed for books, other mediums, such as poems, short stories, articles, and essays, require alternative formatting. Poems and articles typically utilize quotation marks, whereas short stories and essays generally appear in italics. By adhering to these distinctions, writers uphold clarity and facilitate seamless communication of their ideas. Remember, proper use of italics for book titles not only showcases your attention to detail but also adds a touch of professionalism to your writing style.

As content creators, it is essential to maintain a consistent formatting style throughout our work. By sticking to one formatting style, we not only present a professional and polished image, but we also enhance readability and user experience. Consistency allows readers to focus on the content itself rather than being distracted by inconsistent formatting choices.

One of the main benefits of adopting a consistent formatting style is that it creates a sense of familiarity for your audience. Whether it’s using a consistent font, font size, or line spacing, readers quickly become accustomed to the visual elements of your content. This helps build trust and reliability, making it easier for them to engage with your material.

Moreover, consistent formatting extends beyond just the visual aspects. It also involves maintaining a consistent structure throughout your content. Utilize headings, subheadings, and bullet points to organize your ideas logically. This type of formatting makes it easier for readers to navigate through your content, quickly identify key points, and retain information efficiently. By employing consistent formatting practices, you can create an enjoyable and engaging experience for your audience, increasing the likelihood of them returning for more of your valuable content.

When it comes to emphasizing book titles in your writing, using italics is the recommended approach to ensure clarity and enhance readability. Italicizing book titles not only helps distinguish them from the rest of your text but also adds a professional touch to your writing. By following this convention, you can provide a visual cue to your readers that a specific word or collection of words represents a book title.

Using italics for book titles also helps maintain consistency and uniformity throughout your writing. Whether you are writing an essay, a research paper, or a blog post, it is crucial to adhere to a consistent style guide. In addition to italicizing book titles, remember to capitalize the first and last word, as well as all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverb, and adjectives in the title. By adopting this approach, you can ensure that your book titles stand out and are easily identifiable to the reader.

In conclusion, italicizing book titles is an integral part of creating clear and visually appealing text. By following the recommended approach, you can effectively emphasize book titles, maintain consistency, and provide a seamless reading experience for your audience. So, whether you are writing a formal academic paper or a casual blog post, don’t forget to use italics to highlight book titles and make them pop!

In conclusion, understanding and adhering to the rules of book title formatting is crucial for authors and publishers alike. By following these guidelines, you can enhance the readability and marketability of your book, making it more appealing to potential readers. Remember, your title serves as a first impression and can greatly impact the success of your work. Therefore, embracing these rules can pave the way for a professional and captivating book title.

Here are a few key takeaways to keep in mind:

Captivate with clarity: Your title should be captivating while effectively communicating the essence of your book. Keep it short, concise, and avoid vague or misleading phrases.
Avoid excessive punctuation: While dashes, colons, or parentheses may add emphasis or clarity, excessive use can make your title appear cluttered or confusing. Moderation is key.
Consistency in capitalization: Pick a style for capitalizing words in your title (such as title case) and stick with it throughout. Consistent capitalization adds a polished and professional touch to your book.
Be conscious of branding: If you have an established brand or series, it’s important to maintain consistency in your book title formatting. This helps readers recognize your work and fosters a sense of trust and loyalty.

By embracing these rules and paying attention to the finer details of your book title, you can greatly enhance its appeal and increase the likelihood of capturing the attention of your target audience. Remember, a well-formatted title goes hand in hand with a well-crafted story, setting the stage for a successful and memorable reading experience .

Q: What is the correct way to format book titles in a written work? A: The correct way to format book titles in a written work is typically by underlining or italicizing them.

Q: Are there any specific rules for underlining or italicizing book titles? A: Yes, there are rules to follow. The general convention is to underline or italicize longer works, such as novels, textbooks, and anthologies.

Q: Can you provide some examples of longer works that should be underlined or italicized? A: Certainly! Examples of longer works that should be underlined or italicized include books like “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Pride and Prejudice,” and “1984.”

Q: What about shorter works like poems, short stories, or articles? Should they be treated differently? A: Yes, shorter works are formatted differently. Instead of underlining or italicizing, these titles should be placed inside quotation marks.

Q: Can you give some examples of shorter works that should be placed inside quotation marks? A: Absolutely! Examples of shorter works that should be placed inside quotation marks include poems like “The Raven,” short stories like “The Lottery,” and articles such as “The Benefits of Exercise.”

Q: Are there any exceptions to these formatting rules? A: Yes, there are exceptions. When referring to titles within titles, such as a chapter title within a book, you should surround the inner title with quotation marks while underlining or italicizing the overall book title.

Q: Do these rules apply to all writing formats, like essays, research papers, or emails? A: Indeed, these rules are applicable to various writing formats, including essays, research papers, and even informal emails.

Q: Can you briefly summarize the main rules for underlining or italicizing book titles in writing? A: Of course! The general rules state that longer works like novels should be underlined or italicized, while shorter works like poems or articles should be placed inside quotation marks. When referring to titles within titles, use quotation marks for the inner title and underline or italicize the overall book title.

Q: Where can I find more information on this topic if I need further clarification? A: If you need more information, it is always recommended to consult a reliable writing style guide, such as The Chicago Manual of Style or the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, both of which provide extensive guidelines for formatting book titles.

In conclusion, whether to underline or italicize book titles may seem confusing, but by following the rules, you can ensure clarity and proper formatting in your writing.

Do You Have to Italicize Song Titles in Creative Writing? Essential Tips

When Writing a Book Title: Quotations or Italics? Clear Answers

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Welcome to Creative Writing Prompts

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How to Start Writing a Book of Your Life: A Quick Guide

T hanks to easier and easier avenues of publication, we’re publishing growing numbers of books year over year. According to some estimates, around 4 million new book titles are released each year worldwide, or almost 11,000 every day!

If you’re hoping to write a book of your own, these figures are good news. Whether you want to get your book out through a major publisher or an indie brand, there’s no better time to do it.

However, that doesn’t mean knowing how to start writing a book of your life will be easy! You may know the events of your own life better than anyone else, but structuring them into a coherent and engaging narrative can be tougher than it sounds. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to know as you start your writing journey.

Start Generating Ideas

Before you dive too far into dreams of publication, start creating material for your book!

If you keep diligent journals, coming up with ideas for your life story is a breeze. Comb through them to refresh your memory and pin down the most important events you want to cover.

Don’t worry about coming up with the right words or using your writing skills yet. For now, the important thing is to look for things you’d like to include in your book.

If you don’t keep a journal, one of the easiest ways to come up with thoughts on your life story is a process called free-writing. Through free-writing, you’ll jot down every thought that pops into your mind about your life.

As with other brainstorming approaches, it’s important not to criticize or cull your ideas at this stage. Taking time to judge your thoughts hampers the idea generation process. Later, once you’ve had time to get out all of your thoughts and memories, you’ll have time to pick out the best ideas.

Decide on the Basics

With a better idea of the main events of your memoir, it’s time to consider a few basic traits of your book.

Nonfiction vs Fictionalized

If you’re hoping to create an accurate account of your life, a nonfiction book will be your best bet. Through research and organization, you can nail down the facts as they happened in real life.

However, if you’d like a freer approach, fictionalizing your memoir can make your book more experimental and even playful. It can also help protect your identity or the identities of the people you’ll discuss.

It’s also possible to further narrow down your book by genre. Full autobiographies, for example, focus mostly on the longer story of a person’s life. Memoirs, on the other hand, often focus on memories of a specific time or event in a person’s life.

From there, it’s possible to narrow your focus even further. Culinary biographies, for example, may focus on how foods or cooking impacted the writer’s life. Religious autobiographies might focus on the spiritual experiences of a writer.

Choosing overarching themes can help you streamline your story as you write. Good themes also make a book more appealing and engaging for readers, as they make a narrative easier to follow. In addition, marketing a book can become more effective once you know which themes to showcase in your blurbs.

Supplement With Research

Depending on the type of autobiographical or memoir writing you choose, you may also want to do some extra research. This can be even more crucial if you’re detailing events that happened a long time ago, as memories aren’t always accurate!

Can you find old photos of your settings to include in your book and help you describe your surroundings? Are there hazy memories you can clear up by speaking to a friend or family member? Can a map of a city you once lived in help you refresh your memory and position the events of your story?

Create an Outline

At this stage, it’s time to organize your messy journals, free-writing, and notes into an outline you can write with.

This is often easier said than done! It’s true that the main “plot” of your memoir is clear, as you’re using the events of your life, but that doesn’t always make it easy to decide which details to include and when to add them. Take some time to figure out which events are most important, which ones follow your themes, and which ones you can discard.

Write a First Draft

Now comes the messy and fun part of writing a memoir: the actual writing!

Start creating a first draft of your story. It’s fine for this draft to be a little disorganized and long-winded. The important thing is to create something you can build upon in future drafts.

However, what happens if you don’t trust your writing skills?

Jotting down your first draft may still help, but you can also hire a ghostwriter to create the final story on your behalf. These experts can polish your work into something much easier to publish and market. Do your research on how to hire a ghostwriter , however, as the right partner will make or break your book!

Proofread and Refine

Last, proofread and refine your book. This part can take a while, often much longer than the first draft, so be prepared to spend a while on the details.

In addition, it’s a good idea to get help while you refine your work! Writing coaches, ghostwriters, and beta readers can give you valuable feedback, helping you create a richer and more focused story.

Know How to Start Writing a Book of Your Life

Creating a memoir or autobiography is easier said than done. With so many life events, themes, time periods, and characters to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down your story into a focused final piece. Fortunately, the tips above can help you understand how to start writing a book of your life, allowing you to create a final manuscript worth sending to publishers.

If you’re looking for more great tips on writing books and beyond, be sure to check out our other posts for additional insights.

This article is published by NYTech in collaboration with Syndication Cloud.

How to Start Writing a Book of Your Life: A Quick Guide

10 rules for reading from someone who does it for a living

Where to read, when to read and why you need a pencil in hand: The Post’s Michael Dirda offers some advice from his years as a critic.

How do you read a book? Like most people, I still decipher the meaning of words printed on sheets of paper bound together, but you may prefer to peer at pixels on a screen or listen through ear buds to a favorite narrator. They are all reading, in my book. Each of us, I think, seeks what the critic Roland Barthes called “the pleasure of the text,” though finding delight in what we read doesn’t necessarily mean a steady diet of romance novels and thrillers. Scholarly works, serious fiction, poetry, a writer’s distinctive prose style — all of these deliver their own kinds of textual pleasure.

As someone who has been lucky enough to earn his living in the rarefied world of book reviewing, I’ve gradually developed reading-related habits as part of my work. Some of them — listed below — may even be similar to yours. At the least, I hope a few of my customary routines and practices will be useful in your own reading life.

Be choosy, but not too choosy

I spend a lot of time, often way too much, dithering about what to read next. A book has to fit my mood or even the season. Spooky stories are for winter, comic novels for spring. What’s more, I like to mix it up, the old with the new, a literary biography this week, a science fiction classic the next. I can adjust my expectations up or down — you don’t read Thomas Mann’s “Doctor Faustus” in the same way you read Ian Fleming ’s “Dr. No.” — but the book must be, on some level, exciting. I try to avoid wasting time on anything that leaves me indifferent. As Jesus memorably told the Laodiceans: “Because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

Editions matter

In my youth, I could read paperbacks printed in tiny type on pages you could see through. No more. These days, I opt for hardcovers whenever possible, if only because they’re generally easier on aging eyes. For classics, I want a good scholarly edition; for translated works, I try to acquire the best English version. This just makes sense. As a reviewer, I often work with a galley or advance reading copy of a forthcoming title, but these are simply tools of the trade. I generally don’t keep them. I want the finished book.

Check the small stuff

Before turning to Chapter 1, I glance at a book’s cover art, check out the author’s dust jacket biography and photo, and read through the back page endorsements. Unlike many people, I pay close attention to copyright dates, introductions, dedications, acknowledgments and bibliographies. All these provide hints to the kind of book one is dealing with.

When to read

Mine is a simple system: I read from morning till bedtime, with breaks for my job, family, meetings with friends, exercise, household chores and periodic review of my life’s greatest blunders. On the days I don’t read, I write. As I say, it’s a simple system. Many people complain that they have no time for books, yet somehow they manage to spend three or more hours a day watching television or scrolling through social media on their phones. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

Where to read

Even though I know better, I still read more often than not while sprawled in an overstuffed armchair or on an old couch. You probably do something similar. Not only ergonomically bad, these soft options invite dozing. Realistically, the best place to read is at a table or desk with lots of good light. Other good locations include the public library, an outside table at a coffee shop away from background music and other customers, and the quiet car on the train to New York. In truth, though, don’t expect to find an ideal place to read. Trust me: You never will. Instead, as the Nike slogan says, Just Do It.

Don’t read in a vacuum

To read any book well often requires knowledge of its author, context, history. So I surround myself, when possible or appropriate, with collateral texts to help me better appreciate the writer’s artistry or arguments. These can be biographies, volumes of criticism, competing titles on the same subject or, most basically, other books by the same author. For example, if I’m reading E. Nesbit’s “Five Children and It,” I want to have the sequels, “The Phoenix and the Carpet” and “The Story of the Amulet,” close at hand for possible comparison. This is one justification for building a personal library. I also keep within easy reach a notebook, magnifying glass and Chambers 20th Century Dictionary. Other reference books are shelved near where I type these words.

Attention must be paid

As I read, I do all I can to live up to Henry James’s dictum: “Be one on whom nothing is lost.” This vigilance means that I seldom lose myself in the story, which is the devil’s bargain I made by becoming a professional reviewer. As it is, I track the clues in whodunits and the symbolic events or objects in literary fiction. I note oddities of style, repetitions, possible foreshadowings and anomalies that might be meaningful. I frequently flip back to previous pages to check details. In every way, then, I try to make my first reading as intensive and comprehensive as possible, knowing I may not pass this way again.

Be prepared to take notes

I can’t open a book without a pencil either in my hand or nestled conveniently in that space between my right ear and skull. For a long time, my weapon of choice was a No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil, but it now tends to be a Paper Mate disposable mechanical pencil. As a boy, I took to heart the lessons of Mortimer J. Adler’s essay “How to Mark a Book.” I place two or three vertical lines next to key passages, scribble notes to myself in the margins, sometimes make longer comments on the blank end papers. I never underline words or phrases — this seems too much like sophomoric highlighting, plus it just looks ugly. All these practices serve one end: to keep me actively engaged mentally with the words on the page. For the same reason, I scorn bookmarks: If you can’t remember where you stopped reading, you haven’t been paying close enough attention.

Make some noise

I don’t skim or speed read, though I envy people, like the late Harold Bloom, who can zip through a novel in 20 minutes. When I try to pick up my own reading pace, I end up constantly flogging myself not to slow down. Where’s the fun in that? Woody Allen once said that he’d taken a speed-reading course and had finished “War and Peace” in half an hour; he gathered that it was about Russia. As an exceptionally slow reader, I mentally murmur every word on the page, which allows me to savor the author’s style and to remember what he or she has said. Sometimes I also pause to copy a striking passage into my commonplace book. Here’s a fairly recent example from the poet John Ashbery: “I am aware of the pejorative associations of the word ‘escapist,’ but I insist that we need all the escapism we can get and even that isn’t going to be enough.”

Find a shelf

After finishing a book, I tend to keep it. While not a frequent rereader, I do like to refresh my acquaintance with old favorites, if only by opening one up occasionally to enjoy a page or a passage. When I look at my living room’s bookcases, while sleepily sipping coffee in the morning, I see not only my past laid out before me but also my future: Someday I will read David Cecil’s “Melbourne,” a biography of the Victorian prime minister that was said to be John F. Kennedy’s favorite book. Someday, I will get to — hangs head in shame — Willa Cather’s “The Professor’s House.” Other shelves remind me of the books I want to reread: Angela Carter’s “Nights at the Circus,” Dawn Powell’s “The Locusts Have No King,” Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” Frederick Exley’s “A Fan’s Notes.”

Long ago, one of my teachers in high school told me that he didn’t feel right unless he spent at least three hours a day reading. This seemed incredible to me then. Not anymore.

More from Book World

Love everything about books? Make sure to subscribe to our Book Club newsletter , where Ron Charles guides you through the literary news of the week.

Check out our coverage of this year’s Pulitzer winners: Jayne Anne Phillips won the fiction prize for her novel “ Night Watch .” The nonfiction prize went to Nathan Thrall, for “ A Day in the Life of Abed Salama .” Cristina Rivera Garza received the memoir prize for “ Liliana’s Invincible Summer .” And Jonathan Eig received the biography prize for his “ King: A Life .”

Best books of 2023: See our picks for the 10 best books of 2023 or dive into the staff picks that Book World writers and editors treasured in 2023. Check out the complete lists of 50 notable works for fiction and the top 50 nonfiction books of last year.

Find your favorite genre: Three new memoirs tell stories of struggle and resilience, while five recent historical novels offer a window into other times. Audiobooks more your thing? We’ve got you covered there, too . If you’re looking for what’s new, we have a list of our most anticipated books of 2024 . And here are 10 noteworthy new titles that you might want to consider picking up this April.

How Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is viewed in Greece

“Marinakis does whatever he wants,” says Mifas, a taxi driver who has spent the past 29 years ferrying tourists between the Greek capital of Athens and Piraeus, 14 kilometres south, the home of Olympiacos.

“He even goes against the prime minister. They have issues. He owns a television station and knows a lot of stuff. He has a lot of power. When you can talk and say whatever you want, you can do big things.”

When The Athletic arrives in Athens and is picked up by Mifas at the airport, Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Forest, Olympiacos, a television channel and some of Greece’s biggest-selling newspapers, has been in the news in Britain, having expressed his desire to move Nottingham Forest from The City Ground. Nothing unusual there. Making headlines is par for the course with Marinakis, who is among the most talked-about and wealthy individuals in his homeland of Greece.

In March, two Greek ministers were forced to resign after a newspaper report published their meeting with Marinakis at his house the evening before. According to Greek news outlet iEidiseis, “whiskey flowed abundantly and was interrupted only for smoking the luxurious cigars”.

According to local reports, the Greek government decided that meeting the Forest owner sent the wrong message. It serves as an example of how divisive the Marinakis name is, the power he is perceived to wield and why opinions can be polarised into two factions.

“Olympiacos fans love him,” Mifas, the taxi driver, says. “He’s got his channel and he goes on it all the time, talking about going against the prime minister.”

Marinakis is a shareholder in the newsgroup Alter Ego Media, which owns the television channel Mega TV. It is among the country’s most popular television stations, ranging from drama series, talk shows and, crucially, news bulletins.

“When you have a television station and you can control what they say, that’s a big thing,” says Mifas. “News is a big thing now and you cannot learn the truth of anyone. It’s the same with Trump and Fox News.”

Football clubs in Greece are interlaced with politics and it is not uncommon for owners such as Marinakis, whose father Miltiadis was a politician, to have their fingerprints across media outlets. They use mass communication as a tool to shape a narrative and convey a particular message. He did not have that luxury in England. In his first few years as Forest’s owner, one of his PR aides floated the idea to The Guardian newspaper and, separately, The Nottingham Post that Marinakis might be interested in adding them to his portfolio. Neither idea got very far.

Marinakis was born in Piraeus. He has become a form of local mayor performing comparable duties and funding various projects.

He was a former Piraeus city councillor and put his money into the area’s regeneration, including the restoration of playgrounds, soup kitchens and football pitches. As part of his work to renovate city squares, Marinakis adorned the streets with statues of Greek heroes.

Opinions about Marinakis in Piraeus often depend on a person’s strength of feeling towards Olympiacos and their view of his ostensibly charitable acts. Some say examples of his philanthropy underline his kindness, generosity and devotion to his country. Others, more sceptical, insist its purpose is to window dress: washing away any mud that tries to stick.

Piraeus is a port city on the outskirts of Athens, which means the area tends to be the first entry point for refugees. When people arrived from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, a welcoming committee set up by Marinakis, including Olympiacos staff at the port, delivered meals, clothing and toys.

A tattoo on his left arm reading ‘Dream Love Create Fight Survive Win’ is indicative of how he wants to be seen – a competitive businessman with an empathetic side. The biography on his website states he “actively supports UNICEF” and “a number of other charitable causes both in Greece and around the world”.

“He’s a man who has helped Olympiacos and the city very much,” says Notis, an Olympiacos supporter, who speaks to The Athletic on the day of Olympiacos’ Europa Conference League second-leg match against Aston Villa .

“He has spent a lot of money. He found very good players. Legends of football come here . He tries every year to help with money, and his passion and love for Olympiacos, where the club’s recent success is historical.

“He has many Championship titles and that is the reason. He loves Olympiacos and the fans all understand that. That’s the main point, because he spends so much money for us.”

Marinakis splits his time between a house in Athens and his London residence. Locals believe he has property in the north of Greece. He is an unmissable figure for supporters inside the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium, prone to going pitchside and watching games standing up from Suite 311, surrounded by thickset bodyguards.

“Among the fans, he is a beloved figure,” says Artemis Kleftaki, a journalist based in Athens. “He has given everything for Olympiacos. He loves the club and isn’t happy if the team does not give 100 per cent. He is the absolute master. Every decision passes through his hands. If things don’t go well, he will not hesitate to fire people.

“The fans love his dedication even if he is excessive sometimes. Fans are also interested in what Forest are doing in the Premier League because there is the opportunity for sales and purchases between the two teams.

“But he’s a controversial person. Back in 2018, he was acquitted in a case of match-fixing and bribery, a scandal that arose in the Greek league.”

Marinakis was alleged to have been involved in a match-fixing scandal nine years ago, in which 68 suspects were named. He denied any wrongdoing and was cleared three years later. There was the allegation of a bomb that blew up the bakery of a referee. Marinakis has always vehemently denied any involvement and was acquitted without it ever going to trial.

The remarkable story of Evangelos Marinakis

“As I’m sure you may have heard, he is a complicated figure,” says Stephen Kountourou, a journalist specialising in Greek football. “Olympiacos fans are generally positive about him since his takeover as we have seen a lot of domestic success with league titles, cups and (being) in Europe, where we have been able to compete.”

The viewpoint outside of Piraeus can vary, however, with many cautious of how much power Marinakis has.

This season proved to be only the fourth time Olympiacos will not be league champions since Marinakis bought his hometown club in 2010. They finished third in the table, marking a second straight year where the club have failed to win the title, equalling the longest drought since Marinakis took over. Nonetheless, he generally retains strong support from fans.

Domestic failure has been softened by reaching the final of the Europa Conference League, which will be held in Athens. Olympiacos beat Aston Villa 6-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals , with the first leg away from home ending in Marinakis stomping onto the pitch and joining the celebrations.

It is the first time in Olympiacos’ 99-year history they have reached a European final and has eased any tension over league form. Following the return leg, Marinakis held court with local reporters after the game. “There’s something magic in this stadium in Piraeus,” he said.

Marinakis, for the time being, is happy with the man in charge of the team, experienced coach Jose Luis Mendilibar. He has a propensity to dispense with managers ruthlessly: last season he went through four of them at Olympiacos and before Steve Cooper at the City Ground, he hired five managers in four years. But supporters and journalists are similarly in tune with Mendilibar. The Spaniard received a standing ovation with shouts of “Bravo!” from local journalists when he arrived for his post-match press conference after Olympiacos reached the Conference League final.

Two hours before kick-off against Villa, the Olympiacos ultras in the stand behind the goal and to the left of where Marinakis sits — a group known as ‘Gate 7’ — chanted Mendilibar’s name. He is the club’s third manager this season (four if you count caretaker Sotiris Silaidopoulos) and is a wily, diplomatic individual, adept in handling media, an impassioned fanbase and by that same token, the owner.

Marinakis sits on the precipice of European glory, a victory that would be sweetened given where the final is taking place: at the home of Olympiacos’s fiercest rivals, AEK Athens, tonight against Fiorentina.

Should they win, for Marinakis, it would prove a crowning moment amidst the adulation from the most hardened supporters, even if the broader opinion bounces between affection and scepticism.

“Olympiacos fans love him,” says Mifas. “Because he spends a lot of money and they are successful, right? But he is a controversial guy. You see him everywhere in Greece.”

(Top photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

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Jacob is a football reporter covering Aston Villa for The Athletic. Previously, he followed Southampton FC for The Athletic after spending three years writing about south coast football, working as a sports journalist for Reach PLC. In 2021, he was awarded the Football Writers' Association Student Football Writer of the Year. Follow Jacob on Twitter @ J_Tanswell

Knowledge is power

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Yale Climate Connections

The enduring influence of “The Day After Tomorrow,” 20 years later

“The Day After Tomorrow” as climate communication

At the time, “The Day After Tomorrow” also seemed to work as a climate message. Several studies were carried out — in the U.S., UK, Japan, and Germany. Viewers were given surveys immediately after viewing the film and, in some cases, several weeks later, to determine what message(s) they had taken from the film and how long they retained them.

When I wrote about “The Day After Tomorrow” in 2014, I asked climate change communicators whether the film had helped them in their work. All said, yes; it made it easier to start conversations. That’s still the dominant sentiment today.

Anthony Leiserowitz , director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication — the publisher of this site — and the author of several peer-reviewed studies on “The Day After Tomorrow,” described it “as an important cultural acupuncture point — it was the first (and perhaps only) major movie to feature a climatologist as the lead character and to introduce a massive global audience to a new understanding about climate change … that there are thresholds or ‘tipping points’ within the climate system – points of no return. That new understanding is still working its way through society. … ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ was like a single ring of an alarm bell, with its reverberations still echoing.”

Sunshine Menezes , clinical professor of environmental communication at the University of Rhode Island where she had previously directed the Metcalf Institute , said that “with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that scientists’ objections about ‘The Day After Tomorrow’s poetic license with the facts (an age-old aspect of stories, after all) were surpassed by the film’s value in spurring widespread conversation about climate change.”

The authors of several books about cinematic treatments of environmental issues, the first of which included one of the first analyses of “The Day After Tomorrow,” Eastern Illinois University professors emeriti Robin Murray and Joseph Heumann credit the film with “usher[ing] in a plethora of … ‘cli-fi’ films, like those explored on the Yale Climate Connections website,” adding that it also served to “underline the more accurate science of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ (2006).”

Others were less positive.

Matthew Schneider-Mayerson , associate professor of English at Colby College and lead author of the just-published Climate Reality On-Screen report, observed that “‘The Day After Tomorrow’s’ status as the paradigmatic climate change film — which was confirmed in the study that USC and Good Energy published in 2022 — has contributed to the conflation between stories that include climate change and stories of climate apocalypse. [But] I think that says less about ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ and more about the general failure to include climate change in films or produce climate-centered films, over the last two decades.”

Read: Behind the ‘Bechdel test for climate change’ in movies

“I’m ambivalent,” climate scientist and University of Pennsylvania professor Michael E. Mann said. “I like that they set out to tell the story of the climate crisis in a major motion picture, but they take enough liberties with the science that it loses credibility. I think it’s possible to tell the story in a way that is engaging and still faithful to the science. That film, in my view, hasn’t been made yet.”

He is particularly irked by the opening scene of “The Day After Tomorrow.” “[It’s] a hilarious gaffe. No ice core scientist would EVER drill on an ice shelf!”

That scene, for those who can’t draw it readily to mind, begins with an aerial shot of Antarctic ice and then zooms in on a drilling rig, a snow vehicle, a row of tents, and three figures moving among them. They’re drilling ice cores on the Larsen B Ice Shelf, just before it breaks apart, as it did in 2002. A fissure opens in the ice, and the rig abruptly drops six feet. The team scrambles to rescue the drilled cores before it’s too late.

Poetic versus scientific license

This is a prime example of the “poetic license” noted by Sunshine Menezes — a storyteller taking liberties with the science. By setting the scene on the ice shelf, rather than on the continent where climate scientists actually drill, Emmerich can create a stirring action scene and, at the same time, introduce the climatic threat that will drive the plot: the melting ice that will soon wreak havoc on the ocean’s circulatory system.

As Mann notes, Emmerich did stretch the science at many points in his movie, but he was still telling the story of human-caused climate change. Our fossil-fuel-powered economy was destabilizing the climate in which it operated. The three scenes with Jack Hall and Vice President Becker (played by Kenneth Welsh) stress this point.

More troublesome is what I would call “scientific license.” This occurs when a storyteller uses a new scientific factoid, like a recent volcanic eruption, to revitalize an old story. The science allows the storyteller to refurbish their story world and then invite in a new crowd of paying guests.

The story Emmerich told was both very new — an unexpected twist on what little the public knew about climate change — but also quite old. In effect, Emmerich revived the man versus nature story.

But many of the filmmakers who followed Emmerich set out to create, first, other ice worlds and, then, worlds threatened or battered by other forces. In other words, the goal wasn’t to tell the story of climate change, it was to create a new apocalypse, dystopia, or thriller.

Among the factoids used to create new ice ages were Earth’s magnetic field (“Absolute Zero”), the ozone layer (“Arctic Blast”), deep-sea vents (“Ice 2020”), and, yes, volcanoes (“100 Degrees Below Zero”).

Other filmmakers then realized they could create ice ages by telling stories of climate action gone awry, of scientists cooling the planet too quickly through geoengineering (“Colony,” “Snowpiercer”). Thus, before anyone had depicted a future in which we addressed climate change successfully, filmmakers were imagining futures in which we failed spectacularly.

Then came the militarization of climate technology (“Geostorm”), the emergence of ancient pathogens from the melting tundra (“Thaw”), and the rise of climate supervillains (“The Kingsman”), often from outer space (“Avengers: Endgame”). Now storytellers are finding ways to combine climate change with artificial intelligence. (Note, however, that Steven Spielberg already did this with “AI” in 2001 — and aliens were included.)

Storytellers, filmmakers especially, are adept at combining standard elements and scenes into workable plots with satisfying dramatic arcs. In some genres, however, to get the new plot started they need a threat to pose in front of their viewers just long enough to seem substantive. Often this takes the form of a villain who is given a good social cause to champion — like the environment. But when the villain is inevitably vanquished, the good cause is forgotten. It doesn’t appear in the next installment of that superhero, spy-thriller, or science-fiction franchise. What message is delivered to moviegoers when climate change is the existential crisis in one film but completely forgotten in the next?

Fitting climate change into modular stories like these distorts it in fundamental ways. First, we start to think of it as something that can be turned off, as villains can choose whether to inflict harm or not. (How else could it simply disappear from our screens?) Second, we envision it as an all-or-nothing proposition. And, third, we don’t see ourselves as actors in the story.

In the 20 years that have passed since “The Day After Tomorrow” debuted on that Memorial Day weekend, the climate has continued to change. It has been given roles on-screen periodically, but it has never stopped acting in the real world. When, with scientific license, we use climate change to refashion old genres, we miss its cumulative effect.

Creating a bigger picture with smaller stories

An alternative is to tell smaller stories that depict climate change in its many different aspects. Stories that realistically depict specific people, places, and experiences rather than stories that generically recount the end of the world . These smaller stories can then be pieced together by all of us over time.

Climate Reality On-Screen , the new report from Good Energy and the Buck Lab for Climate and the Environment at Colby College, offers both good and bad news on this front.

The bad news? Only 10% of the 250 most popular films of the decade from 2013 to 2022 acknowledged the reality of climate change and included a character who spoke or acted on that fact. And of those that did, two-thirds fell into the superhero, science-fiction, or action-thriller genres. Depictions of climate actions — like riding a bicycle, installing or using solar panels, or making climate-conscious choices about diet — were extremely rare. Conversely, widely known impacts of climate change, like extreme weather events, were often shown without any nod to the changing climate. And when climate concern was depicted, it was typically in the form of a middle-aged white man — forgetting that people of all ages, colors, genders, and abilities are both affected by and worried about climate change. In fact, often more so.

The good news is that in the last five years covered by the report, 2018-2022, the numbers have increased. Nearly twice as many of the films tested passed the Climate Reality Check. And more of these acknowledgments of climate change happened outside the usual genres of superhero movies, spy-action thrillers, and science fiction films.

Of the movies nominated for the 2024 Academy Awards, for example, 23% of the films set between 2006 and 2100 passed the test, two by linking climate change not to an imminent apocalypse but to rampant consumerism (“ Barbie ”) and the threatened health of the oceans and of the people who swim in them (“ Nyad ”).

The lead author of Good Energy’s 10-year and Academy Award reports, Schneider-Mayerson expressed hope that their research would place a spotlight on these developments and, in that way, play a small role in accelerating them. (See Good Energy’s A Playbook for Screenwriting in the Age of Climate Change for an excellent tutorial on how to incorporate climate change into your own stories.)

I asked the climate communicators and film critics who responded to my query about “The Day After Tomorrow” what other films had worked for them, and what kinds of stories they want to see future films tell.

Past films that spoke to them included “ Arrival ,” “ Avatar ,” “ Beasts of the Southern Wild ,” “ Don’t Look Up ,” “ Half-Life ,” and “ Woman at War .”

A film that Mann would like to see in the future is one that “connects the dots between the very real climate-driven disasters we’re seeing play out and our ongoing burning of fossil fuels.”

Menezes hopes to see stories that help us bridge our political divides and address our inequalities — without succumbing to gloom and doom. “There are so many ways that climate change will shift our lives, and especially the lives of younger generations, for the worse, including the many ways it perpetuates and entrenches inequities. I’d love to see more storylines that engage with these complexities.”

Well-versed in film genres, Murray and Heumann sketched out possible storylines for science fiction, independent, and major studio releases. They’d like to see “a Hollywood version of an Earth after humans from a more-than-human perspective”; more small, local, and personal approaches to climate change, like “Woman at War”; and scenes in every film that “normalize belief in human-caused climate change and the need to address it.”

Cli-Fi, the Climate Reality Check, and summer movies

Murray and Heumann’s last hope is in line with a key goal of Good Energy and the Buck Lab for Climate and Environment. They have called for “50% of all films to include climate change in their story worlds by 2027.”

I endorse this goal, but I would still like to see cli-fi films per se : films that don’t just accept climate change as part of the background but that explore its world-shaping powers — albeit in more carefully measured, less apocalyptic ways than “The Day After Tomorrow.”

In the summer of 2004, “The Day After Tomorrow” was up against “Shrek 2,” “Spiderman 2,” and “Harry Potter 3” — all of which surpassed it at the box office — and “The Bourne Supremacy” and “I, Robot,” which came in just behind. The only other movie to address climate change that year was “ Category 6 ,” the made-for-TV movie that aired in November, likely prompted by advance word on “The Day After Tomorrow.”

Many of this summer’s releases may pass the Climate Reality Check, but one can’t make that determination from their descriptions. By their titles and previews, however, three movies look like they might qualify as cli-fi.

If one coded “ Mad Max Fury Road ” as a cli-fi film, as I did in two pieces for YCC, then “ Furiosa ” (the big release this Memorial Day weekend) will almost certainly qualify as well.

One would think that “ Twisters ,” this summer’s sequel to 1996’s “ Twister ,” would have to not merely acknowledge but also measure climate change, but Hollywood has missed such moments before. (The trailer hints at climate change but doesn’t mention it.)

Finally, stressful journeys to other planets are often prompted by decaying conditions on Earth, but the previews do not tell us how “ Slingshot ” will play this.

These three films could make interesting additions to the growing lists of cli-fi films. None, however, looks to be a match for “The Day After Tomorrow” in (re) shaping the public’s vision of climate change. But then Emmerich himself wasn’t able to repeat the success of “The Day After Tomorrow” either. He never returned to the topic of climate change.

We, of course, have no choice but to continue to tell — and live — the story of climate change. But let’s try to do that with other genres.

P.S. See this list of more than 100 cli-fi films released since 1966.

Editor’s note: A misspelling of Schneider-Mayerson’s name was corrected on May 24, 2024. A reference to “A Quiet Place: Day One” was removed May 28, 2024.

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Michael Svoboda, Ph.D., is the Yale Climate Connections books editor. He is a professor in the University Writing Program at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he has taught since... More by Michael Svoboda

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Do You Underline Book Titles?
The issue is addressed by the top stylebooks, but the answers vary. ( Grammar Rules for Writers .) According to the Chicago Manual of Style and the Modern Language Association, titles of books (and other complete works, such as newspapers and magazines), should be italicized. So if abiding by either of those guides, you'd italicize Stephen King ...
Let's Clear This Up: Should You Underline Or Italicize Book Titles?
If you have italics as an option, use it. If not, underline. If underlining isn't an option, use asterisks or under-slashes to set off titles. That last one is the way to go when you include a book title in a text message or social media post or comment, where you can't apply any kind of text formatting. Underlining can be problematic with ...
How to Write Book Titles in Your Essays
As a general rule, you should set titles of longer works in italics, and titles of shorter works go in quotation marks. Longer works include books, journals, TV shows, albums, plays, etc. Here's an example of a book mention: Sense and Sensibility, published in 1811, was Jane Austen's first novel. Shorter works include poems, articles ...
Book Titles in Essays: Formatting Rules and Examples
2 — The titles of parts within a book should go in quotation marks: chapter titles, titles of poems inside a collection, acts or scenes in a play, and so on. For example: The Great Gatsby's "Chapter 5: The Meeting". "The Mirror of Erised" from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Should You Underline Or Italicise Book Titles?
All in all, the question of whether to italicise or underline a book title has a straightforward answer: italicise unless your style guide tells you otherwise. But there are various nuances to be aware of for particular situations, or depending on the platform you're publishing your writing on. And when it comes to other kinds of titles, it ...
Do You Underline Book Titles?
So, in these more modern times of writing, do you underline book titles? The answer is a definite no. Under and Italics - A Little History. Considering the fact that underlining and italicizing do the same thing, some wonder why underlining is an issue. It used to be so common. Asking do you underline books titles is understandable as some ...
How to Write a Book Title in Essay [Examples]
Use capital letters to write the title of the novel. For example, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Use italics and capital letters to write the name of the author and his/her other works mentioned in a book title—for example, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1813). You should use quotation marks when writing headings of short ...
Do I Underline the Title of a Book When Writing? Definitive Guide
The general rule is to underline book titles when you are writing by hand or using a typewriter. However, with the advent of computers and modern word processors, the standard practice has shifted. Nowadays, it is more common to use italics or quotation marks to indicate the title of a book. Use italics: When you are typing on a computer or ...
Italics and Underlining: Titles of Books
Whereas, in the past, some style guides recommended underlining titles, today most prefer italics or quotation marks. When you're writing something by hand, underline the titles that would normally be italicized. MLA, APA, and Chicago guides agree that the use of italics is appropriate for standard book titles.
How to Write a Book Title in an Essay: Rules and Tips
Capitalize the first word of titles of books in papers, the first word after a colon, and all major words. Avoid capitalizing minor words (e.g., articles, prepositions, conjunctions) unless they are the first word of the name or longer than four letters. Always place the book title after the author's name.
APA Style
Use initials for the first and middle names of authors. Use one space between initials. All names are inverted (last name, first initial). Do not hyphenate a name unless it is hyphenated on the item. Separate the author's names with a comma and use the ampersand symbol "&" before the last author listed. Spell out the name of any organization ...
How to Write a Book Title in MLA Formatting
In fact, most style guides, including MLA and Chicago style, require book titles to be italicized, not underlined. If the book title has a subtitle, the subtitle should be italicized as well and separated by a colon to be formatted correctly for MLA style, as in: Natural History of the Intellect: the last lectures of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
MLA Titles
Use quotation marks around the title if it is part of a larger work (e.g. a chapter of a book, an article in a journal, or a page on a website). All major words in a title are capitalized. The same format is used in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. Place in quotation marks. Italicize.
How to Indicate Book Titles in Writing: Must-Know Rules
Remember to capitalize the important words in the title, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Avoid capitalizing articles, prepositions, or conjunctions, unless they are the first or last word in the title. In summary, whether you choose to use italics or quotation marks for book titles, consistency is key.
Should Book Titles Be Italicized or Underlined?
Don't confuse readers by underlining book titles as well. Instead, italicize the titles of published works, and put shorter works in quotation marks. (Unless you're following the AP Style Guide; they don't use italics.) To sum it up, follow the style guide your editor recommends. If he or she doesn't have a style guide, choose one way ...
How to Denote a Book Title in Writing: Best Practices
1. Identify the short work: First and foremost, identify the specific short work within your book title. This could include a single chapter, short story, or poem. Having a clear understanding of what constitutes the short work is crucial in using quotation marks correctly. 2.
How To Write Book Titles The Proper Way: A Complete Guide For Writers
The answer is: in this case, yes. In other cases, sometimes. It's really not as confusing as it seems. When you are talking about a book series but don't want or need to include the complete series titles for the purposes of your work, you only have to put words in italics that also appear in the book titles. So, because Harry Potter is ...
Do You Italicize Book Titles? MLA, Chicago Manual, and APA Rules
Whether you are writing a book, a business blog, a research paper, or a magazine article, staying true (and consistent) to grammar and style is extremely important. It makes the entire article/ manuscript consistent and reading easy!. But with so many styles and style guides around, losing track is very common. This is especially true when you are writing titles - of books, stories, poems ...
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Wrapping Up. Now you know when to underline or italicize, and much more. To wrap up, italics should be used for the titles of longer works such as movies, books, and TV shows, and underlining for handwritten papers. In addition, we hope you've learned the more tricky rules such as question marks and commas, and that you've given some ...
Do You Italicize Book Titles? And Other Title Conundrums
One Rule of Writing Titles. There are two ways we typically indicate titles: by italicizing them, or by putting them in "quotation marks.". We'll get into the nuances of each in a moment. But let's start off with one core principle: Italicize the titles of works that are larger, like the titles of books, albums, and movies. For shorter ...
Do You Underline or Italicize Book Titles?
Book titles are often notated in one of two ways: underlining, or italics. Learn why digital writing typically uses italics, and physical writing may use underlining instead when including book ...
Do You Underline or Italicize Book Titles When Writing? Know the Rules
A: Of course! The general rules state that longer works like novels should be underlined or italicized, while shorter works like poems or articles should be placed inside quotation marks. When referring to titles within titles, use quotation marks for the inner title and underline or italicize the overall book title.
Is Outlining Important for Writing a Book? We Say Yes
The simple answer is no; you don't need an outline to write a book. Plenty of successful authors are "pantsers," meaning they write "by the seat of their pants" without an outline. Outlining a book is a personal decision and choosing whether or not to use one depends on your writing style and preferences.
How to Write an Effective Dissertation Title
2. Brevity. While it's important to be descriptive, a dissertation title should also be concise. Aim for a balance between providing enough information and keeping the title short. Generally, a title should be between 10 to 15 words. Long, complex titles can be overwhelming and difficult to remember. For example:
How to Start Writing a Book of Your Life: A Quick Guide
According to some estimates, around 4 million new book titles are released each year worldwide, or almost 11,000 every day! If you're hoping to write a book of your own, these figures are good news.
How to read a book: 10 rules from a reviewer
Check the small stuff. Before turning to Chapter 1, I glance at a book's cover art, check out the author's dust jacket biography and photo, and read through the back page endorsements. Unlike ...
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November 1998. " Story of Your Life " is a science fiction novella by American writer Ted Chiang, first published in Starlight 2 in 1998, and in 2002 in Chiang's collection of short stories, Stories of Your Life and Others. Its major themes are language and determinism . "Story of Your Life" won the 2000 Nebula Award for Best Novella, as well ...
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The enduring influence of "The Day After Tomorrow," 20 years later
The authors of several books about cinematic treatments of environmental issues, the first of which included one of the first analyses of "The Day After Tomorrow," Eastern Illinois University professors emeriti Robin Murray and Joseph Heumann credit the film with "usher[ing] in a plethora of … 'cli-fi' films, like those explored on ...

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