Style guide facts for kids

For the Wikipedia style guide, see Wikipedia:Manual of Style.

A style guide (also known as style manual) is a set of rules for language usage and design of documents (records). Some style guides are about things related to graphic design, such as arranging words and white space on a page. Website style guides often help with visual or technical things. Literary style guides help with choosing the best words, common errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling; and help for how to express ideas in a precise, fair and forceful way.

Some modern style guides are for use by all people. These are usually more about language than about how it should look.

Style guides do not stop a writer from using his own unique style, but some writers believe style guides are too restrictive.

Like language itself, many style guides change as time passes. For example, the Associated Press stylebook is updated every year.