[HP4GU-FAQ] Formatting/Style Issues (and dilemmas)

[Neil Ward]

***

Penny wrote:

>5.  As a former English major, I'm a bit of a grammarian.  Does anyone
>have any serious objections to Melanie & I doing final edits on all the
>FAQs (purely for stylistic points -- nothing substantive)?  I would, of
>course, be in favor of retaining the British spelling used by Neil &
>Simon though.  I'm really talking about just proofing the FAQs to be
>sure there aren't any typos or glaring grammar issues (or things that
>are misspelled, whether judging by British English or American English).

***

I have no problem with your checking my FAQs, for whatever reason.  

Since you've raised this, it makes sense to affirm your editorial control of
the FAQs unless anyone has any objections.  I agree that the FAQs should be
proof-read and that, in style, they should form a reasonably compatible set
on all counts. In last Sunday's chat, Mike Gray was asking if he could help
at all, so I suggested that he might cast an eye over my FAQs and comment.
I was thinking more of content at that point, but it would serve as an
additional proof-read. I hope that's okay.  

***

Neil wrote: "It doesn't seem right to leave something out just because we
haven't discussed it. What do you think?"

Simon replied: But where do we draw the line and how do we know we have
mentioned everything?

***

I was thinking of things that could be listed by direct reference to the
books, such as spells/charms, rather than as yet undisclosed questions or
inconsistencies.  I was wondering whether I should list all the
spells/charms, for example, for the sake of completeness, or concentrate
only on those that have been discussed in the group, and then say at the end
'see HP Lexicon for full list of spells and charms' and put a link.  I think
Penny was agreeing with my proposal to list all of them and add discussion
where it has occurred.  

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Neil
  
            Flying-Ford-Anglia

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   "Then, dented, scratched and steaming, 
   the car rumbled off into the darkness, 
   its rear lights blazing angrily"

 [Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

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