Welcome! King County launched this online style manual in 2004 to help you, other county employees, county communications staff, and county consultants use consistent editorial style. This manual also helps us write correctly, clearly and concisely, leading to enhanced credibility with citizens, customers and clients.

This online manual benefits our readers as they use the county documents we produce for them. It also helps us use our valuable time effectively and efficiently by answering many questions that arise when we're writing.

Use this manual as your first reference when you have questions about abbreviations, capitalization, computer terms, grammar, the Internet, numbers, organization terminology, punctuation, spelling and word usage. Use it to answer questions when you're writing about King County and all its departments, divisions, sections, units, offices and work groups--and their personnel, plans, projects and programs.

Please follow these writing standards in all external and internal county materials for broad public or employee use. Affected county documents include articles, brochures, business correspondence, displays, official e-mail messages, fliers, manuals, memos, newsletters, news releases, pamphlets, presentations, reports and Web pages (Internet and intranet).

Documents produced by consultants for King County also should follow these standards.

This manual notes some exceptions or variations to some editorial style rules that might arise in county correspondence and a few other uses. Style exceptions might be appropriate for limited space in charts, tables, maps, and signs and for some established standards and practices in advertising copy, technical publications, environmental reports, and legal documents.

If used, style exceptions should be applied consistently in all related documents, and style within a document must be consistent. Of course, clarity to readers and correct grammar are always high priority in all King County documents.

Also, motions and ordinances of the King County Council follow some differing editorial style guidelines. Please contact Anne Noris, the clerk of the council, at 206-296-0364 or Bruce Ritzen, the code reviser, at 206-296-1015 if you are drafting legislation and have any questions.

For all other King County documents, follow the editorial style used in county motions and ordinances only when quoting them directly. Likewise, follow the editorial style used in other government acts, amendments, bills, charters, codes, constitutions, laws, resolutions and statutes only when quoting them directly.

Other communications resources

Standards in this online manual follow preferences of The Associated Press Stylebook and other respected style manuals. See Online and print resources. Also see Background on developing the county style manual.

For more advice on clear, concise writing and answers to other writing questions, check these and other King County writing tools:

• King County plain-language writing guide: How to write clearly to meet the needs of your readers
• King County guide to concise writing: Concise alternatives to pompous words and wordy, redundant phrases.

Staff resources --The employee team of professional writers that developed this style manual doesn't expect everyone to become experts on style, grammar and usage. Comments, questions or suggestions about writing or this Web site? Contact one of the staff resources.