Website and Heirloom Newsletter Style Guide

In general, the style of copy on the website and in the Heirloom newsletter should loosely follow the Associated Press Stylebook. More information is at the AP Stylebook Website. An online tool for putting atticle titles into AP style is at the Capitalize My Title site.

Acronyms and initialisms. Acronyms (abbreviations that can be pronounced as a word, such as “NATO”) and initialisms (abbreviations that are voiced by saying each letter, such as “UUA”) should be avoided in the first reference to a person, organization, or group. Instead, spell out the full name or phrase. Exceptions: First references to “UU” and to “Heritage UU Church” are acceptable.

Heirloom newsletter and Heirloom. The first reference to the Heirloom newsletter should be “Heirloom newsletter,” using both words, and with Heirloom Italicized. For people who are unfamiliar with the Heirloom, this identifies it as a newsletter. For people who are familiar with our congregation, this distinguishes it from other communications that might be considered newsletters, such as the “Heritage Connection” emails. Subsequent references to the newsletter can use the single word “Heirloom.”

Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church, Heritage UU Church, Heritage, and HUUC. The first reference to our congregation should be “Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church” or “Heritage UU Church,” or, if clearly speaking to just congregants, “Heritage.” The use of “HUUC” should generally be avoided, especially since another local UU congregation, Hopedale Unitarian Universalist Community, also abbreviates to “HUUC.” “HUUC” can be used for style variation later in an article, if it is felt desirable.