Correct way to express numbers in a novel?

Question

I have been told that numbers 1-10 should be spelled out, as in one, two, three, and so on, and that higher numbers use the actual numbers, like 11, 643, or 10,000.

I want to ensure that I am using the correct form before submitting my novel to a literary agent.

Please cite sources in answers; I am from Missouri, and tend to be skeptical of everything unless I can see proof.

Answer 1

In journalism we spell out one through ten and use Arabic (actual numbers) on anything higher.

I assume that is how it is in a novel as well.

Answer 2

The Chicago Manual of Style (the standard style manual for most publications/publishers) states:

"In nontechnical contexts [which includes fiction, of course], the following are spelled out: whole numbers from one through one hundred, round numbers, and any number beginning a sentence."

Round numbers are hundreds, thousands, hundred thousands, and millions.

So, of your examples, only 643 should be written in digits.

I believe that in fiction (which I also write), it's probably better to err toward writing out more numbers, rather than fewer. Especially in dialogue--we speak in words, not numerals, after all. (The CMS focuses on non-fiction writing, more than fiction.)

But I wouldn't stress over this issue--no agent is going to reject your book just because you wrote a number in numerals instead of spelling it out. Just be consistent (don't spell a number out one place and write it in digits somewhere else, for example). Any publisher your book gets sold to probably has a slightly different set of guidelines anyway, and this is an easy fix.

Answer 3

It doesn't really matter, honestly, unless you plan to write with a specific style (like MLA, APA, AAA, AP, et cetera). Normally what I do is write out 1-100, and anything above that I use numbers.

Answer 4

we were just working on our works cited page for our english paper and my teacher said to spell out 1-10 but you don't have to spell out other numbers (except for 0 that one should probley be spelled out)

Answer 5

Spell out numbers up to either 25 or 50. (I read it once in a writing handbook and I can't remember which.) However, you should also look at the circumstances and basically use your guts.

Answer 6

Hi. Not a journalism guru but the scientist in me says anything that is exact (12 eggs) should be numeric and anything that is approximate (she waited ten minutes) should be spelled out. My opinion.