Accuracy and writing conventions

It is extremely important to get the title of the work and the name of the author correct. I seriously cannot emphasize that enough. If you don’t have the title right, it looks like you didn’t put enough time or thought into your work to even glance at the book. The most common error I’ve seen recently is calling one of our books House of Spirits, The House of Spirits, House of the Spirits, or any other combination. It is The House of the Spirits. If you’re at all confused, look at the title page of the book.

When referring to an author, usually we call him or her by first and last name the very first time only, then by the last name every other time. It gives me a very minor heart attack every time I see someone refer to an author by their first name. It’s like, “Did you just call her LAURA?!?!  You’re not her best friend! You call her Esquivel!” There’s also no need to use a title like Miss or Mr.  The last name alone is perfectly fine.

Here’s an example:

In her book, Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel describes the life of Tita, the youngest of three daughters. Esquivel describes Tita as a devoted daughter who longs for love.

Trouble with titles

Whatever you do, for goodness’ sake, do not call your essay any of the following:
My Like Water for Chocolate Essay.
Essay on Like Water for Chocolate.
Like Water for Chocolate Essay.