Why consistency is important in good writing

Gabriella Sterio

20 hours ago

6 min read

Consistent writing is seamless. You know what to expect. Elements align. Nothing jars. It’s like cruising on a newly asphalted road in a Rolls-Royce (according to car enthusiasts, they provide the sweetest ride). But when writing is inconsistent, it’s like hitting every bump in a rusty jalopy. It’s no fun, and you keep bracing yourself for the next curve or pothole!

That’s not the kind of experience you want for your readers. And while spelling, grammar and clarity errors cause the biggest bumps, consistency can be just as jarring.

In this article, I’ll explain why consistency is important, how to implement it and when inconsistencies might actually be acceptable.

What is consistency in writing?

People have different ideas about what consistency is, so let’s clarify it. In the Macquarie Dictionary, consistency is broadly defined as ‘agreement, harmony or compatibility’. Writing consistency works along similar principles: it’s about making stylistic choices to achieve a clear, predictable, harmonious whole.

Here’s where consistency, or consistency, usually shows up:

Style: Tone, voice, formality and point of view.
Grammar and usage: Grammatical choices and language conventions.
Spelling: Spelling of common and uncommon words.
Punctuation: Use of commas, speech quotes, dashes and other marks.
Capitalisation: Titles, headings, proper nouns and terminology.
Formatting: Line spacing, word spacing, font types and sizing.
People/characters: Actions and words.
Content: Arguments, claims and facts.

Why consistency is important

Have you ever read a document that was written and edited by multiple people? You get different spellings, styles and formatting. Opinions and definitions may contradict each other. By the end, you weren’t sure what they were trying to say, or whether the document was even trustworthy.

It’s no lie that writing by committee doesn’t work, particularly if each member isn’t communicating and does things their own way, without a style manual to guide them. A similar thing can happen when you’re writing alone, particularly if you’re doing it over weeks or months. It’s hard to keep track of arguments, or language and spelling choices made along the way.

Pattern recognition is a big part of the reader experience, and if you don’t give readers a certain structure, or elements they recognise, reading and understanding become difficult.

But if you standardise spelling, grammar, style, formatting and language choices, it creates a smoother reading experience. Words or arguments aren’t ambiguous. Information is easy to scan. And it builds confidence in the writer’s expertise and what they’re communicating.

6 ways to ensure consistency in your writing

While it takes time to make your writing consistent, it’s worth it. Here’s how to go about it.

1. Choose a style guide

If you haven’t already done so, choose a style guide. (For more on what they are, see Why do editors follow style guides?) This will depend on your region and preference. It could be the Chicago Manual of Style or the Australian Government Style Manual. Use it as a baseline for every document or book you write.

If your book includes references or endnotes, choose a referencing style to match your discipline. For example, use American Psychological Association style for personal development books or documentary–note for history and biography.

2. Create a style sheet

This is an adjunct to a style guide. It’s usually created by a copyeditor during the editing process, but authors can also create one themselves. While the style guide is the baseline for your writing, a style sheet lists preferred spellings and language deviations that suit your preferences, industry and readership. For more on what to include, see Why you need a style sheet.

3. Keep a list of words

Whether you’re writing an annual report or dark fantasy, keep a list of words, places, names or terms you use frequently. These are best recorded in your style sheet (see the point above). This ensures you use the same spelling every time. And if you use an editor later, it’ll make their job faster and easier.

4. Apply styles

Most authors apply paragraph indents, fonts and bolding manually, which can result in inconsistencies and visual clutter. Is it an A head or a B head? Who knows. They both appear in 16 pt.

The best way to address this is to use Word styles. It’s a feature that makes sure heading 1 is always 18 pt Arial, body text is 12 pt Times Roman, new paragraphs are indented by 1.5 cm and so forth. Invest some time in getting to know how they work (here’s a tutorial) – and create styles that align with your preferences.

5. Search for spelling inconsistencies

After you finish writing, search for spelling inconsistencies using Find and Replace in Word. (This should be part of your self-editing process.) Or use non-AI software like PerfectIt. It comes with a yearly subscription, but if you’re running a business or writing regularly, it’s worth it (and tax-deductible!).

The software also picks up inconsistent heading case, hyphenation and more (and allows you to correct them one by one). You’d be surprised what slips your notice when you’re writing. It also allows you to select a style guide and find any issues that don’t align. In fact, I use it all the time in my editing practice.

6. Get an editor to do a consistency check

If editing is part of your workflow, a copyeditor or proofreader will pick up any inconsistencies (among other things!). It’s just part of what they do.

Copyeditors will ask you questions about your style guide and create a style sheet with language preferences. If they’re editing fiction, they’ll also include a list of characters or places, complete with descriptions. This ensures ‘Mariah’ doesn’t become ‘Maria’ (autocorrect can be a beast!) or that a brown suitcase doesn’t turn blue in chapter 12.

If you’re also using a proofreader, they’ll make sure the style sheet has been implemented and flag any issues that may have slipped through.

Note: In general, editors try not to be too prescriptive. If an inconsistency doesn’t affect readability and is intentional or important to the story/argument, they’ll keep it. The last thing they want to do is compromise your voice.

Common consistency issues

If you’re checking for consistency issues and don’t know where to start, here’s a quick guide:

Spelling. Using multiple spellings for the same word. For example, ‘well-being’ and ‘wellbeing’, or ‘health care’ and ‘healthcare’ (which are both acceptable according to many dictionaries).
Numbers. Using both numerals and spelled-out forms for numbers over ten.
Capitalisation. Capitalising a word in one paragraph but not another (e.g. ‘Government’ and ‘government’). Or using a mix of sentence case and title case for headings.
Style. Not adhering to a style guide that reflects best practice in your region.
Punctuation. Using a mix of serial commas and no commas after horizontal lists (unless needed to avoid ambiguity). Or using a mix of em dashes and en dashes to set out information.
Tone. Using a mix of tones (e.g. formal, informal).
Point of view. Unless it’s intentional, switching between first and third person, or from one point of view to another (also known as head-hopping).
Formatting. Using a mix of line spacing, font sizes and font types.
People/characters. Unless it’s intentional, introducing contradictory information about a person or character. In short, they do or say things that don’t align with who they are.
Content. Building contradictory arguments. Or making statements that don’t support the evidence.
Endnotes and references. Using multiple or incorrect referencing styles.

Are inconsistencies in writing ever acceptable?

It all depends on what you’re writing and who your target audience is. If you’re including lots of quoted material in US English and you’re writing the book in New Zealand English, those spelling differences are acceptable. Why? Because you need to respect the original spelling.

The same applies if you’re referring to entities like the World Health Organization. The official title uses -ize, so you need to keep it, even if you don’t use it in your region.

Some inconsistencies can be intentional (and specified in your style sheet). For example, many publisher style guides stipulate spelling out numbers up to ten and using numerals for the rest (e.g. seven, ten, 12, 66). However, if the numbers are measurements, percentages or number comparisons, numerals are preferred (e.g. 2 centimetres, 9 kilometres, 6 out of 10 students). This may look inconsistent, but it aligns with many style guides.

Takeaways: Why consistency is important in good writing

While you can write a book or article without checking for consistency issues, multiple spellings of the same word or use of both single and double speech quotes can confuse or distract readers – and undermine your credibility.

To avoid this, familiarise yourself with regional style guides, keep a word list or language preferences and make sure your self-editing process includes a consistency check. Of course, an editor can do this for you during a standard copyedit, but if you correct as much as you can before you hire them, it’ll minimise costs and make the editing process faster.

Need a copyeditor who can ensure your content is both error-free and consistent? Get in touch for a quote or ask for a sample edit.