toomanycurls Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Do you capitalize words JKR made up for Harry Potter? I've been a strong advocate of using the words with the same capitalization rules as regular words in English (which means lowercase q in quidditch, capital H in Hogwarts, lowercase a for auror, etc.). The thing is, I'm tempted to go back on this and capitalizing the made up words. Also, is death eater a proper noun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pookha Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 My general rule is: if JKR capitalized it in the books, then it should be capitalized in your fic. Thus: Quidditch, Seeker, Muggle, Dark wizard, Chamber of Secrets, Heir of Slytherin, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TidalDragon Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 I follow the same rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterbug8515 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 *shame faced* I let my beta make the decision, not sure if she follows the book rule or just capitalizes them all, but I'm pretty sure Dementor is capitalized in my story. Over all I think it doesn't matter too much if it's quidditch or Quidditch as long as you are consistent in the story with it. The same rule sort of applies to like academic classes in school. Some capitalize Math, Art, Science, English. Though in research only English should be capitalized as it is a language. So while you won't get judged for capitalizing the other words and the rule still is a bit fuzzy/ you will get dinged some if in chapter one you are all "Quidditch" and then chapter two you are all "quidditch". Okay I feel like I've rambled and not made a very strong point so I'll stop now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banshee Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 I use the general 'rule' that if jkr invented it, I capitalize it when I write/beta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WindingArrow Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I'm pretty sure I capitalize almost anything JKR made up without thinking about it. It's like second nature. I don't think I could change my ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineke Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I am also capitalizing words like Muggle etc. And if I didn't, it'd be an honest accident. So basically I follow the rule pookha stated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireOpal Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I follow pookha's rule, and I like to think that wizarding folks just like to capitalise things because it makes them feel important, haha! (And maybe because it's a layover from when English was a more Germanic tongue and wizards are old fashioned?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelEyez3954 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I've never really thought of this...but I always follow JKR's convention - if she capitalized it, then I do. I end up flipping through the books, or the Lexicon a lot when I start editing to see how she wrote it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diogenissa Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Like with most of the above, I pretty much follow what pookha said. I also tend to capitalize spells as well as italicize them for the same reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum27 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 When I first started writing, there was a significant period of time between when I'd read the books and when I started my next-gen fic. So I wrote using the rules of conventional English (no caps for most things). Then I actually saw someone post about using the caps and I switched over. Now I'm editing my story to include JKR's way of capitalization. I've also changed to include incantations in italics. I think JKR did this, but I'm on vacation rn and not near my books to confirm. I saw it in enough other fanfics, so I started doing it too. 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlamingQuilltips Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I usually use this: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/help/potterwords-removed.html - 12+ This link has helped me out when I've ever had doubts regarding capitalizing potterwords. I've actually been super surprised at many instances. I usually get confused about 'hospital wing' and 'common room'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galadriel Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I capitalise words that I find to be proper nouns (they just automatically get categorised in my mind) and I don't capitalise for the common nouns. So Quidditch, Dark Mark, Hogwarts, etc., and death eaters, aurors, muggles, etc. But I've recently started capitalising Death Eaters and Aurors as well so I guess I'm on the same page as you right now, Rose. I agree that it makes sense to capitalise something if JKR has done so, it's a lot easier than trying to form a kind of system on your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Black Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 If it was capitalized in the books, I capitalize it in my writing and in the stories I beta (I got your back, Scooterbug). It's a habit established from the days when I used to submit to MNFF. If there's a difference between the UK and US editions, I always try to go with the UK when possible. Of course, all I have are the US editions, so that's hit or miss. That link is invaluable, FlamingQuilltips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfgirl Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I tend to captialize it even if it wasn't captialised in the books. I always try to captialise Auror, as I count it as an important title, like Police Officer or Fireman. I also use upper case for Death Eater, Dark Mark, Quidditch, Hogwarts. But I don't tend to capitalize wizard, witch or muggle. Which seems odd, now that I think about it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinnyPotter242 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I'm kind of in between with following proper English rules and following JKR's lead. I tend to not capitalize things like muggle, witch, wizard, auror, etc. But I do capitalize Hogwarts, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Floo (but not floo powder if I remember correctly), and most classes- Transgfiguration, Charms, Potions etc. I capitalize auror if I'm talking about a certain one, if I use their name (ex: "Auror Robards called everyone in on an assignment, leaving him and Harry alone in the office. The younger auror frowned") This is similar to addressing police officers "Officer Potter" and such. As for Quidditch, I think I tend to capitalize it? It seems second nature for me to capitalize it at least. It's weird if you think about it, because we don't capitalize football or baseball or basketball! I agree with FireOpal- wizards just think of themselves as important, so they capitalize random words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImaRavenclaw Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 *cowers into corner* Sometimes it depends on the fic. Often though I do the same thing as Rose. Like, quidditch, Hogwarts, Professor ___, snitch, Liquid Luck, Amortentia, quaffle, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppunkpadfoot Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 I pretty much capitalize everything JKR capitalizes, I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum27 Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 I used to follow (what I thought was) proper grammar and only capitalize the sorts of things that you're taught in Elementary School. But once I saw a post about how JKR capitalized a lot of her own words, I started doing it too. The result is that I have a fic that started out without capitalization and changed partway through. I'm going to go back and fix it for consistency's sake. Yeah. I'll get to that. Someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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