: Re: How can I write acronyms in fiction? I'm wondering whether I can use acronyms without the period between each letter in fiction writing. Adding the period seems kind of clunky and stops the

There is a distinction between an Acronym and an Initialism. Acronyms tend to have no periods and be pronounced as a single word (SCUBA, LASER). Initialisms may or may not have periods, but each letter is pronounced separately (I.R.S., I.B.M., AT & T).

So WASP and ASAP are acronyns. AKA and STD are initialisms.

How do you know which is which? Consult a dictionary to see what the pronunciation is and to see if it includes periods or not. Consult more than one dictionary to see if the usage is firmly established, or if it varies by source.

See www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/05/the-difference-between-an-acronym-and-an-initialism/
Finally, keep in mind that some company names that started out as abbreviations (AT & T for American Telegraph and Telephone) were later incorporated as the formal name of the company. For example, AT & T is no longer the abbreviation for American Telegraph and Telephone. The formal, legal name of the company is "AT & T." So for names of organizations, you'll need to see how the organization itself presents its name.

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: Re: How can I write acronyms in fiction? I'm wondering whether I can use acronyms without the period between each letter in fiction writing. Adding the period seems kind of clunky and stops the

More posts by @Smith147

: What's the exact format of letters/text messages inside novels? The following is from The Fault in Our Stars: If I'm not mistaken, this is the formatting: The font should be half the size

: How to make a list enjoyable to read? I think I'm a Modern Man by George Carlin, is a good example. And, after analyzing it, I've come up with some techniques. Varying sentence length

: Including (public domain?) lyrics of a song in my screenplay? In my screenplay, the lyrics of "Shenandoah", a traditional American folk song, are heard once. May I publish a few lines with the

: Is a male character crying realistic or excessive? I would like feedback on if this portrayal of male emotion is unrealistic. I have been told (beta readers) that men don't cry in real life

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