How Do I Do a Consistency Check (Names, Caps, Hyphens, Numbers)? 

Consistency is one of the quiet signals of professionalism. Readers might not consciously notice every inconsistency; they will feel the wobble. The easiest way to do a consistency check is to check one category at a time, not everything at once. 

What a consistency check actually is

A consistency check isn’t about perfection; it’s about making sure you haven’t unintentionally changed your “rules” mid-book. It covers things like:

• names and key terms

• capitalisation

• hyphenation

• numbers, dates, and units

• spelling variants (UK/US)

Do it in calm passes (the order matters) 

Here’s a practical order that keeps it manageable:

Pass 1: Names and key terms

• List all names (people, places, products, frameworks, key concepts)

• Check spelling, titles, and how you refer to them (full name vs surname; acronym vs full term)

• Make sure you haven’t changed terminology halfway through (it happens constantly)

Pass 2: Capitalisation (caps) 

Decide what you capitalise and stick to it. Common wobblers:

• Chapter vs chapter

• Book vs book

• Headings and subheadings (consistent style)

• Proper nouns vs generic references

Pass 3: Hyphens 

Pick one version and keep it. Examples:

• self-edit / self edit / selfediting

• step-by-step / step by step

• decision-making / decision making

(If you ever find yourself thinking “both look fine,” that’s your cue to choose one and record it.)

Pass 4: Numbers and dates 

Choose rules for:

• ten vs 10 (and when you switch)

• ranges (10–12 vs 10 to 12)

• percentages (10% vs ten percent)

• dates (11 January 2026 vs January 11, 2026)

• units and measurements

Pass 5: Spelling sweep (UK/US + favourites) 

Even if you’re consistent overall, certain words drift. Do a quick search for your usual culprits.

The easiest way to do this without losing your mind 

Use a style sheet alongside your checks. You don’t need a formal template; you need a place to store decisions.

A simple format:

• Term: self-edit (hyphenated)

• Caps: Chapter (capitalised in headings only)

• Numbers: one to nine as words; 10+ as numerals

• Dates: 11 January 2026 format

Common mistakes

• Doing “everything at once” (you’ll miss more)

• Copyediting too early, before structure is stable

• Changing your mind on style halfway through and not updating earlier chapters

A gentle next step 

Course 1: Editing Foundations includes practical checklists for consistency (names, caps, hyphens, numbers), so you can run a clean sweep without getting stuck in tiny decisions.