Wicked Cool Games
Mongoose
Format question - A character has a nickname, "the fox", not "fox". When writing for publishing is it proper form to capitalize "the"? "The Fox" vs. "the Fox" or "the fox". Thanks.
Writing Format Question
- Thread starter Wicked Cool Games
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Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
Capitalize it all. Jack watched The Fox race to the bridge.
FreeTrav
Emperor Mongoose
The basic rule of thumb is - or at least should be - "if it's part of the name, it gets capitalized (in English)." But if you're not the one making the name up, check anyway; even in the real world, that rule doesn't always hold, and its failure to hold may not even be consistent.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
"I noticed that," the captain nodded. "And little Leewit here—she whistles and busts things."
"It's the Leewit," the Leewit said, frowning.
"Oh, I see," said the captain. "Like the captain, eh?"
"That's right," said the Leewit. She smiled.
"It's the Leewit," the Leewit said, frowning.
"Oh, I see," said the captain. "Like the captain, eh?"
"That's right," said the Leewit. She smiled.
FreeTrav
Emperor Mongoose
Exactly. Which is why, if you're not the creator, you check anyway.
CordwainerFish
Emperor Mongoose
Holt Handbook is silent on the matter. Gregg Reference Manual does not state explicitly but suggests by example that the answer is no.
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Emperor Mongoose
The Doctor is the correct way to refer to Doctor Who, so capitalize both. 
CordwainerFish
Emperor Mongoose
Doctor Who is a show; the Doctor is a character in it.The Doctor is the correct way to refer to Doctor Who, so capitalize both.
Limpin Legin
Emperor Mongoose
Proper Nouns always capitalise first letter. Multiword proper names are capitalised. Words and phrases that are neither proper nouns nor derived from proper nouns are often capitalised in present-day English. For some such words, capitalisation is optional or dependent on context. ... When 'the' comes at the start of a proper name, it is not normally capitalised unless it is a formal part of a title of a book, DVD, etc.
Proper noun - Wikipedia
So if "The Fox" was the name of your publication, then capitalise. Otherwise, if "the Fox" appears inline narrative, then use lower case. There is no indication that nicknames should be treated as an exemption to the above guidance.
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