[Next Project] The Castle of Wolfenbach by Eliza Parsons

336 views
Skip to first unread message

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 3, 2026, 12:52:58 PMAug 3
to Standard Ebooks
PG:A / HT (1854)

I've read through the comments of the past production that almost got finished. Per past discussion, I'll be keeping the Vol I/II split due to no chapters, fixing up all the dialogue, and trying to follow all the CSS advice. Additionally, I'll be keeping an eye out for italics in the scan since I don't think I saw any on a scroll through the transcription...


I was treating "A German Story" as a subtitle (which would only show up on content.opf since there's no other frontmatter [so no halftitlepage] if I remember correctly from Bambi), but if you think it ought to go in with the title, I can change that.

Spirit of War by Cropsey is still marked down in the ADB as taken by this work, so I might as well just keep it--it was a nice find.

Screenshot 2026-08-03 at 12.32.13.png

Alex Cabal

unread,
Aug 3, 2026, 1:44:03 PMAug 3
to standar...@googlegroups.com
OK, Weijia will manage with Robin reviewing.

On 8/3/26 11:52 AM, Elizabeth Miller-Boldt wrote:
> PG:A <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0606211h.html> / HT <https://
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776> (1854)
>
> I've read through the comments of the past production that almost got
> finished. Per past discussion, I'll be keeping the Vol I/II split due to
> no chapters, fixing up all the dialogue, and trying to follow all the
> CSS advice. Additionally, I'll be keeping an eye out for italics in the
> scan since I don't think I saw any on a scroll through the transcription...
>
> Repo <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the-castle-of-wolfenbach>
>
> I was treating "A German Story" as a subtitle (which would only show up
> on content.opf since there's no other frontmatter [so no halftitlepage]
> if I remember correctly from /Bambi/), but if you think it ought to go
> in with the title, I can change that.
>
> Spirit of War by Cropsey <https://www.nga.gov/artworks/56598-spirit-war>
> is still marked down in the ADB as taken by this work, so I might as
> well just keep it--it was a nice find.
>
> Screenshot 2026-08-03 at 12.32.13.png
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856-b8a7-bcb2b69b4f57n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856-
> b8a7-bcb2b69b4f57n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

Weijia Cheng

unread,
Aug 3, 2026, 4:28:33 PMAug 3
to Standard Ebooks
Ok, noted.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 4, 2026, 6:50:06 PMAug 4
to Standard Ebooks
I just semanticated a poem. I just tried se clean and it "collapsed" everything  into like... two lines (i.e. all the "enter" entries were taken out and now from the title to the poem and then the poem to the end is one big ugly long line)--what did I do wrong? @_@ I may have asked this before...? But I uh... forgot the answer--I'll write it down this time T_T

Updated se tools; running Mac OS and using Pulsar as a text editor. Attached is pictures of my text editor. 

First is before clean. Second is after
Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.46.39.pngScreenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.45.35.png

And my semanticated poem as a sanity check in case I did something weird there that made everything collapse into each other

<blockquote epub:type="z3998:poem">
<p>
<span>I am dumb, as solemn sorrow ought to be;</span>
<br/>
<span>Could my griefs speak, my tale I'd tell to thee.</span>
</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In another place these lines were written;</p>
<blockquote epub:type="z3998:poem">
<p>
<span>A wife, a mother--sweet endearing ties!</span>
<br/>
<span>Torn from my arms, and heedless of my cries;</span>
<br/>
<span>Here I am doomed to waste my wretched life.</span>
<br/>
<span>No more a mother--a discarded wife.</span>
</p>
</blockquote>

And again, in another place.

<blockquote epub:type="z3998:poem">
<p>
<span>Would you be happy, fly this hated room.</span>
<br/>
<span>For here the lost Victoria meets her doom</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>O sweet oblivion calm my tortur'd mind</span>
<br/>
<span>To grief, to sorrow, to despair consigned.</span>
</p>
<p>
<span>Let gentle sleep my heavy eyelids close.</span>
<br/>
<span>Or friendly death, the cure for all our woes.</span>
<br/>
<span>By one kind stroke, give lasting sure repose.</span>
</p>
</blockquote>

Alex Cabal

unread,
Aug 4, 2026, 7:11:03 PMAug 4
to standar...@googlegroups.com
This happens when you have text outside of a span somewhere, possibly near where the last line break was.

Robin Whittleton

unread,
Aug 5, 2026, 2:46:31 AMAug 5
to standar...@googlegroups.com
You’re missing an opening <p> directly after the first </blockquote>. Add that in and run “se clean .” again and it’ll pop back to what it should be.

-Robin

On 5 Aug 2026, at 00:50, Elizabeth Miller-Boldt <mb.eliz...@gmail.com> wrote:

I just semanticated a poem. I just tried se clean and it "collapsed" everything  into like... two lines (i.e. all the "enter" entries were taken out and now from the title to the poem and then the poem to the end is one big ugly long line)--what did I do wrong? @_@ I may have asked this before...? But I uh... forgot the answer--I'll write it down this time T_T

Updated se tools; running Mac OS and using Pulsar as a text editor. Attached is pictures of my text editor. 

First is before clean. Second is after
<Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.46.39.png><Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.45.35.png>
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/0e736f65-ea1a-47bc-ad33-e36b0ba36d34n%40googlegroups.com.
<Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.46.39.png><Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.45.35.png>

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 5, 2026, 7:54:33 AMAug 5
to Standard Ebooks
Thanks, Robin. Went over that at least twice and still missed it ^_^""" 

Now, on a letter there's a header--ignoring that I'll be changing the titlecase [Editorial, right?] and leaving the uppercase-ing to CSS--is this how I would semanticate it?

<header role="presentation">
<p epub:type="z3998:recipient z3998:sender">“COUNTESS OF WOLFENBACH, TO THE MARCHIONESS</p>
</header>

And then the CSS would be

[epub|type~="z3998:letter"] header{
  text-align: center;
  font-variant: small-caps;
}

as that's the only letter header in the book--the other three do not have headers. 

Do I insert <br/> to keep the spacing the same as the scans, and add a targeted <i> to the salutation?

And the curly brace in the poem... I got a border line to show up but on my browser 

blockquote:nth-of-type(3) p:last-child {
  border-right: 1px solid;
}

it's WAY to the right. Any way to bring that closer or are we just depending on the natural (tight) boundaries / margins on the eReaders? Also if anyone knows how to get an actual curly brace instead of just a line, I'm more than open to suggestions since CSS remains a decently weak area of mine. I read something about psudeo images with a ::before and ::after, but I don't know if that'll work w ereaders or be too fidgety

Weijia Cheng

unread,
Aug 5, 2026, 8:28:11 AMAug 5
to Standard Ebooks
Getting rid of all caps is more of a semantic change, especially if you end up using CSS to replicate the original small caps appearance. The change that you're making is closer to the original than all caps so it is not really editorial in that sense.

You can use this CSS rule.

You can insert breaks into the header.

You should follow the standard salutation formatting.

For the border line, maybe experiment with max-width: fit-content? I am not sure that will help that much but it is worth trying. 

Alex Cabal

unread,
Aug 5, 2026, 12:48:13 PMAug 5
to standar...@googlegroups.com
max-width: fit-content will not have any ereader support unfortunately.

On 8/5/26 7:28 AM, 'Weijia Cheng' via Standard Ebooks wrote:
> Getting rid of all caps is more of a semantic change, especially if you
> end up using CSS to replicate the original small caps appearance. The
> change that you're making is closer to the original than all caps so it
> is not really editorial in that sense.
>
> You can use this <https://standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns#7.2.10.8> CSS rule.
>
> You can insert breaks into the header.
>
> You should follow the standard salutation formatting <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-high-level-structural-patterns#7.7.3.5>.
>
> For the border line, maybe experiment with max-width: fit-content? I am
> not sure that will help that much but it is worth trying.
>
> On Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 7:54:33 AM UTC-4 mb.eliz...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Thanks, Robin. Went over that at least twice and still missed it ^_^"""
>
> Now, on a letter there's a header <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/
> pt?id=uc1.b0000009514&seq=71&q1=%22jaws+of+death%22&start=1>--/
> ignoring/ that I'll be changing the titlecase [Editorial, right?]
> and leaving the uppercase-ing to CSS--is this how I would
> semanticate it?
>
> <header role="presentation">
> <p epub:type="z3998:recipient z3998:sender">“COUNTESS OF WOLFENBACH,
> TO THE MARCHIONESS</p>
> </header>
>
> And then the CSS would be
>
> [epub|type~="z3998:letter"] header{
>   text-align: center;
>   font-variant: small-caps;
> }
>
> as that's the only letter header in the book--the other three do not
> have headers.
>
> Do I insert <br/> to keep the spacing the same as the scans, and add
> a targeted <i> to the salutation?
>
> And the curly brace in the poem... <https://babel.hathitrust.org/
> cgi/pt?id=uc1.b0000009514&seq=46&q1=%22wretched+life%22&start=1> I
> Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 18.46.39.pngScreenshot 2026-08-04
> ebooks06/0606211h.html <https://gutenberg.net.au/
> ebooks06/0606211h.html>> / HT <https://
> > catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776 <http://
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776>> (1854)
> >
> > I've read through the comments of the past
> production that almost got
> > finished. Per past discussion, I'll be keeping
> the Vol I/II split due to
> > no chapters, fixing up all the dialogue, and
> trying to follow all the
> > CSS advice. Additionally, I'll be keeping an eye
> out for italics in the
> > scan since I don't think I saw any on a scroll
> through the transcription...
> >
> > Repo <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the-
> castle-of-wolfenbach <https://github.com/eybmv/
> eliza-parsons_the-castle-of-wolfenbach>>
> >
> > I was treating "A German Story" as a subtitle
> (which would only show up
> > on content.opf since there's no other frontmatter
> [so no halftitlepage]
> > if I remember correctly from /Bambi/), but if you
> think it ought to go
> > in with the title, I can change that.
> >
> > Spirit of War by Cropsey <https://www.nga.gov/
> artworks/56598-spirit-war <https://www.nga.gov/
> artworks/56598-spirit-war>>
> > is still marked down in the ADB as taken by this
> work, so I might as
> > well just keep it--it was a nice find.
> >
> > Screenshot 2026-08-03 at 12.32.13.png
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are
> subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving
> emails from it, send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856-b8a7-
> bcb2b69b4f57n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856- <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> aa24944e-51b8-4856->
> > b8a7-bcb2b69b4f57n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer
> <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0-b76d-999319408e45n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0-
> b76d-999319408e45n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 9, 2026, 2:29:49 PMAug 9
to Standard Ebooks
Do you want me to only to separate run together dialogue or to split things into paragraphs where I think it would make sense too?

Weijia Cheng

unread,
Aug 9, 2026, 7:52:38 PMAug 9
to Standard Ebooks
Can you show an example of where you think it would make sense to split a paragraph? This is very hard to answer without a concrete example to look at. I think you should generally refrain from that unless you think there is a very obvious printer's typo. If you do end up deciding to split a paragraph you should do it in a separate commit from separating the dialogue.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 23, 2026, 4:52:18 PMAug 23
to Standard Ebooks
Parsons seemed real allergic to paragraph breaks... I'll just leave really long paragraphs without a speaker interrupting them alone. But I guess I was more thinking of this sort of situation: where there's narrative context and then someone starts talking.

Screenshot 2026-08-23 at 16.48.11.png
Screenshot 2026-08-23 at 16.43.28.png

Alex Cabal

unread,
Aug 23, 2026, 4:57:25 PMAug 23
to standar...@googlegroups.com
Yes I think doing this was part of the first attempt at this project.
You can review that discussion thread to confirm

On 8/23/26 3:52 PM, Elizabeth Miller-Boldt wrote:
> Parsons seemed real allergic to paragraph breaks... I'll just leave
> really long paragraphs without a speaker interrupting them alone. But I
> guess I was more thinking of this sort of situation: where there's
> narrative context and then someone starts talking.
>
> Screenshot 2026-08-23 at 16.48.11.png
> Screenshot 2026-08-23 at 16.43.28.png
>
> On Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 7:52:38 PM UTC-4 weij...@bu.edu wrote:
>
> Can you show an example of where you think it would make sense to
> split a paragraph? This is very hard to answer without a concrete
> example to look at. I think you should generally refrain from that
> unless you think there is a very obvious printer's typo. If you do
> end up deciding to split a paragraph you should do it in a separate
> commit from separating the dialogue.
>
> On Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 2:29:49 PM UTC-4 mb.eliz...@gmail.com
> wrote:
>
> Do you want me to only to separate run together dialogue or to
> split things into paragraphs where I think it would make sense too?
>
> On Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 12:48:13 PM UTC-4 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> max-width: fit-content will not have any ereader support
> unfortunately.
>
> On 8/5/26 7:28 AM, 'Weijia Cheng' via Standard Ebooks wrote:
> > Getting rid of all caps is more of a semantic change,
> especially if you
> > end up using CSS to replicate the original small caps
> appearance. The
> > change that you're making is closer to the original than
> all caps so it
> > is not really editorial in that sense.
> >
> > You can use this <https://standardebooks.org/
> manual/1.9.0/7-high-level- <https://standardebooks.org/
> manual/1.9.0/7-high-level->
> > structural-patterns#7.2.10.8> CSS rule.
> >
> > You can insert breaks into the header.
> >
> > You should follow the standard salutation formatting
> <https://
> > standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-high-level-structural-
> patterns#7.7.3.5 <http://standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-
> high-level-structural-patterns#7.7.3.5>>.
> >
> > For the border line, maybe experiment with max-width:
> fit-content? I am
> > not sure that will help that much but it is worth trying.
> >
> > On Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 7:54:33 AM UTC-4
> mb.eliz...@gmail.com wrote:
> >
> > Thanks, Robin. Went over that at least twice and still
> missed it ^_^"""
> >
> > Now, on a letter there's a header <https://
> babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/>
> > pt?
> id=uc1.b0000009514&seq=71&q1=%22jaws+of+death%22&start=1>--/
> > ignoring/ that I'll be changing the titlecase [Editorial,
> right?]
> > and leaving the uppercase-ing to CSS--is this how I would
> > semanticate it?
> >
> > <header role="presentation">
> > <p epub:type="z3998:recipient z3998:sender">“COUNTESS OF
> WOLFENBACH,
> > TO THE MARCHIONESS</p>
> > </header>
> >
> > And then the CSS would be
> >
> > [epub|type~="z3998:letter"] header{
> >   text-align: center;
> >   font-variant: small-caps;
> > }
> >
> > as that's the only letter header in the book--the other
> three do not
> > have headers.
> >
> > Do I insert <br/> to keep the spacing the same as the
> scans, and add
> > a targeted <i> to the salutation?
> >
> > And the curly brace in the poem... <https://
> babel.hathitrust.org/ <https://babel.hathitrust.org/>
> > cgi/pt?
> > > PG:A <https://gutenberg.net.au/ <https://
> gutenberg.net.au/>
> > ebooks06/0606211h.html <https://gutenberg.net.au/
> <https://gutenberg.net.au/>
> > ebooks06/0606211h.html>> / HT <https://
> > > catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776 <http://
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776> <http://
> > catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776 <http://
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776>>> (1854)
> > >
> > > I've read through the comments of the past
> > production that almost got
> > > finished. Per past discussion, I'll be keeping
> > the Vol I/II split due to
> > > no chapters, fixing up all the dialogue, and
> > trying to follow all the
> > > CSS advice. Additionally, I'll be keeping an eye
> > out for italics in the
> > > scan since I don't think I saw any on a scroll
> > through the transcription...
> > >
> > > Repo <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the-
> <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the->
> > castle-of-wolfenbach <https://github.com/eybmv/ <https://
> github.com/eybmv/>
> > eliza-parsons_the-castle-of-wolfenbach>>
> > >
> > > I was treating "A German Story" as a subtitle
> > (which would only show up
> > > on content.opf since there's no other frontmatter
> > [so no halftitlepage]
> > > if I remember correctly from /Bambi/), but if you
> > think it ought to go
> > > in with the title, I can change that.
> > >
> > > Spirit of War by Cropsey <https://www.nga.gov/
> <https://www.nga.gov/>
> > artworks/56598-spirit-war <https://www.nga.gov/ <https://
> www.nga.gov/>
> > artworks/56598-spirit-war>>
> > > is still marked down in the ADB as taken by this
> > work, so I might as
> > > well just keep it--it was a nice find.
> > >
> > > Screenshot 2026-08-03 at 12.32.13.png
> > >
> > > --
> > > You received this message because you are
> > subscribed to the Google
> > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving
> > emails from it, send
> > > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > > To view this discussion visit https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <http://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/> <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <http://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/>>
> > > standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856-b8a7-
> > bcb2b69b4f57n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>
> > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856- <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/ <http://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/>
> > aa24944e-51b8-4856->
> > > b8a7-bcb2b69b4f57n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer
> > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to
> the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails
> from it, send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/
> d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0-
> b76d-999319408e45n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0- <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0->
> > b76d-999319408e45n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer
> <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/f28ddb80-968c-42c4-9bf4-276d8049c211n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> f28ddb80-968c-42c4-9bf4-276d8049c211n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 23, 2026, 5:21:53 PMAug 23
to Standard Ebooks
Ah, I guess I understood the dialogue tags to stay/be amended and then for paragraph breaks to be added between back and forth dialouge, but I guess I was unclear of whether this situation was applicable as well--but I can do that if it was part of the first attempt. Just wanted to confirm it wasn't too editorial.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 25, 2026, 4:06:14 PMAug 25
to Standard Ebooks
Two other cases I've run into that I'd like to run by with confirmation:

1) Paragraph breaks where there's a change in scene/subject/character where I'd  think a break would be appropriate, but obviously to each... etc. Break where a reader would think they'd be or just leave them?
Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 16.04.07.png

Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 13.54.56.png

2) Where a new speaker starts talking after context, but it is preceded with punctuation (comma, colon...); would you want me to paragraph break where I think most logical or just keep it within the un-broken paragraph?

Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 13.56.54.png

Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 16.03.32.png

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Aug 27, 2026, 9:04:05 AMAug 27
to Standard Ebooks
Minor quibbles but,

  1. The text uses "no body" twice in a paragraph at the beginning, but everywhere else (at least on the scans--the transcription has errors) it's "nobody"--should I standardize this?
  2. Modernize portmantua into portmanteau? MW says the former is obsolete.
  3. "without friends, a home, or one acquaintance to sooth my sorrows." -- it's like that on the scans too. Printer error? 

Alex Cabal

unread,
Aug 27, 2026, 10:06:45 AMAug 27
to standar...@googlegroups.com
On 8/25/26 3:06 PM, Elizabeth Miller-Boldt wrote:
> Two other cases I've run into that I'd like to run by with confirmation:
>
> 1) Paragraph breaks where there's a change in scene/subject/character
> where /I'd / think a break would be appropriate, but obviously to
> each... etc. Break where a reader would think they'd be or just leave them?
> Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 16.04.07.png
>
> Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 13.54.56.png

Yes, you can put a break between dialog between different speakers

> 2) Where a new speaker starts talking after context, but it is preceded
> with punctuation (comma, colon...); would you want me to paragraph break
> where I think most logical or just keep it within the un-broken paragraph?
>
> Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 13.56.54.png
>
> Screenshot 2026-08-25 at 16.03.32.png

I think that's also fine.

You can basically put a break wherever you think feels natural. Any
breaks would be an improvement over pages and pages of wall of text.

> On Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 5:21:53 PM UTC-4 Elizabeth Miller-Boldt wrote:
>
> Ah, I guess I understood the dialogue tags to stay/be amended and
> then for paragraph breaks to be added between back and forth
> dialouge, but I guess I was unclear of whether this situation was
> applicable as well--but I can do that if it was part of the first
> attempt. Just wanted to confirm it wasn't /too /editorial.
> > > You can use this <https://standardebooks.org/ <https://
> standardebooks.org/>
> > manual/1.9.0/7-high-level- <https://standardebooks.org/
> <https://standardebooks.org/>
> > manual/1.9.0/7-high-level->
> > > structural-patterns#7.2.10.8> CSS rule.
> > >
> > > You can insert breaks into the header.
> > >
> > > You should follow the standard salutation formatting
> > <https://
> > > standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-high-level-structural-
> <http://standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-high-level-structural->
> > patterns#7.7.3.5 <http://standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7-
> <http://standardebooks.org/manual/1.9.0/7->
> > high-level-structural-patterns#7.7.3.5>>.
> > >
> > > For the border line, maybe experiment with max-width:
> > fit-content? I am
> > > not sure that will help that much but it is worth trying.
> > >
> > > On Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 7:54:33 AM UTC-4
> > mb.eliz...@gmail.com wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks, Robin. Went over that at least twice and still
> > missed it ^_^"""
> > >
> > > Now, on a letter there's a header <https://
> > babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ <http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/>
> <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ <https://
> babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/>>
> > > pt?
> > id=uc1.b0000009514&seq=71&q1=%22jaws+of+death%22&start=1>--/
> > > ignoring/ that I'll be changing the titlecase [Editorial,
> > right?]
> > > and leaving the uppercase-ing to CSS--is this how I would
> > > semanticate it?
> > >
> > > <header role="presentation">
> > > <p epub:type="z3998:recipient z3998:sender">“COUNTESS OF
> > WOLFENBACH,
> > > TO THE MARCHIONESS</p>
> > > </header>
> > >
> > > And then the CSS would be
> > >
> > > [epub|type~="z3998:letter"] header{
> > >   text-align: center;
> > >   font-variant: small-caps;
> > > }
> > >
> > > as that's the only letter header in the book--the other
> > three do not
> > > have headers.
> > >
> > > Do I insert <br/> to keep the spacing the same as the
> > scans, and add
> > > a targeted <i> to the salutation?
> > >
> > > And the curly brace in the poem... <https://
> > babel.hathitrust.org/ <http://babel.hathitrust.org/>
> <https://babel.hathitrust.org/ <https://babel.hathitrust.org/>>
> gutenberg.net.au/> <https://
> > gutenberg.net.au/ <http://gutenberg.net.au/>>
> > > ebooks06/0606211h.html <https://gutenberg.net.au/ <https://
> gutenberg.net.au/>
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776>> <http://
> > > catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776 <http://
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776> <http://
> > catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776 <http://
> catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100906776>>>> (1854)
> > > >
> > > > I've read through the comments of the past
> > > production that almost got
> > > > finished. Per past discussion, I'll be keeping
> > > the Vol I/II split due to
> > > > no chapters, fixing up all the dialogue, and
> > > trying to follow all the
> > > > CSS advice. Additionally, I'll be keeping an eye
> > > out for italics in the
> > > > scan since I don't think I saw any on a scroll
> > > through the transcription...
> > > >
> > > > Repo <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the-
> <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the->
> > <https://github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the- <https://
> github.com/eybmv/eliza-parsons_the->>
> > > castle-of-wolfenbach <https://github.com/eybmv/ <https://
> github.com/eybmv/> <https://
> > github.com/eybmv/ <http://github.com/eybmv/>>
> > > eliza-parsons_the-castle-of-wolfenbach>>
> > > >
> > > > I was treating "A German Story" as a subtitle
> > > (which would only show up
> > > > on content.opf since there's no other frontmatter
> > > [so no halftitlepage]
> > > > if I remember correctly from /Bambi/), but if you
> > > think it ought to go
> > > > in with the title, I can change that.
> > > >
> > > > Spirit of War by Cropsey <https://www.nga.gov/ <https://
> www.nga.gov/>
> > <https://www.nga.gov/ <https://www.nga.gov/>>
> > > artworks/56598-spirit-war <https://www.nga.gov/ <https://
> www.nga.gov/> <https://
> > www.nga.gov/ <http://www.nga.gov/>>
> > > artworks/56598-spirit-war>>
> > > > is still marked down in the ADB as taken by this
> > > work, so I might as
> > > > well just keep it--it was a nice find.
> > > >
> > > > Screenshot 2026-08-03 at 12.32.13.png
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > You received this message because you are
> > > subscribed to the Google
> > > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving
> > > emails from it, send
> > > > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > > > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > > > To view this discussion visit https://
> > > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <http://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/> <http://groups.google.com/d/ <http://groups.google.com/d/>
> msgid/> <http://groups.google.com/d/ <http://groups.google.com/d/>
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/> <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <http://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>>
> > > standardebooks/aa24944e-51b8-4856- <https://
> > > groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/ <http://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/> <http://
> > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>?
> > > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer
> > > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>?
> > > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> > >
> > > --
> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to
> > the Google
> > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails
> > from it, send
> > > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/
> <https://groups.google.com/>
> > d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/>>
> > > standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0-
> > b76d-999319408e45n%40googlegroups.com
> > standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0- <https://
> > groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0-
> <http://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/716d1054-7669-4bf0->>
> > > b76d-999319408e45n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer
> > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the
> Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from
> it, send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/
> f28ddb80-968c-42c4-9bf4-276d8049c211n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/ <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/>
> > f28ddb80-968c-42c4-9bf4-276d8049c211n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/57ab0a57-b6da-4096-85f3-25fa2482949an%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/57ab0a57-
> b6da-4096-85f3-25fa2482949an%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

Alex Cabal

unread,
Aug 27, 2026, 10:07:43 AMAug 27
to standar...@googlegroups.com
On 8/27/26 8:04 AM, Elizabeth Miller-Boldt wrote:
> Minor quibbles but,
>
> 1. The text uses "no body" twice in a paragraph at the beginning, but
> everywhere else (at least on the scans--the transcription has
> errors) it's "nobody"--should I standardize this?

Yes

> 2. Modernize portmantua into portmanteau? MW says the former is
> obsolete. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portmantua>

Yes

> 3. "without friends, a home, or one acquaintance to sooth my sorrows."
> -- it's like that on the scans too. Printer error?

You mean should it be `soothe`? Yes but that is probably just old spelling

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Sep 7, 2026, 3:28:03 PMSep 7
to Standard Ebooks
1) Does buz get modernized to buzz?
2) For a lot of back and forth, nested quotes like in this letter, should I separate speakers or no? Right now my code looks like this (since the Marchioness is reading it out loud, there's paragraph quotation and then the quotations inside the letter get single quotes)

Screenshot 2026-09-07 at 15.27.31.png

Weijia Cheng

unread,
Sep 7, 2026, 3:39:40 PMSep 7
to Standard Ebooks
1) Sure, you can do that.
2) You can leave it as it is. This is a common pattern for back and forth nested dialogue.

Alex Cabal

unread,
Sep 8, 2026, 5:30:39 PMSep 8
to standar...@googlegroups.com
On 9/7/26 2:28 PM, Elizabeth Miller-Boldt wrote:
> 1) Does buz <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?
> id=uc1.b0000009514&seq=64&q1=%22buz%22> get modernized to buzz?

Yes

> 2) For a lot of back and forth, nested quotes like in this letter,
> <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?
> id=uc1.b0000009514&seq=72&q1=%22jaws+of+death%22> should I separate
> speakers or no? Right now my code looks like this (since the Marchioness
> is reading it out loud, there's paragraph quotation and then the
> quotations inside the letter get single quotes)

Yes I think that would be more readable. Since it's nested, each new p
will start with “‘

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Sep 11, 2026, 8:03:21 PMSep 11
to Standard Ebooks
Worked my way through Vol I -- could I get some feedback on the <p> splits? I tried to do it to the best of my judgement--and I'd rather know how to fix up Vol 1 now and have things in mind for Vol 2 before possibly making the same mistakes and then having to overhaul everything.

Weijia Cheng

unread,
Sep 12, 2026, 3:48:14 PMSep 12
to Standard Ebooks
I glanced over the changes and things look fine to me.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Sep 23, 2026, 4:51:56 PMSep 23
to Standard Ebooks
Finished the proofread--just going through manually adding breaks, transcription corrections, and italics where needed.

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Sep 29, 2026, 3:50:07 PMSep 29
to Standard Ebooks
I'm throwing lint errors about PG Australia--what do I have wrong / is this how I list the transcription? The URLs look correct to me?

Screenshot 2026-09-29 at 15.46.44.png

Weijia Cheng

unread,
Sep 29, 2026, 4:57:41 PMSep 29
to Standard Ebooks
You are missing the leading "www." in the URL

Elizabeth Miller-Boldt

unread,
Oct 7, 2026, 10:48:58 AMOct 7
to Standard Ebooks
Whoops. Thanks Weija ^-^"""

This is ready for review!

Robin Whittleton

unread,
Oct 7, 2026, 3:04:10 PMOct 7
to standar...@googlegroups.com
OK, on it. Will try to get it back to you in a couple of days.

-Robin

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/7755bcaa-66ac-484a-98e3-9bef7c0e60f8n%40googlegroups.com.

Robin Whittleton

unread,
Oct 8, 2026, 3:57:31 PMOct 8
to standar...@googlegroups.com
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages