[First Project] The Wouldbegoods, by E. Nesbit
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Nicolai Plenk
Apr 9, 2026, 8:25:03 PMApr 9
to Standard Ebooks
Hi,
I've long enjoyed Standard Ebooks and would like to produce The Wouldbegoods by E. Nesbit, which is not on the list of wanted books, but I thought it'd be nice to finish that entire collection.
Text source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/794
I don't have a scanned book, but I do have a printed version handy.
Cheers,
Nicolai
Alex Cabal
Apr 9, 2026, 9:49:08 PMApr 9
to standar...@googlegroups.com
Great, that one would be a good start.
You can use these page scans:
https://archive.org/details/wouldbegoods00nesbgoog
Please don't use your print book because we cannot verify if it matches
the transcription.
This book is in British-style quotation, so you'll have to run `se
british2american` and it will make a lot of mistakes. You'll have to
carefully proofread the direction and nesting of quotation marks.
PG stripped a lot of formatting, so you'll have to convert all caps to
italics, and eyeball page scans to restore any missing formatting. I see
some letters are also missing formatting like the block starting with
"We are very, very sorry about the turnips and things,..."
Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
and typography sections:
https://standardebooks.org/manual
https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics
https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-patterns
https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography
The step by step guide will take you from start to finish. Please follow
it exactly:
https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-step
This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks
Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
whatever problem you've encountered.
When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.
Have fun! :)
On 4/9/26 4:13 PM, Nicolai Plenk wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've long enjoyed Standard Ebooks and would like to produce /The
> Wouldbegoods/ by E. Nesbit, which is not on the list of wanted books,
> 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/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b-bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b-
> bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
You can use these page scans:
https://archive.org/details/wouldbegoods00nesbgoog
Please don't use your print book because we cannot verify if it matches
the transcription.
This book is in British-style quotation, so you'll have to run `se
british2american` and it will make a lot of mistakes. You'll have to
carefully proofread the direction and nesting of quotation marks.
PG stripped a lot of formatting, so you'll have to convert all caps to
italics, and eyeball page scans to restore any missing formatting. I see
some letters are also missing formatting like the block starting with
"We are very, very sorry about the turnips and things,..."
Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
and typography sections:
https://standardebooks.org/manual
https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics
https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-patterns
https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography
The step by step guide will take you from start to finish. Please follow
it exactly:
https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-step
This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks
Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
whatever problem you've encountered.
When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.
Have fun! :)
On 4/9/26 4:13 PM, Nicolai Plenk wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Wouldbegoods/ by E. Nesbit, which is not on the list of wanted books,
> but I thought it'd be nice to finish that entire collection.
>
> Text source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/794
>
> I don't have a scanned book, but I do have a printed version handy.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nicolai
>
> --
>
> Text source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/794
>
> I don't have a scanned book, but I do have a printed version handy.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nicolai
>
> 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/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b-bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b-
> bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
Nicolai Plenk
Apr 12, 2026, 9:41:05 AMApr 12
to Standard Ebooks
Great, thank you!
I do actually have some questions:
1) There are some footnotes that refer to each other (in note b see note c and so forth)—do I link those in the endnotes as well?
2) Regarding punctuation: per the manual, the punctuation should be inside the quotations marks—I have a lot of things like "and said 'yes', 'no', and 'I can't tell'" or "No one but that kind of
black beady tight lady would say ‘little boys’.". Moving that inside looks bizarre to me—should I do that or not?
3) How do I go about adding grave inscriptions?
4) In the first chapter, there is a PS, a NB, and an appendix—how do I add those? There is a class for postscripts in letters, but it's not exactly a letter.
5) The first chapter begins with a quotation, but doesn't have an opening mark—do I add that?
Cheers,
Nicolai
Emma Sweeney
Apr 13, 2026, 1:51:26 AMApr 13
to Standard Ebooks
1. You'll need to add links to the referenced notes. This may require renumbering the note references to match the note numbers. If so, mark these changes as [Editorial].
2. Follow the manual. `se lint .` should also help you find instances where the punctuation needs be moved inside the quotes.
3. You can put them in <blockquote> elements. You may need some custom CSS. You'll need to send a link to an example in the page scans for your manager.
4. It looks like these go in a <footer> element. Mark P.S. and N.B. as abbreviations. You can use the postscript semantic. Use an <i> element for Appendix.
5. Yes. You'll also need to commit it as an [Editorial] commit.
Emma
Alex Cabal
Apr 13, 2026, 1:41:11 PMApr 13
to standar...@googlegroups.com
Please send a link to your repo so we can start the project and assign
you a manager, who will be able to answer all of your questions. Thanks!
On 4/12/26 8:41 AM, Nicolai Plenk wrote:
> Great, thank you!
>
> I do actually have some questions:
>
> 1) There are some footnotes that refer to each other (in note b see note
> c and so forth)—do I link those in the endnotes as well?
>
> 2) Regarding punctuation: per the manual, the punctuation should be
> inside the quotations marks—I have a lot of things like "and said 'yes',
> 'no', and 'I can't tell'" or "No one but that kind of black beady tight
> lady would say ‘little boys’.". Moving that inside looks bizarre to me—
> should I do that or not?
>
> 3) How do I go about adding grave inscriptions?
>
> 4) In the first chapter, there is a PS, a NB, and an appendix—how do I
> add those? There is a class for postscripts in letters, but it's not
> exactly a letter.
>
> 5) The first chapter begins with a quotation, but doesn't have an
> opening mark—do I add that?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nicolai
>
> On Friday, 10 April 2026 at 03:49:08 UTC+2 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Great, that one would be a good start.
>
> You can use these page scans:
> https://archive.org/details/wouldbegoods00nesbgoog <https://
> archive.org/details/wouldbegoods00nesbgoog>
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-
> patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>
> by-step>
> contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks>
> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/794>
> > standardebooks/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b-
> bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b- <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b->
> > bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/03a96a22-c301-4603-
> a71f-7742757b6498n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
you a manager, who will be able to answer all of your questions. Thanks!
On 4/12/26 8:41 AM, Nicolai Plenk wrote:
> Great, thank you!
>
> I do actually have some questions:
>
> 1) There are some footnotes that refer to each other (in note b see note
> c and so forth)—do I link those in the endnotes as well?
>
> 2) Regarding punctuation: per the manual, the punctuation should be
> inside the quotations marks—I have a lot of things like "and said 'yes',
> 'no', and 'I can't tell'" or "No one but that kind of black beady tight
> lady would say ‘little boys’.". Moving that inside looks bizarre to me—
> should I do that or not?
>
> 3) How do I go about adding grave inscriptions?
>
> 4) In the first chapter, there is a PS, a NB, and an appendix—how do I
> add those? There is a class for postscripts in letters, but it's not
> exactly a letter.
>
> 5) The first chapter begins with a quotation, but doesn't have an
> opening mark—do I add that?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nicolai
>
> On Friday, 10 April 2026 at 03:49:08 UTC+2 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Great, that one would be a good start.
>
> You can use these page scans:
> archive.org/details/wouldbegoods00nesbgoog>
>
> Please don't use your print book because we cannot verify if it matches
> the transcription.
>
> This book is in British-style quotation, so you'll have to run `se
> british2american` and it will make a lot of mistakes. You'll have to
> carefully proofread the direction and nesting of quotation marks.
>
> PG stripped a lot of formatting, so you'll have to convert all caps to
> italics, and eyeball page scans to restore any missing formatting. I
> see
> some letters are also missing formatting like the block starting with
> "We are very, very sorry about the turnips and things,..."
>
> Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
> as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
> particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
> and typography sections:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://standardebooks.org/manual>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> Please don't use your print book because we cannot verify if it matches
> the transcription.
>
> This book is in British-style quotation, so you'll have to run `se
> british2american` and it will make a lot of mistakes. You'll have to
> carefully proofread the direction and nesting of quotation marks.
>
> PG stripped a lot of formatting, so you'll have to convert all caps to
> italics, and eyeball page scans to restore any missing formatting. I
> see
> some letters are also missing formatting like the block starting with
> "We are very, very sorry about the turnips and things,..."
>
> Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
> as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
> particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
> and typography sections:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://standardebooks.org/manual>
>
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-
> patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>
>
> The step by step guide will take you from start to finish. Please
> follow
> it exactly:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-
> step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-
> The step by step guide will take you from start to finish. Please
> follow
> it exactly:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-
> by-step>
>
> This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-
> working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://standardebooks.org/
> This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-
> contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks>
>
> Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
> well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
> whatever problem you've encountered.
>
> When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
> that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.
>
> Have fun! :)
>
>
> On 4/9/26 4:13 PM, Nicolai Plenk wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I've long enjoyed Standard Ebooks and would like to produce /The
> > Wouldbegoods/ by E. Nesbit, which is not on the list of wanted
> books,
> > but I thought it'd be nice to finish that entire collection.
> >
> > Text source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/794 <https://
> Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
> well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
> whatever problem you've encountered.
>
> When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
> that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.
>
> Have fun! :)
>
>
> On 4/9/26 4:13 PM, Nicolai Plenk wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I've long enjoyed Standard Ebooks and would like to produce /The
> > Wouldbegoods/ by E. Nesbit, which is not on the list of wanted
> books,
> > but I thought it'd be nice to finish that entire collection.
> >
> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/794>
> >
> > I don't have a scanned book, but I do have a printed version handy.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Nicolai
> >
> > --
> > 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/>
> > I don't have a scanned book, but I do have a printed version handy.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Nicolai
> >
> > --
> > 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/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b-
> bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b- <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/e2ed8a23-0ff8-468b->
> > bc1e-7aca2861aef2n%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/03a96a22-c301-4603-a71f-7742757b6498n%40googlegroups.com
> --
> 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/03a96a22-c301-4603-
> a71f-7742757b6498n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
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