If you’ve ever wondered whether short story titles should be italicized, you’re not alone. The answer depends on the style guide you’re following, but in most modern writing, short story titles are placed in quotation marks rather than italicized.
That rule is part of a broader convention for shorter works: books are usually italicized, while shorter pieces like stories, poems, articles, and chapters are usually enclosed in quotation marks.
Are short stories italicized?
No—short story titles are generally not italicized. In standard academic and editorial style, short story titles are usually placed in quotation marks, while the title of a book, collection, or anthology is italicized. If you are writing in a specific style guide, always follow that guide’s rules first.
Why short stories are usually in quotation marks
Short stories are considered shorter standalone works, so they are treated like poems, essays, and articles rather than full-length books. Quotation marks help signal that the title belongs to a smaller work that appears within a larger publication or can be read independently.
The basic rule in everyday usage
- Short story title: “The Lottery”
- Book or collection title: The Lottery and Other Stories
- Anthology title: The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction
This distinction makes it easier for readers to tell whether you are referring to the story itself or the larger book that contains it.
When to italicize a short story title
There are a few situations where italics may appear near a short story title, but not because the story title itself is being italicized. Usually, italics are used for the title of the larger work, not the story.
Common examples
- In a collection: “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” in A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories
- In a magazine or journal: “Cathedral” in The New Yorker
- In a bibliography or citation: formatting may vary by style guide, but the short story title is still usually in quotation marks
So if you see italics nearby, check whether they belong to the book, magazine, or anthology rather than to the story title itself.
Style guide differences to know
Different style guides handle titles in slightly different ways, especially in citations and reference lists. The most common rule across major systems is still consistent: short story titles are not italicized.
MLA style
In MLA style, short story titles are placed in quotation marks. Italics are reserved for longer works such as books, journals, and websites.
APA style
APA also uses quotation marks for short story titles when they appear in the body of your writing or in references to shorter works. Italics are used for larger works.
Chicago style
Chicago style follows the same general principle: short works like stories are quoted, while books and collections are italicized.
If you are writing for school, a journal, or a publisher, the safest move is to check the style guide you’ve been assigned rather than relying on general memory.
Short story titles vs. book titles
One of the easiest ways to remember the rule is to think about length and completeness. A short story is a component or brief work, while a book is a full-length publication.
Use quotation marks for
- Short stories
- Poems
- Essays
- Articles
- Chapters
- Episodes of TV shows
Use italics for
- Books
- Collections and anthologies
- Magazines and journals
- Newspapers
- Films
- Plays in some style systems
These conventions help create consistency across literary writing, essays, and citations.
What about short story collections?
Short story collections are italicized because they are book-length works. The individual stories inside them are still placed in quotation marks.
Example structure
If you write about a collection, you might format it like this: Tenth of December contains stories such as “Victory Lap” and “Home.”
That formatting clearly separates the container from the contents.
How to format short story titles in your writing
If you’re writing an essay, blog post, or book review, consistency matters more than memorizing every exception. Choose the correct style for the type of work and use it throughout your piece.
- Identify whether the work is a short story or a book-length collection.
- Put the short story title in quotation marks.
- Italicize the title of the collection, magazine, or anthology it appears in.
- Keep punctuation consistent with your style guide.
A sentence like this is correct: I read “The Yellow Wallpaper” in The New England Magazine. The story title is quoted, and the magazine title is italicized.
Common mistakes writers make
Because title formatting can be confusing, a few errors show up often. The good news is that they are easy to avoid once you know the pattern.
Frequent errors
- Italicizing the short story title itself when quotation marks are needed
- Using quotation marks for a book title instead of italics
- Mixing styles within the same essay or article
- Forgetting the larger container title when discussing a story in a collection
When in doubt, ask: Is this a shorter work, or is it a full publication? That question usually gives you the right formatting choice.
Why this rule matters in literary writing
Title formatting may seem minor, but it helps readers navigate texts quickly and accurately. In literary discussion, clear formatting distinguishes a story from its collection, a poem from a book of poems, or an article from the journal that published it.
That clarity is especially useful in essays, reading lists, book reviews, and classroom writing, where readers need to identify works at a glance.
Quick answer: Are short stories italicized?
Usually, no. Short story titles are generally placed in quotation marks, while the book, magazine, or anthology containing the story is italicized. If a specific style guide says otherwise, follow that guide’s rules.
If you’re also sorting out other title-formatting questions, you may find it helpful to read more about whether poems have to rhyme and whether poem titles should be italicized.