When writing distance measurements in a novel, is it proper to use words (twenty-five miles) or numerals (25 miles)?

Hi Marcia

Policies and philosophies vary from medium to medium. America's two most influential style and usage guides have different approaches:

The Associated Press Stylebook recommends spelling out the numbers from zero to nine and using numerals thereafter until one million is reached when it varies:

One/two/three/four/five/six/seven/eight/nine miles
25 miles /4,000 miles /999,999 miles.
twenty million miles
20,040,086 miles
1 million miles, 20 million miles, 2.7 trillion miles


The Chicago Manual of Style recommends spelling out the numbers from zero to one hundred and using figures thereafter, except for whole numbers used in combination with hundred, thousand, hundred thousand, million, billion, and beyond:

Twenty-five miles / four thousand miles / one million miles.
101 miles / 8,012 miles / 20,040,086 miles.

So the two leading style guides treat your example differently!

You want my opinion? Follow the CMOS and spell it out: "twenty-five mile".

PAulM