One thing that surprised me when I became an editor is how much time I spend looking up hyphenation rules and compound words for the sake of clarity. It’s all about making sure the reader knows what you mean.
Think about the difference between “the most-skilled workers” and “the most skilled workers.” Subtle, right? But it can make or break a sentence.
Resources for Guidelines on Hyphens and Compound Words
The two most important resources to use to make sure you’re using hyphens and compound words in a way that makes sense are the hyphenation guide in The Chicago Manual of Style (section 7.96) and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (the free online version).
First, try looking up the word or term in the dictionary. You might be surprised by what you find. Did you know that seat belt is two words? I didn’t, until I looked it up.
Check CMOS for guidance if the term isn’t in the dictionary. For example, an adverb plus a participle or adjective is hyphenated before, but not after, a noun (a well-read child vs. a child who is well read). But if the adverb ends in –ly, it is not hyphenated at all (mildly amusing show).
The pages of my hyphenation guide are dog-eared, just like any good copy editor’s (or copyeditor, depending on which style guide or dictionary you are using). Editing is a valuable investment if you want consistency and clarity, instead of distractions, in your story.