In your fiction, there might not be much call for ‘etc.’ But on occasion – depending on the tone, setting, context, etc. (see what I did there) – you might have a character who says it in dialogue.
That’s certainly been the case for a couple of the writers I’ve edited this year.
The word itself has been entirely appropriate – the styling, however, wasn’t.
When we say this phrase – because it really is a phrase (or should be), not just a single word – we don’t say the shortened version. We say it in full.
And the full version is et cetera – two words, with a space between them.
Don’t allow ‘etc.’ to creep into your dialogue. But if the phrase fits your character’s voice or the situation, style it properly as et cetera.
A small detail, yes, but one of those tiny touches that can make your writing feel more authentic – helping keep readers immersed without tripping over awkward shorthand.
CherryEdits 