R&S Example page/Initials normalization

Just how strong is the rule on normalizing initials in author names? See User talk:Bluesman#Strange New Worlds IV. Bluesman says that "TG Theodore" was so captioned in each of three anthologies in the same series, while other authors had initials treated normally. The author has no other indexed work here. Should this be an exception to normalization rules? -DES ^Talk 00:11, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

TG Theodore is really Steven H Silver in disguise. Don't get him angry! Seriously, looking at the records for the three stories in the db, all are in verified publications, so I say record them as they're published, even if they have no period or space. MHHutchins 02:46, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Apparently the author's choice.--swfritter 12:57, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

OK. We might want to record the "author's choice" rule in the help somewhere. -DES ^Talk 14:32, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Agreed. I'd be inclined to call for a note in the pub as well, when a format like this is nonstandard. -- Dave (davecat) 15:30, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Help corrected here and here. i trust this is acceptable to all? -DES ^Talk 16:13, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

It is quite often a publisher/editor, rather than author, peculiarity to not use periods, especially in certain magazines. Particularly confusing is this issue where EM Sky has a web presence as EM Sky but KV Johansen has a web presence as K. V. Johansen. Best sources are author website and perhaps wikipedia. And it is Harry S. Truman. The S. stands for his middle name S; he actually used the period when he signed his name. And why doesn't Superman have a period after the S on his uniform?--swfritter 17:09, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

If "Harry S" is a bad example, lets find a better one. Any suggestions? -DES ^Talk 20:12, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Perhaps a well known s-f name who has actually been credited with and without periods.--swfritter 20:48, 29 July 2009 (UTC)