Sooo... interesting question... how do you write numbers?

Do you use digits: 26, 27, 1098576
Do you write them out: six, eight, five hundred and twelve
Do you do a mix: I was stuck on there for eight days with only 2 gallons of water.

If the latter, how do you decide which numbers get which style?
If one of the two former, why? Are there rules for this?

Does genre have any play in this?

I use a mix - I was always taught that numbers under one hundred (usually including one hundred) should be written out, and numbers over one hundred can and sometime should be left as digits. (of course, I've probably broken this rule more than a few times... but what are rules in writing for, except breaking? )

I'd go with writing long and complicated numbers as digits but otherwise using words. One million, for instance, is a lot larger than 849,234, but is a lot easier to write out in words.

Mmm... something tells me there's rule about this *can't think of it though*

I normally write out the numbers.... but they get a bit tongue-twisty with larger numbers

I write them out most times, except for dates. Even big numbers, I'll write out in my stories.

I seem to remember the same rule Amanda mentioned. That being said, I write out all the numbers in my novel anyways 'Course, in medieval times there often isn't a need to deal with much more than a million so the numbers don't end up so long.

eru

Ditto to everything you said, eru.

Ages are the big thing, followed by quantities, followed by dates. And then designations... the vehicle designation I'm pretty sure I'm using digits because that's what they are. X12, etc. But what about floors? Level Seven or Level 7?

When it comes to ages I would definitely use digits.

For designations and floors I would probably use digits as well.

I tend to write out my numbers... For no particular reason. Just that, when I'm reading, it confuses me more to see the numbers written in digits than it does to see them written in letters, but that's probably just me.

Honestly, I flip between both. ^^;;

It depends on the situation.

Note to people who use numbers: Many people, when reading (such as Bethy and me), tend to "not pronounce" numbers not written out. This can lead to confusion when we go to try to remember what the amount was.

This also applies to really long unfamiliar words and acronyms.

I think that's what I do. I had never really thought about before, though. But now that I do, it seriously annoys me in books if they say "The 3 men sat down" when it should be, "The three men sat down." But for for floors and gates and such, digits for sure.