Manuscript Format
As a writer with ADD, I sometimes find it difficult to follow all of the directions that are given by magazines and other markets for submitting works. As an editor, I find it SO much easier to work on pieces where the author has followed instructions. As such, I want to make sure that everyone is aware that we have new submission guidelines for every kind of work, and our own manuscript format requirements.
I don’t plan to delete any works that are in Courier instead of Cambria (although I really dislike Courier…just a heads up. ;) ) or if you put your email address above your phone number, but THE MOST IMPORTANT formatting things for me are below:
- 12 point font. My glasses prescription is pretty weak, and I’d definitely like to keep it that way. :) Glasses are expensive.
- Put your word count in the top right corner of the first page (more for stories and non fiction than poems). I’m a REALLY fast reader but I still want to have an idea of how long the story is before I start.
- Put “SUB: Lastname, Title” as the subject of the email. I filter my email when I’m working on submissions and I’ve lost works that have been incorrectly labeled, only finding them months later.
- Submit each piece separately in a different file (applies more to poems). If I receive multiple works in a single file, it makes the paperwork a nightmare. I have ADD. Please don’t make my paperwork a nightmare.
I hope these aren’t too intimidating for anyone! Thanks to everyone who has submitted and continues to submit. I’m constantly amazed by the quality of work that I receive.