When it is asked that submissions have 1" margins, what does this actually mean?
When I print out there's about 1" all around between text and the paper edge.
But is it required that a further 1" is required around the text, rendering a 2" distance between text and edge - ie, an extra 1" on top of the printer formatting?
posted
GO to your page set up and set page margins at 1 inch. This will do it. And what they mean is a 1 inch margin all the way around. Also, just a note--make sure all pages have the bottom margin the same, turn off the "keep it together" stuff.
quote:make sure all pages have the bottom margin the same, turn off the "keep it together" stuff.
Are you sure, Shawn? I thought widow-orphan control was a must.
Then again, according to "Writer's Market 2002": "Of course, there are no 'rules' about what a manuscript must look like. These are just guidelines...."
posted
go to file, from the list look for page setup. Thats where you can set up the margins. Remember to turn off widow and orphan protect, thats under format and underline and page breaks. Otherwise you get an uneaven bottom edge.
posted
yes I am sure! A friend had her manuscript rejected because she did not turn it off. Publishers use a formula to figure word count, they would have to do each page seperate to figure it out if the bottom were not the same. I am also finding more and more that want Courier New font. Why? because Times New Roman is not an even font. In other words Courier takes up the same space for each letter.
posted
Excellent on the courier. Wondered about font, and figured Times New Roman. Want to make this as smooth as possible, because I'm going to be soliciting direct to named editors next week.
posted
Give DAW a try. go to their web site, they even state long works are not a problem. If you can't find it I can give you the editors name and addy. Hope you have your query together--it is your calling card.
Good Luck!
One thing about DAW, they prefer the entire manuscript, don't need agent representation to submit--that way if your query and synop suck, you have your writing to speak for you. (No I am not saying your query will suck---just saying that it may be easier to sub to them than some others.)
posted
Brian, if you already have 1" margins when you print it out, that's all you need.
Isn't there a row of numbers (with little lines between them) above the "sheet of paper" when you're using Word?
Part of the row is darkened on each side, and there is an arrow at the dividing point between the darkened part and the white part?
If you click and drag the arrow away from the center, it will make your margin smaller. If you click and drag it toward the center, it will make your margins larger.
The default setting for those margins in Word is one inch.
I've considered submitting to the US before, but the postage issue seems to complicate things a litte - ie, US stamps only, no IPCs.
I'll probably be better simply submitting to major publishers in the UK - HarperCollins's Voyager imprint, Orbit [think Tor in the UK], plus a couple of others. I'll keep the numbers low - 3 or 4.
I'm not using "Chronicles of Empire" yet - I'll be submitting "Emperor", the first chapter of which has been critiqued and edited. Hopefully I've removed the errors that lead to 90% or manuscripts being rejected [according to SFWA].
The query letter will be a simple, and on the lines of - "My name is Brian Turner. Please find enclosed the first chapter of my science-fiction novel, "Emperor". The full manuscript is available upon request. Return postage is enclosed. Yours sincerely..."
I wrote to a number of authors a while back. It was David Gemmell who replied and suggested going straight for named editors, as well as only contacting agents to negotiate if a contract is offered. He also recommended the above approach. So I'll try that first
posted
Thanks as well, Kathleen. I'm still uncertain on the 24/72 pt issue, but if I already have the 1" margine then I'll play safe and keep to default. Posts: 286 | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
You may want to consider the two-page query. It is cheap to send and get back. Also, on your sample chapter, consider using a biz sized return envl. and ask them to recycle your sample material.
I have found that the 1 or 2 page query gets a fast response.
You stamp the SASE so can get your own postage. Do you have a friend in the US military? If you are close to a US installation, they can get US postage for you. There are several agents that handle international as well. PMP has several listed.
On DAW, I just received a please send complete ms for consideration from them. I sent the two-page query about 3 weeks ago.
<sigh> I am now waiting on 3 agents and will be sending the complete to DAW on Monday. (Have to print it out in Courier)
How should thoughts be indicated in a mss? I understood you could do one of the following:
use quotation marks with he thought, she thought
omit quotation marks with he thought, she thought
italicize
However, I just read somewhere--I'm sorry, I've been reading so much, I forgot where--that in the submitted mss you indicate thoughts by underlining them if you want them italicized. Is this true? Seems publishers would have word processing programs at least as sophisticated as Word and you would italicize if you want thoughts italicized.
[This message has been edited by Kolona (edited July 21, 2002).]
posted
Here’s at least one place that says that about italics. It’s a wavy line underneath for boldface:
MS Preparation by Chuck Rothman (care of our friends at SFWA). They have some other articles posted about manuscript formating as well.
I believe I read (actually this article says so) it has to do with getting it typeset – it’s easier to see the underline or wavy line, so less likely to make a mistake on getting the font change put into print.
I think using “” for thoughts runs the risk of confusing it with speech. Technically correct, but seems like might be asking for trouble.
[This message has been edited by GZ (edited July 21, 2002).]
posted
It used to be that authors needed to distinguish their characters' thoughts in the text of a story, but the way most stories are written now, that isn't really necessary.
Consider--if you are telling the story from Our Hero's point of view, who else is going to be thinking the thoughts?
The only time you really need to distinguish who is thinking is when you've got characters communicating telepathically. (Or if you're writing in full omniscient, of course.)
Don't worry about italics or quote marks or whatever. Just go ahead and express the thoughts. They belong to whomever is the POV character at the time.
posted
Just as a general note for all folks using Word. Word's default margins are NOT 1" right and left but 1.25". You can change this default by going to File, Page Setup and changing the margins and then hitting the "default" button.
CofE If your copy of word is giving you measurements in points you can change these to inches (or millimeters, or picas, whatever) by going into the Tools, Options menu and selecting the General tab and changing the measurement setting.
Just thought it might help.
Dave (Professional Word expert and sometime writer)
posted
I read an article that someone posted here on manuscript form, that was actually really good. The author (who's name escapes me, but I want to say Vonda McIntyre) said that in manuscript form the margins should be 1 to 1.5 in all the way around. I guess it's just personally preference but I think 1.5 in margins look kinda swanky.
JOHN!
I went back and found that link and it's fairly obvious as most of the posters here are more internet savy than myself, but the article I mentioned for any interested or doesn't already know better is as follows...
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