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This month Lesley Cryer gives a realistic account of a writer's lot, Ten Top Tips covers how to present the perfect manuscript, plus student success stories, useful websites, a fantastic competition and inspiration for articles.
TOP TIPS...
Ten top tips on presenting a perfect manuscript.
Good presentation can’t replace talent and good writing but the appearance of your work can make an editor give it more attentive consideration. Whereas a badly typed, poorly presented article may receive only cursory consideration, good presentation can definitely help you to sell your work.
1. Use good quality A4 white paper (not coloured). 80g is ideal.
2. Use a plain font like Times New Roman, which is professional, easy to read and preferred by many editors. Avoid fonts like Courier (which looks old fashioned) and most sans-serif fonts because they can be more difficult to read. Never us fancy, cursive fonts – nothing is more off-putting for an editor. A font size of 12 is usually about right as it is neither too big nor too small.
3. Manuscripts must be typed or word processed for submission to editors. They will not accept hand-written manuscripts. Alternatively, send work by email if the guidelines say that this is acceptable. Most publications will accept work by email but check whether the editor wants work pasted into the body of the email or as an attachment.
4. Always use double line spacing and leave decent margins (usually an inch and a half – certainly not less than an inch) at the top, bottom and both sides of the page. You should still use double spacing when you send work to a print-based magazine by email. But if you are submitting to an ezine for publication on the web you can use single spacing.
5. If you chose to indent your work, leave between 5 and 10 spaces at the start of the first line of each new paragraph. There is no need to use additional blank lines between paragraphs. If you do not indent, and use block layout, then you should leave an extra line between paragraphs.
6. At the top left hand corner of the first sheet give your name, address, telephone number, email address and the date. At the top right give your work a single word ‘catchline’ based on what the story is about. For example, an angling story could have the catchline Hooked. The first page would be Hooked 1 and subsequent pages Hooked 2, Hooked 3, and so on. This helps to identify your work if the pages become separated. Then, type the title of your article and your byline (name or pseudonym) in a central position across the page about a third of the way down. Then start to type your article.
7. Always put mf or more follows at the bottom of each page. On the final page type end or endit to show that it is finished. Make sure you number each page. Again, these measures should stop pages of your work going astray in the editorial office.
8. If you are sending your work by post always attach a cover sheet. This looks professional and prevents the front page of your manuscript from getting grubby. The cover sheet should have all your contact details on it, the date and what rights you are offering. In the centre of the page you should give the title of the article, the word length of your manuscript and your name. Remember, it is essential that you give the word length.
9. There is no excuse for obvious corrections on your manuscript. Check your work carefully before you send it out to ensure that you have eliminated any typing, spelling or punctuation errors.
10. Finally, when sending work by post always include a sae - stamped, (self) addressed envelope – so that the editor can return it to you if they do not wish to use it. Obviously, if you send work by email you save on this expense.
