The Nuts and Bolts of Submissions

Follow the guidelines of the publication you are submitting to. However, following are some general tips.

Paper

Use white paper - nothing fancy. Some handbooks recommend using bond for letters or recycled paper for environmentally aware publishers. Do so if you have the time and money to purchase and keep separate supplies of paper, but I feel it's what you've written that's important and not what it's written on. 

Type size 

Although writers' handbooks say use 10 or 12 point type, I prefer 12, as I think 10 is a bit small. Double space, except for your name, address, etc.

Printers

Inkjet or laser printers are best for submissions. However, if dot matrix is all you have and if what you've written is good, it shouldn't make too much difference as to whether your work is accepted or not.

Margins

1" to 1½" is acceptable - automatic with most Word documents.

Collating

Your cover letter should be separate. Use paper clips for the piece you're sending in, except with book manuscripts, where you should submit loose-leaf. You can buy special manuscript boxes in which to ship your book to the publisher. Staple clips together.

Short stories

Most handbooks advise: "Submit the complete manuscript without a cover letter." There's usually no need to query with a short story, but personally, I still think it's courteous to attach a brief cover letter.

Double space and indent paragraphs 5 spaces. Print on one side of the paper only.

On the first page, type your name, address and telephone number in single spacing (plus email address if you have one) in the top left hand corner. In the top right hand corner put the approximate number of words (rounded off), the rights offered and your copyright statement, e.g. Copyright 2008 Fay Knowles. Do not number the first page.

About a third of the way down the page, type the title of your story (centered), skip a line and type "by" with your name (byline).

Skip four lines (two double spaces) and start typing your story.

On succeeding pages, some handbooks advise that you should type your name and page number (e.g. Knowles-2) in the top left; others say type your name and a brief indication of the title to the left and the page number to the far right (Knowles-Soup 2). I personally don't think it makes too much difference, as long as it's neat, clean and clear.

Articles

Basically, the same procedures as above. Follow writers' guidelines for individual publications.

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