Proper Formats Only?

Stiger05 · Jun 10, 2011

I'm submitting a story to a contest for the first time. The rules say "Proper Formats only. Improperly formatted manuscripts will be disqualified."

It goes on to state manuscripts should have one inch margins, 12pt font, Times New Roman, double spaced, and instructions as to where to place the genre, word count, headers, etc.

Do you think that's what they mean by "proper format" or is there something else that is understood to do? Like remove indents, hard tabs (I think that's what its called), etc? Being new to all this, I don't know if there is a standard that most people expect.

Thanks for any input!

Bartholomew · Jun 10, 2011

I'd honestly interpret "formats" as "file extensions," but without seeing the entire guidelines, I can't be sure.

Stiger05 · Jun 10, 2011

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Here are the instructions copied and pasted from the website:
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]FORMATS
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]• Proper Formats Only Improperly formatted manuscripts will be disqualified[/FONT]
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• [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Acceptable Fonts 12-point font, Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier only[/FONT]
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• All Manuscript Pages Must include d[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ouble spacing and one inch margins (sides and bottom) Must be void of your name, any identifying information, or[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] contact information [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Must include a header with title and page number [/FONT]
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• Manuscript’s First Page C[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ontest genre (category) and word count in upper right corner T[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ext should start at least 3 inches from the top of the page[/FONT]
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• [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Chapters [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Begin new chapters on a new page [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Include consecutive, complete, first chapters (i.e., chapters 1, 2, and 3) Maximum length accepted is 10 pages; include complete chapters only. No partial chapters.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]• Co-Authored Manuscripts Both authors must submit a statement that the manuscript has been submitted with the
knowledge and[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] permission of each author. Also, only one prize is awarded for each winning entry; state who will be [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]accepting the prize should the entry be named a winner. Both authors must be current Southern Breezers.[/FONT]
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• [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cover Sheet Must include separate cover sheet with your name, contact information, title of work, and
contest category. This is not counted in the 10 page limit.[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]• Notification To receive your entry's scoring sheet with judge’s comments, and notification of the list of
winners, a #10 envelope with a first class[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] postage stamp must be included with your entry. All manuscripts will be recycled.[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]• Original/Undiscovered Entries are not required to be exclusive submissions, however, entries are required to be original, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]unpublished, and un-contracted [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]manuscripts. Should an entry become acquired after[/FONT] contest opens for submissions, and before contest winners are announced, that submission[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] becomes disqualified. This allows another deserving Breezer a chance for recognition. After all, receiving a contract typically trumps winning a contest! [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]• Secure Pages Group all pages together with a gem clip rather than leaving them loose, or stapling, etc. [/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]• 2 Separate Contests [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Each member may submit one manuscript to the Writing Contest and one piece of art to the
Illustration Contest at the same time -- our [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] writing and illustrating contests are two separate
contests. (Do not send, dummies, illustrations or photos to the Writing Contest, nor
manuscripts or dummies to the Illustration Contest.) [/FONT]
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• Due Date All entrees must be received by midnight of the due date, regardless of the postmarked date[/FONT]
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• Awards Ceremony Participants do not have to be present [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]at the WIK conference to win, but it's much more fun if
they are! Notifications will be mailed after the conference provided a SASE has been enclosed with entry.
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Bartholomew · Jun 11, 2011

Ok, they definitely don't mean file formats.

I'm 90% sure they mean that anything not formatted the way they list below will be rejected.

Don't let a minor point of confusion in the submission guidelines prevent you from submitting at all. =)

Stiger05 · Jun 11, 2011

Thanks so much! I read another post about specific formatting and got scared there was some unwritten rule about formatting a manuscript. I appreciate the input!

areteus · Jun 12, 2011

Yep. Most publishers will list both a required manuscript format and a file format. Usually if they are referring to file format they will say something like 'electronic submissions in .rtf or .doc formats only, no .docx'. It is generally good practise even if this is not stated to send only in .rtf as that is a more universal format that .doc and far far more universal than that annoyance that is .docx (unless you have a recent version of word in which case you may not ever notice...)

With regards to manuscript format (manuscript is such an old fashioned word... technically it should be typescript but even that is outdated now...) if they don't mention a format it is still good practise to use one of the standard forms which are designed to not only make the manuscript easy to read (large, clear fonts) and edit in paper format (double line spacing so you can annotate in between lines easier) but also allow easy and quick word counts. The one I generally use, for example, which is 12 point courier, double line spaced (can't remember the margins) is designed so that an editor can assume approx 250 words per page and so can get a rough estimate of word count by counting the number of pages and multiplying by 250.

James D. Macdonald · Jun 15, 2011

A brief note about filenames: If you're sending a file, don't call it My_story.rtf. Use a filename that's more like the running head on your manuscript: A keyword from the title and your last name. Thus, for Tutus Over Antarctica by Muriel Marshgrass, call it Antarctica_Marshgrass.rtf. Or something like that.

areteus · Jun 15, 2011

Oh yes, agree with that - make it so that the file is easy to find in a directory. So title of story should be in there somewhere (even if onlyin part) and maybe your name.

I was also advised (can't remember where) to have your name, title and word count in the header of the document so that it prints on every page. Mainly only an issue if you send a print out by snail mail or the editor intends to print out for reading/editing as it means there is more chance of reuniting pages that go astray with the correct manuscript (which can happen very easily).

Stiger05 · Jun 16, 2011

Wow, thanks so much for the advice! I really appreciate it!

Maryn · Jun 16, 2011

Careful, though, on putting "your name, title, and word count in the header." This contest is obviously trying to judge blind, without knowing who wrote which story.

Maryn, wishing you good luck

James D. Macdonald · Jun 16, 2011

Not about this contest, but about manuscripts in general: I don't know why you'd put the total word-count of a story in the running head (to appear on each page), but you definitely want each page to be numbered.

Proper Formats Only?

Stiger05

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Stiger05

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Stiger05

areteus

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

areteus

Stiger05

Maryn

At Sea

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle