Times New Roman or Computer Modern

I think the bigger question here is--why are you using PDF files? They're a pain to work with, they're huge, and agents will only ever request manuscripts in .rtf or .doc formats (or hardcopy).

That said, just go with Times New Roman, since that's what people ask for.

Listen to Corinne. No one wants PDF files. They'll ask for Word (maybe rtf), and Times is the standard font.

Martin Persson said:

*pdf files are not bigger than *.doc, in fact it is the other way around if you make them with Latex compared to Microsoft Word. And I don't understand why not everyone uses *.pdf files. Everyone can view them everywhere. Plus, Latex does all line and page formatting for me better than any word processor can.

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Martin,

By the time you get to querying, please bear in mind what you can or can't fathom is far less important than following directions, which agents do care about.

Martin Persson said:

*pdf files are not bigger than *.doc, in fact it is the other way around if you make them with Latex compared to Microsoft Word. And I don't understand why not everyone uses *.pdf files. Everyone can view them everywhere. Plus, Latex does all line and page formatting for me better than any word processor can.

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Martin, if you submit your work as a PDF you'll earn yourself an automatic rejection.

Send a Word file, and use TNR or Courier. Give agents what they ask for, and don't complicate things.

Further some ereaders don't read PDFs that well (mine puts the entire page on the screen which makes it tiny, and when I zoom I then have to move the page left to right to read it, SO tedious), and actually work better with .doc.

And PDF does not stand for Pretty Damn Fast...

Martin Persson said:

In Latex Computer Modern is the default font. But is it so similar to Times New Roman that most people don't even notice the difference. So my question is does it really matter which one I use if it is in a *.pdf file?

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Submit using the font, the format, and the file type an agent or editor asks for. It's just this simple. They have specific reasons for what they want, and it generally isn't negotiable. And PDF files are a royal pain in the ass for ordinary use.

Unless a PDF is specifically requested, don't send one. I'm not curently working as an editor, but when I was I wouldn't even open unrequested PDFs. Those went straight to file thirteen.

Most agents read submissions on e-readers nowadays, and like Toothpaste says, PDFs can't be manipulated on an e-reader. Docs can be converted and sized up or down to the reader's taste. PDFs are clunky to move around and feature small type.

That said, I just submitted a partial to an agent who specifically asked for it as an 18 pt. Times New Roman PDF. Following the guidelines is critical. Agents have way too much to read to wade through formatting that doesn't fit their preferences.

For what it's worth, I actually had one agent request a PDF. I just converted it in Word, though.

Martin, in case you missed it, everybody who has responded in this thread is correct. You're trying to sell a product. You need to sell the product the client wants. Don't insist on trying to sell a refrigerator to someone who explicitly requests a microwave oven. You need to concentrate on making your microwave oven better and more attractive than those the other people are hawking.

But it does need to be a microwave oven.

caw

And I know of at least one editorial director who's flat out said the #1 reason she sends out a rejection is the author hasn't followed the submission guidelines. Bad writing is #2.