MS Word Templates for Short Manuscripts

Hey all.

I found these on the web and they're wonderful. They have a few macros, but they're harmless. I've scanned them for viruses and picked them apart--they're absolutely safe.

Thought I'd share. Just double-click the files inside the attached .zip to open a new, pre-formatted document, or follow the installation instructions inside.

There is a template for US, UK and OZ users.

Hope some of you find these helpful; I certainly have.

-B

ETA

If you want to transfer a pre-existing document to the template, just paste your story into a .TXT, save it, and then either import it, or paste it from the .txt.

Good formatting is the best way to get an editor to read your first line and bad formatting is the surest way to make him wad it up and slam his head against the desk.

If this thread isn't super redundant and enough people decide they like the templates, maybe it can get a thumb-tac.

Bumped, 'cuz I needed to download them on my new system.

blacbird said:

Just a curiosity: The standard formatting for short fiction manuscripts is so simple, why would you need a template?

caw

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It saves me a little time. Nothing more, nothing less. That, and I like toys.

This gets bumped because I'm re-acquiring the templates. >_<

ETA

Also, what I've failed to mention is that if you can change the information at the top to your own information, save it, and then never have to worry about misspelling your name, or something equally stupid. If you produce a lot of short fiction, it gets tiresome adding your name and address to the top. It's true that it doesn't take much effort to do these things. But the same is true of the template. I'm not trying to sell you on it; I'm just saying that some of us find such gizmos useful.

blacbird said:

You beat me to it. I was about to ask the same question.

I suppose you could set up Word to open automatically with the word "The" . . .

caw

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Jamesaritchie said:

How does a template for short stories save time? When I open Word, it's already set up to write a short story. If you need more than this, Word itself can be set to put in your name and address automatically.

Click to expand...

Hey, inserting a word count. That's a good idea. Thanks.

ETA

And really, why use any template, for anything? In fact, why not just use a typewriter?

Obsessive

blacbird said:

Just a curiosity: The standard formatting for short fiction manuscripts is so simple, why would you need a template?

caw

Click to expand...

Jamesaritchie said:

How does a template for short stories save time? When I open Word, it's already set up to write a short story. If you need more than this, Word itself can be set to put in your name and address automatically.

Click to expand...

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1347670&posted=1#post1347670

http://www.critiquecircle.com/forums.asp?action=viewforum&index=53&thread=266411

With all the formatting guidelines floating around and the web pages devoted to formatting, there are still people on forums asking, "What font do I use?" on a regular basis. Enough writers obsess about formatting that I think having something they can just copy and paste text into is helpful.

Old hands won't find it useful--that goes without saying, I suppose--but if I see one more thread on any of the forums I use asking about fonts or spacing or lines per page or ink color or whether or not they just justify their text, or any other piece of mindless minutiae, I'll probably implode.

-Bart, who doesn't think attempts at being helpful really need to be looked down on.