To get it right.

CACTUSWENDY

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When reading over the rules for a submission to a leading literary agency I came across a couple of areas that I'm not sure how to handle.

They request:

Don't switch between single and double space.

Don't use mixed fonts.

I have my story done in the double space but I have two newspaper clippings, (pretend ones), and have lowered the type size and singled spaced them to give a better appearance of a newspaper clipping.
I also have used italics whenever my 'hero' is thinking to himself which constitutes a change in font.

Your suggestions would be appreciated. Again...thank you so much.
 

paprikapink

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Italics aren't (isn't?) a different font. It's a different "style" of the same font. Times, Verdana, Arial, Courier, those are all different fonts. But they each have their own version of italic. 'Cept courier. That's a bad example because normally there's no italicizing courier. But I'm not going into that because really there is nothing more hideous than a discussion of font technicalities.

-pkpk
 

SRHowen

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Italics are indicated by underlining. And the newspaper story is part of the work, left as is.
(double spaced, same font)

What your ms looks like and what your printed book looks like have nothing to do with each other.

Shawn
 

Lauri B

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I've said this in another thread, and I'll say it again: I don't even notice this stuff, usually. In fact, I couldn't tell you how the last ten manuscripts or proposals I've received were formatted, or what font the author used.

Either these literary agencies get some really weirdly formatted stuff, or fiction lends itself to strange spacing/font decisions, or fiction editors are so incredibly swamped that they reject things that aren't submitted exactly as requested just to cut down the pile.

But the bottom line is if you piss off the agent/acquisitions editor, you're doomed--so better do what they ask.
 

azbikergirl

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Nomad said:
But the bottom line is if you piss off the agent/acquisitions editor, you're doomed--so better do what they ask.
Understandable. But this particular agency had no such guidelines posted either on its web site or in the Writer's Market listing. I just went with what I thought was standard.
maestrowork said:
did you send her back a message pointing her to Uncle Jim's thread?
heh heh heh. I did think about writing back with a list of ms. formatting web sites and book titles. :box: But I didn't.
 

katiemac

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Probably for the best, biker. After that remark, I don't think you'd really want to work with that agent...
 

Fresie

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... and a question

SRHowen said:
Italics are indicated by underlining. And the newspaper story is part of the work, left as is.
(double spaced, same font)

What your ms looks like and what your printed book looks like have nothing to do with each other.

Shawn

I don't know whether I did it right, but I once had the same problem when I had to include two or three big chunks of newspaper "quotes" in italics. They were so big they would look really stupid if underlined -- over half a page at a time -- so I submitted it the following way (the editor didn't say anything, just accepted):
____________________

Blah Blah Blah. The article went:

(start italics)

Blah, blah, blah for half a page.

(end italics)
____________________

Nobody seemed to mind!