spacing in e-mail submissions

I believe if you save the file as a Rich Text Format (rtf) file, then copy and paste what you want to send into the body of the e-mail message window, it will keep the exact formatting that your manuscript now has (paragraph indents, line spacing, line breaks at the same point).

You should strip your text of all formatting before you put it in an email anyway. Some symbols just don't translate from one program to another. And just because it worked in your email program doesn't mean it will work in the agent's. (Copy it into a text only editor like Notepad, preferably one with word wrap. Then copy and paste from there into your email.)

So single-spaced with a space between paragraphs, like in this forum.

HeidiHole said:

If ms pages are submitted in the body of an e-mail to an agent as part of a query, should they be single or double spaced, or is there a standard?

Click to expand...

Most people use TNR or the equivalent, italics instead of underlining, and single space with double space between paragraphs. Or you could email directly from Word, which preserves the formatting. That's impressive if the agent actually gets it that way, but sometimes it comes out a mess.

email spacing question

I think it helps to cut and paste (Times is a good font) and then send it to yourself...then see what it looks like.

Hotmail adds > marks sometimes and I don't know how to get rid of those...if anybody else does would be great to hear.

I never thought of this question. Glad you asked, HeidiHole!

Julie Worth said:

Or you could email directly from Word, which preserves the formatting. That's impressive if the agent actually gets it that way, but sometimes it comes out a mess.

Click to expand...

I have to agree--sending it directly from Word does make it come out a mess at the other end, even if they (editor or agent) uses Word.