I single space. I never thought about it at all. Other Lisa, is your double spacing that a personal preference, or an industry preference I didn't know about?
The Next Circle of Hell
- Thread starter Calla Lily
- Start date
- Status
Single space. The double spaced was back from when people typed. When I judge contests, I always mention it as not being wrong, but not something anyone does nowadays.
If you mean after a period, it's one space. But when you say "single-space" I think of line spacing.
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 1,697
- Reaction score
- 3,504
- Location
- California by the sea
- Website
- www.lisabrackmann.com
Oh, crap, apologies -- I read this wrong. Yes, single-space is the standard nowadays, but I don't think it's a big deal either way.
I single space too. My writing partner said she read a few publisher sites and they said double space (not sure where exactly she looked)
Jeez, I feel old. I learned double space after the end of a sentence on a typewriter.
The worst is that even though I know it has gone out of style, I can't seem to retrain my brain not to do the double hit thing on the spacebar. Even when I'm trying to relearn, and I delete one of the spaces, it is like a bad itch I can't scratch until I put the second space back in.
The worst is that even though I know it has gone out of style, I can't seem to retrain my brain not to do the double hit thing on the spacebar. Even when I'm trying to relearn, and I delete one of the spaces, it is like a bad itch I can't scratch until I put the second space back in.
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 1,697
- Reaction score
- 3,504
- Location
- California by the sea
- Website
- www.lisabrackmann.com
Witty, me too. When I asked the S0h0 people, I think their style guide is one space, but they told me not to worry about it (they were similarly cool about the whole Em-dash thing, which I so do not understand!).
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 39,307
- Reaction score
- 17,490
- Location
- Non carborundum illegitimi
- Website
- www.aliceloweecey.net
Same here-- I learned on a manual and I still hit the keys too hard. *pets laptop*
I was a typesetter for several years (cold type, developed like photographs), and that's when single-spacing between sentences came in and stayed. But truly, I doubt it's a ms. deal-breaker. A search-and-replace would take care of it in a few seconds if you were really worried about it.
I am an em-dash addict!
Does this — show up as an em-dash to you guys, or some weird funky gobbly-gook?
Does this — show up as an em-dash to you guys, or some weird funky gobbly-gook?
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 39,307
- Reaction score
- 17,490
- Location
- Non carborundum illegitimi
- Website
- www.aliceloweecey.net
My agent's pretty good at chasing down editors.
(The deal happened while both my agent and editor were on vacation!)I write offbeat adult commercial fiction.
Good luck with your submission!
Me too! I always need to go over the book and start plucking some out - otherwise the MS starts looking like one long equation.
As for spacing, I double spaced my MS because that's what Nathan Bransford said in his blog. Oops.
- Joined
- May 30, 2009
- Messages
- 1,697
- Reaction score
- 3,504
- Location
- California by the sea
- Website
- www.lisabrackmann.com
Maui, I wonder if you read it the way I did -- I thought the question was about double-spacing the manuscript, which you certainly MUST do. But it was about the number of spaces after a period, between sentences.
Oh. Okay. I feel better then. I misunderstood and was beginning to feel insecure about my double-spaced MS!
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2006
- Messages
- 944
- Reaction score
- 249
- Location
- Yaizu, Japan
- Website
- thersamatsuura.com
Wow, I'd never seen this thread before. And it perfectly describes me right now.
Hell X 2:
1. Waiting for response on edited mid grade book and its synopsis. (Lee~! I need a pat on the head). I don't want to dig into anything else until I know if what is done is good enough or if it needs an overhaul.
2. I sent in a short story to an anthology put together by the HWA. Looks like a lot of big names (in the horror genre) will be in in the ToC. For the last week people have been posting about receiving responses ("I'm in!" or "It was close."). So I've been checking my e-mail a zillion times a day and still no word. My fingernails can get no more chewed.
Hell X 2:
1. Waiting for response on edited mid grade book and its synopsis. (Lee~! I need a pat on the head). I don't want to dig into anything else until I know if what is done is good enough or if it needs an overhaul.
2. I sent in a short story to an anthology put together by the HWA. Looks like a lot of big names (in the horror genre) will be in in the ToC. For the last week people have been posting about receiving responses ("I'm in!" or "It was close."). So I've been checking my e-mail a zillion times a day and still no word. My fingernails can get no more chewed.
Oops. For the record, I meant do you put two spaces after a period or one. So does you paragraph look like this.
"lalalala. lalalala." or like his "lalalala. lalalala"
So...yeah, I meant the number of spaces after a period between sentences (thanks for clarifying that Other Lisa!)
BTW, I LOVE ellipses. When I edit, I always have to take tons out of my MS.
*crosses fingers for madder* I'm surprised you haven't started biting actual skin...I'd probably be missing a full finger or two by now if I were you.
Here's hoping you get a "YES!" I'm rootin' for ya!
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 39,307
- Reaction score
- 17,490
- Location
- Non carborundum illegitimi
- Website
- www.aliceloweecey.net
Hey!! I wondered why you never wandered into Hell!
Nothing yet, argh! *head pat* So how did the synopsis turn out?
I am on day 5 and already my nails are gone. After last time I am a nervous wreck! I had to wait 3 months for a "meh"
GOOD LUCK on the anthology!!!! I have been tempted to go back to subbing novellas at my epubs just to feel like I'm getting somewhere! LOL
Hi Madder!
So, talked to The Editor yesterday, and she's not sold on the premise of book 2. (I knew it might be an issue, I haven't been super sold on it myself, despite the fact that I went ahead and wrote most of it).
So now I'm back to square one, brainstorming ideas and seeing how much I can salvage. *sigh* I know, in a day or two, this is going to be fine and I'll be excited again, but right now I'm frustrated and discouraged.
So now I'm back to square one, brainstorming ideas and seeing how much I can salvage. *sigh* I know, in a day or two, this is going to be fine and I'll be excited again, but right now I'm frustrated and discouraged.
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 39,307
- Reaction score
- 17,490
- Location
- Non carborundum illegitimi
- Website
- www.aliceloweecey.net
- Status