submission guidelines

petesmith71 · Feb 10, 2007

My question will most certainly expose me a being green behind the ears, but...I've been diligently submitting to literary agents for about 5 months, with several personal and encouraging responses to show for it (notice how I accentuate the positive and thoroughly downplay the responses that were either generic or non-existent) So, dumb question about format. Somewhere along the line i saw a reference to Times New Roman font, set at 13 with 1.5 line spacing as being either ideal or at least acceptable. Since then, and after having submitting to several agents who might be turned off by this format, I've seen a # of submission guidelines that specify 12 font, double spaced. Just how fixed are the expectations of format throughout the industry? Have I (despite some good feedback) completely blown it?

Petesmith71

Stacia Kane · Feb 10, 2007

What have you been submitting, petesmith? Are you talking about your format for the first few sample pages, or for the query itself?

jvc · Feb 10, 2007

If the guidelines say that you should do it a certain way such as Times New Roman, size 13, 1.5 spaced, I'd make sure you do it that way. It shows that you have taken the time to read their guidelines.

If it doesn't specify, I would go for the Times New Roman, size 12, double spaced as standard. Most of the ones I sent off asked for it this way.

victoriastrauss · Feb 10, 2007

petesmith71 said:
Somewhere along the line i saw a reference to Times New Roman font, set at 13 with 1.5 line spacing as being either ideal or at least acceptable. Since then, and after having submitting to several agents who might be turned off by this format, I've seen a # of submission guidelines that specify 12 font, double spaced.

This is the default format, and is the safest thing to do since it will offend no one. I don't know who asked for TNR 13 with 1.5 spacing, but that's very nonstandard and many if not most people will not like it. Stick to Courier or TNR 12, double spaced, 1-inch margins all around, and you won't go wrong.

- Victoria

petesmith71 · Feb 10, 2007

No, not the query letter itself. I'm talking about the manuscript, or at least the sampel chapters that they ask for. That's where i get hung up on format. o course, jed is right about giving them what they ask for. I'm just a little uncertain about the standards of those that don't specify. and just between us wrtiters, doesn't it strike you that some of these agents are rigid to the point of being pedantic?. Certain houses have paragraph after paragraph of submission guidelines. After the effort invested in writing a book, I take some offense to the suggestion that we - as lowly writers - have to prove our commitment by conforming to guidelines which in some cases are absurd in their specificity.

Petesmith71

victoriastrauss · Feb 10, 2007

petesmith71 said:
After the effort invested in writing a book, I take some offense to the suggestion that we - as lowly writers - have to prove our commitment by conforming to guidelines which in some cases are absurd in their specificity.

It's a buyer's market. The buyers get to set the terms. I know it's frustrating, but it's one of the realities of this complicated business!

- Victoria

Unimportant · Feb 10, 2007

"guidelines which in some cases are absurd in their specificity"

I think there's a few other reasons. Editors and agents get used to looking at a consistent layout, and that lets them mentally transfer the image in their mind to how it would look on the page of an actual printed novel -- number of pages, amount of white space, etc. If everyone uses a different format they can't make those automatic adjustments.

Also, publishers themselves will require their authors to us certain font, spacing, and notation conventions so that their typesetters can maintain house consistency. If an author isn't willing to use an agent's or publisher's preferred formatting at the submission stage, it doesn't bode well for that author being terribly cooperative in the actual book production stages. Most publishers, given the choice between two equivalent books, will choose the one authored by someone who is willing to jump through a hoop or two rather than the one authored by a prima donna.

petesmith71 · Feb 10, 2007

Thanks, you guys, for giving some useful perspective on the issue. I don't mean to gripe about their requirements, but there is an aggravation factor in trying to do it all just right. I'm determined to stay positive through this process, so it's helpful to be reminded that these agents aren't just 'messing with my head' in the things they ask.

Petesmith71

Kristen King · Feb 13, 2007

I think 13/1.5 is a big odd, but they want what they want... However, as Victoria said, it's definitely not industry standard. Check the guidelines every time, but if you don't find info to the contrary, stick with the norm.

kk

submission guidelines

petesmith71

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective

jvc

Fearsome Dragon Mod

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

petesmith71

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.

petesmith71

Kristen King