- Joined
- Mar 13, 2005
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- 69
I've been called a dinosaur trapped in the Typewriter Era because I follow Bill Shunn's advice on "Proper Manuscript Format" but at least I know my submissions have been read because of the number of personal comments on rejection notes.
If all you're getting back are form-letter rejections to "Dear Author," it's a good sign you're not making it past the first reader and it could be because you've made your manuscript look like a finished typeset page. An author who doesn't know the basics of manuscript formatting comes off as unprofessional and not to be taken seriously.
When a publisher doesn't give any specific guidelines on fonts, formatting or line spacing, follow Bill's advice. The only thing I'd add is to consider adding Prestige Elite to your font library. This monospaced font based on the legendary IBM Selectric typewriter element is a treat for an editor's weary eyes, and anything that makes your work look better while adhering to the basics can only help.
If all you're getting back are form-letter rejections to "Dear Author," it's a good sign you're not making it past the first reader and it could be because you've made your manuscript look like a finished typeset page. An author who doesn't know the basics of manuscript formatting comes off as unprofessional and not to be taken seriously.
When a publisher doesn't give any specific guidelines on fonts, formatting or line spacing, follow Bill's advice. The only thing I'd add is to consider adding Prestige Elite to your font library. This monospaced font based on the legendary IBM Selectric typewriter element is a treat for an editor's weary eyes, and anything that makes your work look better while adhering to the basics can only help.
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