  Short Stories
This week: Proper Manuscript Format Edited by: Ben Langhinrichs  
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When a writer is [too] A) Lazy, B) Stupid or C) Careless to format the submission properly, he/she is starting on the wrong foot. I know editors that won't bother reading a single word of the story when this happens.
James Roy Daley, Author
Greetings! I am one of the editors for the Short Stories Newsletter, and I hope to share some of my thoughts on writing short stories, and perhaps about writing in general. I suggest you treat these not as pearls of wisdom dropped from on high, but rather musings of a fellow writer, written to inspire, provoke or stimulate your personal muse. I welcome your thoughts, feedback and suggestions. Ben Langhinrichs
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Just like a job interview, a submission should always put one's best foot forward. And the most important thing to do in an interview? Research. Check out what they are looking for, and be the best you, that they are looking for.
zombiezak, handle of Zombie/Horror writer
Proper Manuscript Format for Your Short Story
You may laugh at the fact that I quote from zombiezak, but I did it for a purpose. A fair number of people decide to take the plunge and submit a short story, but do not understand the first thing about what editors and publishers want to see. Even if you are trying to publish grotesque, bloody tales of horror, authors who want to get published need to follow guidelines. Zombiezak knows how to do that. Do you?
Fortunately, there is an excellent resource for authors who either see no formatting guidelines or the words "standard manuscript format" without further explanation. There is a guide specifically written for short story submissions by William Shunn, who has published many short stories of his own. This guide is often referenced in the guidelines for magazines and anthologies, but I'll include it here. Read it. Bookmark it. If you want to be a published author, this guide is invaluable.
Proper Manuscript Format by William Shunn
Now, having pointed this out, remember that the specific guidelines are controlled by the magazine, anthology or editor to whom you wish to submit. For example, in the William Shunn guidelines, they have the following explicit advice:
If you intend a word or phrase to appear in italics for emphasis, indicate this in your manuscript by underlining. Never use actual italics. Italics in a typewritten manuscript just aren't as obvious to the eye as underlining is. If you're tempted to use italics anyway, remember that the ultimate goal is for your manuscript to look typewritten--and most typewriters lack an option for italics.
This is excellent advice, except when it is not. Some guidelines, for example, will say "Standard manuscript format. Use italics." or something like that. This indicates that italics should be real italics. It suggests that either the editor is reading the document in a word processor where italics show up fairly well, or has a macro to handle italics or just prefers them.
The editor/publisher is always right. Your job is to follow their guidelines when stated, even if they are non-standard. Some e-zines, for example, will specify single-spaced, extra line between paragraphs. Can you guess why? Because that is how they will print it on-line, and they want to see it how they will post it. Don't argue. Don't object.
Now, this does not necessarily mean that if your manuscript varies a tiny bit from their standards, it will be rejected unread. Sometimes it is very hard to meet all standards, especially when it isn't clear whether Britich or American standards are being followed. In British manuscripts, the punctuation at the end of the sentence goes outside the quotes (or inverted commas as they are often called by the Brits), while in American manuscripts, they should go inside. Spelling can also be different (e.g., colour is British, color is American. If the guidelines specify one or the other, you will need to adjust, but most English-language magazines, editors and publishers seem able to handle either one, so long as it is consistent.
Another thing. The Shunn guidelines show where the contact information goes, but this is an area of greater variability. On an e-mailed submission, some venues want contact information in both the body of the email and in the attached document (if they accept attached documents). Some do not want it in the attachment except on the first page. Some want it in the header section of the document on each page, while others explicity prohibit that because they want the readers to not know who submitted what.
When in doubt, follow the rules. When there are no rules, or too few rules, follow Shunn's format. Even if it isn't want they want, you will look professional, and that goes a long way.
And a correlation I've just made. None of the poorly formatted stories have made the shortlist. Not that I didn't reject other stories too and I didn't reject any of those for formattting, but it's made me go, "Hmmm."
Lance Schonberg, Editor and author
Editors have learned over time that the "poorly formatted" stories often don't tend to make the final cut. Do you want them pre-judging your short story?
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Feedback from readers
scribbler  Zombies in Victorian England? Isn't that a little too "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"?
A fair question, but I've never read it, so I think I can safely write my own, non-derivative story.
JACE - House Targaryen  Great newsletter, Ben!
Uh, I'd make this longer, but I have to go write now. 
Thanks! I guess I deserved that.
Stephanie Just one thought re: "Take a pencil to write with on aeroplanes. Pens leak. But if the pencil breaks, you can't sharpen it on the plane, because you can't take knives with you. Therefore: take two pencils. - Margaret Atwood, Canadian author"
Mechanical pencils. They don't leak and they're always sharp.
Except when they run out of leads or the stupid things... Why won't this stupid pencil advance the stupid lead!?
Good point (or not, if it won't advance)
atwhatcost "...abstain from sex...." Are you trying to encourage me, or make me quit? ;)
Ah, I'd never want to make you quit. Hmmm.
peach Ben, I liked the latest Short Stories NL. Thanks for including the links to famous author's, "Ten Rules of Writing Fiction." Fantastic. Your suggestions and ideas are always very creative and helpful. I'm sure I'm not the only one that appreciates your positive contributions.
Thanks, I appreciate that.
Mark I loved the Neil Gaiman quote. It is exactly the philosophy I finally adopted to properly use the very varied and often times unintentionally harmful "suggestions" offered in reviews. "...and that has made all the difference."
Thanks! (I like the Frost reference as well)
Doug Rainbow My suggestion for writing: Allow yourself to feel the megalomaniacal joy of your own omnipotence over your writing. There are no limits except your own imagination, and even that is expanded by your total control over what you -- and you alone -- decide to write.
Good suggestion, well worded!
LJPC - the tortoise The rules were fascinating, but, as all rebels know, rules are made to be broken. Personal preference is endemic to judgment; as everyone has different 'favorite' singers/movies, everyone likes different things in what they read. Be true to yourself and what you have to say, and your readership will find you, and don't be afraid to experiment, learn, and improve.
Thanks for the great NL, Ben. -- Laura
Too true. You are welcome!
Items submitted by readers
I would suggest that you sort of end it. You give it a hanging conclusion. This type of ending does tie up the story,to a certain degree, but it also leaves the way open in case you want to write a sequel. thelioness59.
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Short Stories: March 24, 2010 Issue [#3635]
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