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Presenting a readable manuscript
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Does
it matter?
In
the history of publication, we may find examples of scrappy, ill-typed
manuscripts on flimsy, tired paper wrapped in tatty packages, which ended
up being published and lauded as great works. Daphne du Maurier was said to send her editor scrawled, untidy
half-legible manuscripts. Thomas Wolfe, too, needed his agent Max Perkins
to sort out the jumbled pages of his great American novels. (He wrote
standing up, leaning on the top of his fridge. But that’s another
story.) But they were
different days, of patient editors and forbearing agents and leisurely
publishing.
In these more urgent times, a new writer – with more technological
resources - needs to optimise her or his chance of being read carefully by
presenting an immaculate, business-like manuscript. To do this, they need
to ensure that there is no barrier of poor presentation to blind the sight
of the hard-pressed publisher’s or agent’s reader.
It boils down to straightforward ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’.
Some of these may seem obvious.
DO THIS:
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Use
good-quality white paper. It’s more likely to survive being passed
from hand to hand.
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Select
a simple, clear typeface in black – no fancy work.
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Submit
loose sheets in a card folder – no bindings of any kind, no staples,
etc.
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Always
use double spacing and only one side of the paper.
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Consistent
numbering – top right hand is my favourite.
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Clear
margins all round – widest on the right, for comments, etc.
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Use
at least 12-point character size. One agent I know prefers 14 point.
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Indent
to indicate new paragraphs in continuous text. (No extra line-spaces.)
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New
chapters should begin on a new page.
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Only
use italics for foreign words.
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Use
a new or very clean second-use jiffy-bag to send it.
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manuscript returned, include return postage. |
DON’T DO
THIS:
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Use
coloured or fancy papers.
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Bind
your manuscript or punch holes in it.
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Type
on both sides of the paper.
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Use single-spaced
text.
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Use
fancy typefaces
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Send
away any material of which you don’t have a master copy, |
© Wendy Robertson 2003
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