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Submitting Articles and Short Stories to Editors
It is
essential that your manuscript be presented in a professional
manner, if you hope to make a place for yourself from writing
articles and short stories for hundreds of publications requiring
the services of the freelance writer. A well-produced manuscript
will immediately gain you an edge in the eyes of the busy editor; a
sloppy submission might well not even be read, though its content is
of exceptional value. First impressions are always vitally
important.
With
the exception of readers' letters and some fillers, e.g. reader's
recipes and other items solicited from 'readers' who are not
necessarily expected to have access to sophisticated machinery, your
work must always be typed before sending it to an editor.
Whether
you use a manual typewriter, or the more sophisticated electrical
models, or whether you can stretch to purchasing one of those most
wonderful of inventions - a word processor, is entirely for you, and
your finances, to decide. All I would say is, with word processors
now available for a few hundred pounds, many advantages are
immediately gained. Your work need never be completely retyped
for subsequent submissions and since all amendments can be made to
the original document whilst still in the machine's memory banks.
Nor is there need for typing errors to mar your manuscript, since
all changes can be made before the manuscript is ever committed to
paper. These advantages and many others can greatly increase
your actual turnout rate, and such a machine could pay for itself in
a very short time. But don't commit yourself to one unless you
are sure your future lies in writing.
Type
your work on good quality A4 paper. About 70-80 gm weight is
adequate. Type on one side of the paper only. When your ribbon
provides less than a crisp black copy then discard it in favour of a
new one, or have the old ribbon re-inked, where appropriate.
Margins
should be approximately 2" on the left and 1" on the right.
On the
first page of your manuscript, about one-third of the way down the
page, type your title, centrally, in capitals, and underline it.
About 5 lines down type 'by' again centrally, and a similar number
of lines further down type - centrally, your real name or pen name.
Only the title needs capital letters.
About
half way down the page start your actual text. Indent each paragraph
by five spaces and type in double-spacing throughout.
Leave
margins of approximately 25mm at the top and bottom of each page.
Pages
should be numbered and identified in the event of them coming
adrift. At the top of subsequent pages you should give your name, a
brief title, and the page number. Page two for my article on writing
articles might start as follows:
HARPER
ARTICLES
PAGE 2
A line
should be left free before re-commencing text.
At the
end of your article or story, leave a few lines and type, centrally:
.............. END
At the
bottom left-hand side of your last page type your name and address
in single spacing.
Manuscripts should preferably bear a cover sheet giving brief
details of your work. On your cover page approximately half
way down, the title of your manuscript is typed in capitals and
centred. A few lines further down type 'by' in lower case, and
a similar number of lines down in lower case lettering type your
real or pen name, i.e. the one you want to appear on your published
work. Then about an inch below type 'An article/short story with
approximately ... words' underlined and in lower case lettering.
If you are submitting illustrations, state a few lines further
down how many photographs/line drawings/illustrations there are.
Type your real name and address at the bottom left-hand side of the
page, in single spacing.
Always
send a covering letter stating simply that you are enclosing an
article or short story for the editor's consideration, and
saying you hope it might be suitable for publication in his
magazine, newspaper, etc. Provide a suitable size Stamped Addressed
Envelope for return of unsuitable manuscripts. Then wait!
Don't bug an editor for an answer unless several weeks have passed
for a piece with limited time interest, such as an anniversary piece
for which the deadline is looming. Although some editors reply
very quickly, it is not unknown to have to wait several months for a
reply.
After
submitting your manuscript, start on your next. Don't dwell too long
on the fate of the first!
About
The Author
Avril
Harper (http://www.fillerfactory.com)
is the author of 'How
to Be a Five Minute Writer' and spends a great deal of her
own full-time writing day creating short pieces for regular, high
ticket rewards.
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