Manuscript questions
nick...@gmail.com
right? Well, what about the space between the words, if a phrase,
sentence of paragraph or pages completely italicized?
Second question: How is an e-mail formatted into a novel? Can I switch
font and or size?
Third: What about footnotes, in a literary novel? Switch font and
size?
Thanks
James Rau
>A novel written in New Courier 12 pt. has italicized words underlined,
>right? Well, what about the space between the words, if a phrase,
>sentence of paragraph or pages completely italicized?
The type setter (traditional or electronic publisher) would simply
ignore the spaces between the words. An entire phrase, sentence or
paragraph can be underlined to indicate italics, spaces included. You
don't have to underline each word individually (if that's what you
mean). Having a series of underlined pages might be going overboard.
Do you really need all those italicized?
>Second question: How is an e-mail formatted into a novel? Can I switch
>font and or size?
I'm not sure I understand the question. Is this an "e-mail" that one
of characters is reading?
>Third: What about footnotes, in a literary novel? Switch font and
>size?
I don't believe I've ever come across any work of fiction that has
footnotes or endnotes.
James Rau
David M. Harris
that it is separated from the main narrative. All this will be changed
by the designer anyway, unless you're self-publishing.
As for footnotes, I would use a different font but the same size, for
readability. Novels I've read with footnotes include Nabokov's Pale
Fire, R. M. Koster's The Dissertation, and Kosinski's The Hermit of 79th
Street (I may have the wrong street there).
David Harris
Ray
> A novel written in New Courier 12 pt. has italicized words underlined,
> right? Well, what about the space between the words, if a phrase,
> sentence of paragraph or pages completely italicized?
Generally: It does not matter.
Specifically: If you have a contract for this book with a particular
publisher, it is basic business practice to learn about and adhere to
that publisher's preference.
> Second question: How is an e-mail formatted into a novel? Can I switch
> font and or size?
I have never heard of a publisher who tolerates changes in font and
size in a manuscript. All of that is the typesetter's job, not the
writer's. If the writer does such things it only complicates the
work and the and measurement of work for the typesetter.
> Third: What about footnotes, in a literary novel? Switch font and
> size?
Nope. Footnotes [footnote: like this one] are handled inline without
changing font, usually with square brackets. Laying out pages and
choosing fonts and sizes is the typesetter's job. Again, it's worth
learning your publisher's particular preference, because different
houses do it differently.
Bear
Don Stauffer
> A novel written in New Courier 12 pt. has italicized words underlined,
> right? Well, what about the space between the words, if a phrase,
> sentence of paragraph or pages completely italicized?
>
> Second question: How is an e-mail formatted into a novel? Can I switch
> font and or size?
Save email as a text file, then open in Word or other word processor,
save first time as Word file.
>
> Third: What about footnotes, in a literary novel? Switch font and
> size?
>
I would, but the editor and publisher will, in page makeup and such,
reformat to their own preferences, or maybe even eliminate them.
> Thanks
>
nick...@gmail.com
1. Interesting style for footnotes in a novel, the brackets: Anyone
else, maybe a published novelist or someone who works as an editor
with a fiction publishing house, agree with this? Considering how long
a footnote can be, see some of David Foster Wallace's, it seems like a
real jarring, flow-interrupting way to place a footnote in a fiction
(or even non-fiction) manuscript.
2. How do you know your publisher's preferences in advance? When you
don't know who your publisher will be?
3. Whenever I post this question or research it, I never find a
universal standard; I get numerous logical answers, though. Perhaps
there is no real definitive answer to a lot of these more obscure
manuscript prep questions. For instance, I know a novelist who sends
his manuscript in in 12pt New Courier, double-spaced, but italicizes,
in Word, rather underlines all his italicized words and sentences.
Seems to violate every rule I hear and read. But that's what a real
live and fairly successful novelist literary/comic does.
Ray
> 1. Interesting style for footnotes in a novel, the brackets: Anyone
> else, maybe a published novelist or someone who works as an editor
> with a fiction publishing house, agree with this? Considering how long
> a footnote can be, see some of David Foster Wallace's, it seems like a
> real jarring, flow-interrupting way to place a footnote in a fiction
> (or even non-fiction) manuscript.
It certainly can be; however, the form in which the typesetter
wants it is not the form in which it will be published.
> 2. How do you know your publisher's preferences in advance? When you
> don't know who your publisher will be?
All publishing houses have a document that details their
submission guidelines and format requirements. If you can't
find it on their website, it will probably be a hardcopy
document available for SASE. Check Writer's Market or similar
to learn specifically whom you should ask for it.
> 3. Whenever I post this question or research it, I never find a
> universal standard; I get numerous logical answers, though. Perhaps
> there is no real definitive answer to a lot of these more obscure
> manuscript prep questions. For instance, I know a novelist who sends
> his manuscript in in 12pt New Courier, double-spaced, but italicizes,
> in Word, rather underlines all his italicized words and sentences.
> Seems to violate every rule I hear and read. But that's what a real
> live and fairly successful novelist literary/comic does.
Whether it's correct is between him and his publisher. If he's
doing something nonstandard, they've probably discussed it and
approved it before he sends it in. Heck, George Bernard Shaw
hated English orthography and wrote most of his books in Pitman
Shorthand.
You're right that there are no real universal standards; but keep
in mind that publishers mostly accept typewritten manuscripts and
have a straightforward workflow with those manuscripts. When you
talk about things that could not be done on a plain typewriter,
you are mostly talking about ways to complicate their lives, not
ways to make their lives easier.
Bear
nick...@gmail.com
What is all this about submitting to a publisher? Don't you submit to
an agent? The agent then submits to dozen of publishers, who from what
you say often have different standards for manuscript presentation.
Looking at a particular publisher's website for a standard sounds like
you're writing for the slush pile.
Ray
> What is all this about submitting to a publisher? Don't you submit to
> an agent? The agent then submits to dozen of publishers, who from what
> you say often have different standards for manuscript presentation.
> Looking at a particular publisher's website for a standard sounds like
> you're writing for the slush pile.
In that case you've answered your own question. Ask your agent
what format s/he wants it in and follow his/her advice exactly.
Bear
nick...@gmail.com
David M. Harris
http://www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/ for one good
explanation of them.
For footnotes, use Chicago (A MANUAL OF STYLE, University of Chicago
Press) or WORD INTO TYPE (Prentice-Hall) as standards, and expect the
designer to change it. As long as you're consistent, it won't matter.
David
Towse
Shunn's Flog is also a useful resource AND he answers questions.
<http://www.shunn.net/format/flog.html>
Sidebar lets you go straight to his entries on ITALICS, f'rex.
--
Sal
Ye olde swarm of links: thousands of links for writers, researchers and
the terminally curious <http://writers.internet-resources.com>
nick...@gmail.com
> David M. Harris wrote:
> > nickra...@gmail.com wrote:
> >> On Aug 11, 11:11 am, Ray <b...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >>> nickra...@gmail.com wrote:
> >>>> What is all this about submitting to a publisher? Don't you submit t
o
> >>>> an agent? The agent then submits to dozen of publishers, who from wh
at
> >>>> you say often have different standards for manuscript presentation.
> >>>> Looking at a particular publisher's website for a standard sounds li
ke
> >>>> you're writing for the slush pile.
> >>> In that case you've answered your own question. Ask your agent
> >>> what format s/he wants it in and follow his/her advice exactly.
>
> >>> Bear
>
> >> And when you query several agents with chapters?
>
> > There are, in fact, standard submission formats. Go to
> > explanation of them.
>
> > For footnotes, use Chicago (A MANUAL OF STYLE, University of Chicago
> > Press) or WORD INTO TYPE (Prentice-Hall) as standards, and expect the
> > designer to change it. As long as you're consistent, it won't matter.
>
> Shunn's Flog is also a useful resource AND he answers questions.
> <http://www.shunn.net/format/flog.html>
>
> Sidebar lets you go straight to his entries on ITALICS, f'rex.
>
> --
> Sal
>
> Ye olde swarm of links: thousands of links for writers, researchers and
> the terminally curious <http://writers.internet-resources.com>
I'm checking it out, but I wonder if it isn't limited to SciFi. I
mean, do authors really put dorky stuff like active memberships in
literary organizations on the cover sheet of a novel right after their
name and contact details? That looks so amateurish. I mean, is Philip
Roth going to write 'Active Member: PEN/International or something? on
his cover sheet?
Towse
>> Shunn's Flog is also a useful resource AND he answers questions.
>> <http://www.shunn.net/format/flog.html>
>>
>> Sidebar lets you go straight to his entries on ITALICS, f'rex.
> I'm checking it out, but I wonder if it isn't limited to SciFi. I
> mean, do authors really put dorky stuff like active memberships in
> literary organizations on the cover sheet of a novel right after their
> name and contact details? That looks so amateurish. I mean, is Philip
> Roth going to write 'Active Member: PEN/International or something? on
> his cover sheet?
The SFWA designation (for science fiction writers) may make sense to put
on a cover sheet if the author is sending to an SFF market. SFWA members
must meet certain requirements, including sales to "professional-rate"
markets.
Don't poo-pooh the rest of the advice on the basis of his use of the
SFWA designation.
Another format article.
<http://www.sfwa.org/2005/01/manuscript-format/>
nick...@gmail.com
He should remove it from his template for novel formatting, or state
that it is for SF only. Novice novelists in other genres might do
something similar and in some genres, like literary, it would
instantly be seen as amateurish and the work tossed (back) into the
slush pile, if it was unsolicited.
Towse
> He should remove it from his template for novel formatting, or state
> that it is for SF only. Novice novelists in other genres might do
> something similar and in some genres, like literary, it would
> instantly be seen as amateurish and the work tossed (back) into the
> slush pile, if it was unsolicited.
Maybe he should.
Maybe you should tell him so.