Writers Guidelines Tips To Increase Your Chances of Getting Published

Here are some writers guidelines tips that will help you understand the reason behind certain submission guidelines.

Copyright
A copyright symbol, a lower case c in a circle, can be printed on MS Word by using this shortcut, open bracket ‘(’ followed by a lower case ‘c’ then close bracket ‘ )’.For more information read the copyrighting tips article.

Cover Page
This is a page attached to the front of your work, it contains all your contact details and the information about your manuscript. In book submissions it can be advisable to place a cover page at the end of the manuscript as well, this overcomes the possibility of your manuscript being devoid of vital information should the front page be separated from the work.

The cover page, besides your name and full contact details, needs to include: the manuscript’s title, word length, the rights you are offering, indication of copyright and the style of work it is ie. short story, article, novel.

The layout of this information will vary from one writer’s work to another. I have seen cover pages where the details are all centred down the middle of the page, where they are on the left margin or, like mine, spread evenly across the page. Remember once again, the layout is not as vital as the information being clear and well presented.

Email Submissions
In these days of technical advancements, the internet is enabling quicker, easier and faster presentation of submissions. Email submissions are a cheap and easy way to get your work to a publisher.

Font
A clear style of type, such as Times New Roman, in font size 12 is easy to read and less wearing on the eyes than some other more ornate styles that you maybe tempted to use for effect. Most publishers also request that you only print on one side of the page, keeping the back of it clear.

Headers and Footers
A header is repeated information about you and your manuscript that needs to be at the very top of every page, a footer appears at the bottom of each page. Details that would be included in these headers and footers are the author’s name, manuscript’s title and contact details.

Lead times
With regular publications such as magazines and newspapers, the staff has to begin work on each issue well before it appears on the newsagency’s shelf.

Knowing the lead times for publications you want to submit your articles to is essential.

Margins
The gap of unused paper around your writing should be approximately 3 cms, on the left, right, top and bottom of the page. This provides enough room around your text should the editor wish to make notes regarding any alterations that may need making.

Multiple submissions
This is when you choose to send a proposal or manuscript out to a variety of publishers at the same time. Not all publishers accept multiple submissions which can make your make decision whether to do it or not, and whether to tell the publisher that you are, a little tougher.

Page numbers
Vital on any manuscript, either in the header or the footer. Remember when setting up the pagination on your work that page one is not your cover page, but the first page of your written work. Numbers need to be continuous throughout the whole work, avoid starting each chapter as page one.

Also stay clear of using anything other than 1,2,3, whilst Roman numerals may add character sometimes it is good to be conventional.

Paperclips, no staples
Some guidelines ask that a manuscript be submitted bound and others that it be loose. Send your pages held together by a paperclip or a similar device unless otherwise stated.

Whilst some writers do use staples there seem to be just as many publishers against their use.

Personally, I don’t use staples because if the staple doesn’t go through all pages perfectly the first time, the manuscript starts to look scruffy. For this reason, I always rely on paperclips.

Proposals
Proposals are used most commonly when enquiring to a publishing house to see if they are interested in printing your book.

A proposal usually includes a letter explaining why the publisher should publish the book, why you should be the one writing it, who would read this book and why. Along with the letter, you should enclose three chapters of your work and a synopsis of the remaining book.

Other times you may need to write a proposal are when applying for a newspaper column, a regular magazine slot or anything that would be an ongoing contract.

Publishers’ preferred styles
Always check guidelines to see if publishers and publications have a section on preferred styles or a ‘style guide.’ These are more commonly found when researching literary or educational publishers.

The preferred styles relate to things like, grammar usage, whether to use ‘ise’ or ‘ize’ at the end of words, whether numbers should be spelled out or digits used and so on.

This style guide enables a standard of uniformity in writing regardless of how many different authors write for the publisher.

Queries
If you have an idea for a manuscript that you feel would be ideal for a publisher but want to find out if they are interested before you start writing, you will need to send a query letter. Some publishers even request a query be sent to them rather than a complete manuscript.

The letter is just as the name would imply, ‘a query.’ In one page you need to explain your idea and convince the editor that his readers would benefit from reading your work.

Response times
Three months is the average time a publisher will take to respond to your manuscript. Some publishers promise one (1) month, others six (6) months and then there are some anthology book publishers who you will hold onto your work and only respond when they want to publish it.

Read the publisher’s guidelines carefully to find out when you should hear back from them.

Rights
Different publishers ask for different Rights, sometimes you'll be selling All Rights other times only First and Second Rights. Always make sure you have sufficient writers rights information so that you can be confident of what you are being paid for and signing away.

Sample chapters
When sending a book proposal the three chapters included in it are referred to as sample chapters. This is an example of your work. It is preferable that they should be the first three chapters of your book.

An editor might like the idea you are presenting to him but unless he can see the standard of your writing he will not know if you are capable of creating the manuscript to the standard required. Sample chapters overcome this problem.

SASE (Self Addressed, Stamped Envelope)
With all submissions you make through the mail, you will need to include a ‘self addressed, stamped envelope.’

Often writers request that the publisher dispose of their unsuccessful work rather than pay return postage. Even if this is your choice, you still need to include the SASE for the publisher’s letter.

The envelope you choose and the postage you include on it should be enough to cover all the expenses.

Spacing
Line Spacing is the distance between one line of print and the next. Present your manuscripts with double spacing. Single spacing may save you paper but at the expense of eyestrain.

Synopsis
This is an abridged version of a book. The reason for a synopsis is to enable a prospective editor to decide quickly if your story line is suited to the publishing house. Condensing a lengthy novel into one or two page synopsis can be daunting, but with practice the task should ease.

Unsolicited Manuscripts
These are completed written works sent to a publisher without prior communication between the author and the editor. Most writers when starting out submit their work this way because the thought of writing a query is too daunting.

Always check that editors are open to this form of submission. If they are not, don’t waste your time and money mailing them your manuscript, consider sending them a proposal or a query instead.

Word Count
Many magazines and newspapers have set sections that appear in each issue, a piece of short fiction, a lead article, true stories and anecdotes, for example.

For this reason, writers guidelines will often quote a specific word count for the sections. It is important to stay within the criteria if you want your work considered.

I am sure you will have found these writers guidelines tips to be of benefit to you.

You are now aware after reading the writers guidelines tips that you have to keep many things in mind when you are considering submitting your work.

Please take heed of the advice in these writers guidelines tips to give yourself the best chance of having your work accepted.


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