Writers' Kit FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Submissions and competitions Q How should I present a manuscript? A Whether submitting a piece of writing to a magazine like Mslexia, or sending a manuscript (also called a typescript) to an agent or a publisher, stick to the following presentation guidelines. • Use a wordprocessor or typewriter. Most editors etc. will ignore or be put off by a handwritten piece of work, so pay a secretarial service to type it as a Word document saved on a disc or CD. • Choose reasonable quality white A4 paper, typing on one side only. Use 1.5/ double spacing, and allow wide margins (at least 3cm) so that there is plenty of room for corrections to your manuscript. • Use a 12-point standard font, with a ‘ragged right’ justification – i.e. only justify on the left hand side. It’s preferable to indent paragraphs rather than leaving gaps between them, inserting blank lines to indicate a change of scene or subject. • Number each page (or ‘folio’ as called by publishers). If submitting several chapters or a book, number in sequence from beginning to end (don’t begin each chapter with ‘1’). You may wish to add the story or book’s title to the page number, to identify your submission should any pages get detached. • Create a title page, with name, address and contact telephone numbers (publishers prefer the bottom right hand corner). • With short submissions, use a paperclip, not staples. And keep it simple: don’t bother with folders or plastic pockets. With a bulky manuscript, publishers and agents prefer a wallet folder of loose pages (avoid slippery plastic folders). • No: fancy fonts, clip art, handwriting, dot-matrix printouts, coloured paper, faint photocopies Q How can I avoid scams? A There’s nothing wrong with paying to get published, but be aware that with most so-called ‘vanity publishing’ the only people who will read your book, or collection of poems, will be family and friends – fine if it’s what you intended. • This is not to say that there are not bona fide companies producing books for clients; but some are little more than cowboy outfits, taking sometimes considerable sums from hopeful writers who want to see their book in Waterstones, which in practice will never go near the shelves of even their local bookshop. • First, vanity presses usually prefer other names (e.g.‘joint venture publishing’, ‘subsidy publishing’, ‘self-publishing’). Often you’ll have to read between the lines of company claims. Don’t be swayed by those that send you a glowing report on your writing – ask yourself, is it a professional assessment? Be aware that it is hard even for mainstream publishers to get their books in bookshops, and most outlets don’t deal with vanity publishers. Small companies won’t have the marketing capability to promote your book – so the chances of sales is pretty slim. And if your book is listed on Amazon, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be browsed by potential customers. • In addition, avoid writing competitions in which prize money depends on entries received. Also, watch out for those that require you to buy an anthology of ‘highly commended’ runners-up. • If you want to get a book produced outside the mainstream, do as much as possible yourself. Use book production services listed in the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, which are vetted. If uncertain about a particular company, contact Johnathon Clifford, 01329 822 218; see, www.vanitypublishing.info Q How can I safeguard copyright? A Copyright cannot be registered like a trademark. But as soon as you set something original down on paper – a poem, a song, a cartoon, an article – the copyright belongs to you automatically. This means no one can print (copy) it without your permission for the duration of your life and for 70 years after your death. • You can put the copyright symbol on your work as a warning – typing ‘(c)’ on most word processors automatically changes to © – but there is no legal need and it may make you appear precious to potential publishers. If you fear you might be plagiarised, the easiest way to strengthen your argument in any future court case is to send a copy of the work to yourself by registered mail and store it unopened as proof that you wrote it before the registered date on the envelope. If you’re really paranoid, you could send it to an independent person (e.g. a solicitor or bank) and ask for it to be lodged in your name. • Copyright to commissioned work belongs to the writer, unless s/he signs a contract that states otherwise. Some newspapers and magazines syndicate material to other publications. Strictly speaking they should obtain the authors’ permission first – and proffer a fee. • If you want to quote a poem or song lyrics in your published or broadcast writing, this is permitted provided it does not exceed 10 per cent of the original work. Any longer and you must seek permission from the author via their publisher or recording company. Quotation for teaching purposes is permitted. • For more information: The Patents Office, Concept House, Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent NP10 8QQ. 0845 9 500 505 (ask for their free booklet Copyright: basic facts). www.patent.gov.uk Q How do I pitch an article? A ‘Pitching’ means offering a feature to the publication of your choice. Buy a few issues of your chosen title and find out what’s in it and what it’s like. Get used to its style, identify the tone of its features, what sections it has, and what slot you’re proposing to fill. Ask yourself, will your article suit its readers? • Get the timing right. Find out when the publication goes to press, and what the lead-in time is (when editors need content), to establish the best time to pitch your feature. • Send an email, ideally, allowing a busy editor to answer when it suits her. If you phone, be polite. Say: ‘Do you have five minutes in which I can pitch an idea, or is this a bad time?’ • Keep the pitch short and sweet. It should contain a synopsis and a ‘hook’. Introduce your idea with a simple sentence along the lines of ‘would you be interested in a feature on…’. Then summarise the piece in no more than two paragraphs, sticking to the basic facts. The editor will want to know what the hook is – why the piece is timely or relevant (e.g. does the author have a new book out? have they just won a prize?) – and what your ‘angle’ is (how you are going to tackle it). • Get the editor salivating. Why would they be interested? How is it timely? Unusual? Are you offering a big-name interview? How is it ‘up their street’? • Give two examples of where you’ve been published before. If they’re not viewable on the internet, offer to send cuttings by post. • If an editor is interested they’ll probably contact you within a few days. Send a ‘follow-up’ email if you hear nothing. Further FAQs: > Getting an agent/ publisher > Writing groups and teaching > Setting up in business Nuts & Bolts: > What's it all about? > Words, words, words
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