How Do You Submit A Manuscript For Publication
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 at
5:03 pm
How to Write an Effective Query Letter
The query letter you submit to a publisher can make a world of difference in whether or not the editors want to read what you have written.
Many exceptional books never get published because of the query letter the author submits to the publisher. Even though the book itself is very important, you cannot underestimate the power of writing an effective query letter. It is important to grab the attention of the reader and in so doing the publisher will want to read what you have written and consider it for publication.
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How do I format a manuscript (for a novel) to submit for publication?
Margins, characters per line, lines per page, anything you can tell me will help.
Thanks.
Getting into Grad School?
I am thinking about applying to PhD programs in experimental psychology, but I don’t know what category of schools I should be applying to.
I’ve just graduated with a BA in Psychology. My GPA is 3.9, my GRE is 1380. I have quite a lot of experience working as a research assistant in a lab. I am a co-author on a manuscript that has been submitted for publication and is in review (ie waiting to hear if it’s accepted or not). I grew up in South Africa, but I don’t know how much diversity counts in my favor.
I understand that many of these PhD programs are very competitive to get into, so what tear school do you think I have a reasonable chance of getting accepted to? Full funding is a must, but that’s pretty common in this field.
8-1/2 x 11 plain white paper printed on one side
12 point Courier or Times New Roman font
1 inch margin on all sides
double spaced between lines
your name and address on the first page
your last name and the title on all other pages
approximate word count on the first page
visit http://www.writersdigest.com to see if there is anything else that should be included
You have a great GPA and really good GRE scores. I would definitely aim for Ivy League Schools or at least the top schools that offer your major. You have a lot going for you academically, do not be scared to apply to good schools.
You’ve been given some questionable information. You most certainly do need to worry about punctuation, paragraph breaks, and other writing mechanics of every kind if you want to publish your work. Even if your entire story is in a casual, conversational tone filled with official mistakes people all make, there’s still a correct way to punctuate it, and a proper place to break paragraphs, for example.
Speaking frankly, I suspect your unwillingness to learn the tools of your trade dooms your efforts. Or at the least, dooms you to spending close to a thousand bucks per book to pay an editor who knows what s/he is doing and can make your manuscript close to perfect before you submit it anywhere.
A few tips which might help:
Character A says something. In the same paragraph, you can have thoughts, actions, memories, hopes, dreams, backgound, etc. on Character A. But you can’t have Character B’s reaction, reply, thoughts, actions, memories, etc. in the same paragraph as the words Character A says.
Readers start skimming at about the sixth line in the paragraph of a printed book, and nearly all are skimming by the tenth. For that reason, around the sixth line of each paragraph, you should be seeking a place to break.
Dialogue punctuation is not that hard. Kids master it at age eight or nine all the time. You don’t have to know the parts of speech (although I firmly believe every serious writer should) to do this correctly. Every book, magazine, and newspaper in your house is full of examples. Master this yourself.
If you decide to hire an editor, you need to determine his or her skill level. A college student’s skill set is very different, and a lot smaller, than a professional editor’s. The student can probably correct your punctuation just fine, and charge less.
Manuscript format for a novel?
I have read through about half a dozen “idiot’s guide to…” books, and countless web articles on formatting a manuscript for submission. And, although informative, they do not answer my questions very well.
My problem stems from my being a good story teller and not a writer. I can sit at a table, gathering, or campfire and spin a yarn with ease. Mostly because you don’t use punctuation in speaking. You use tone of voice, inflictions, and hand gestures to help the story. Next, my grammar stinks! I talk well, I don’t write well.
Several friends have talked me into writing down a few of my stories and submitting them for publication (fat chance). I understand; TNR 12pt, I got it; double space lines, I got it. And, I have been told not to worry too much about punctuation as the “editor” will take care of that. I’ve also been told that once purchased or accepted by a publisher, they may even change, omit, or add words.
So my question is: How much do I have to worry about punctuation and paragraph structure? I understand the closer to proper punctuation the better. But I am also told that in a fiction novel, the rules of punctuation are often broken.
When I say format, what I mean is should I type it up with what each person, in a conversation, says starting a new paragraph, or just pile it all into one paragraph?
I don’t know adverb from tuna salad sandwich. And I am not going to take a class to learn. It was a disaster the first time through, I doubt it will be any better now. But I do understand the words I use, and I know how to put them together to put the listener in the middle of the world, or story, that I am telling about. I have been told that I tell stories the exact same way as people talk. And that is what makes them easy to follow. I don’t use proper sentence structure, I use common speak. And that is what I want to retain in my written stories.
With that, any suggestions on where to start? Should I just mimic the way a paper back novel is written? Are there people who can take my raw manuscript and straighten it out so it is presentable?
Help?
I did the same thing. Searched and searched for hours online and came across a website that is a life saver. There isn’t anything you can’t find on this site. The first website is a god send to me but I will list others that had helpful information and worth reading.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php
This is a website with an extensive list of publishers and if they accept unsolicited manuscripts.
http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/pebp.htm
I find these websites helpful.
http://michaelhyatt.com/2008/08/advice-to-first.html
http://www.book-editing.com/subjects.shtml
http://www.gkbledsoe.com/articles/submissions/format.html
Article on Self Publishing
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/06/print.on.demand.publishing/index.html?iref=t2test_techmon
Self Publishing – You can find all this information, the pro’s and con’s on the first website I gave you. Great information. Self Publishing can be reasonable in cost and actually it is a vanity press that cost thousands (avoid those at all cost).
These are printers, I have heard they are good to work with if you decide on Self Publishing. They have a good reputation.
http://www.lulu.com/publish/?cid=en_tab_publish
http://www.lightningsource.com/default.aspx
Last word – NEVER use Publish America. Just google them and you will find thousands of people with valid complaints and horror stories. They are on the beware list.
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/
music publishing and copyright?
hello all! good Sunday morning and i hope its a good one for you too.
today i have a few questions regarding music publication.
first and foremost, I am a composer with no formal training other than my middle and high school band experiences. whilst those are good i suppose in the area of performance and pedagogy, i worry that a publishing company may see less to me because i have no degree or formal training to the effect of musical theory/composition, only what i gather through performance. do publishing companies require some sort of profile or background image to see if there money would be good in me?
question 2 would then be choosing the company. i have read around and seen that there are many companies for publishing country/pop songs, but being a more classical composer (if you’d even go that far. you’ll see why in a second) i don’t have much of a clue as to companies. i know some of the bigger ones (Alfred comes to mind). but seeing as they likely get thousands of submissions monthly, maybe again its not my place seeing as since i lack real formal training, that my compositions may show and id soon be rejected.
furthermore, what should my interactions be with my publication company? i know about sending a manuscript and short letter, waiting a while and waiting to receive a return notice some 3 months later, but what will i hear from them or will they have to hear from me first? how do i know if they’ve accepted my publication, can they partially take it, do i need a lawyer? do i submit the same composition to another company? how do i secure my intellectual properties rights? and the biggest question of all, how does payment work?
and i guess another question would be if i arrange a piece that has a copyright on it, say a video game theme or movie score, what steps do i need to take before having that submitted for publication, is like in a report or essay where there is a certain way you cite the original composer. could i theoretically play these arrangements with a group relationally and just not sell it?
my main area of focus lies in mostly percussion ensembles (my main area of musical focus has been percussion). though i like writing orchestral or chamber orchestra scores, being a percussionist has made me blind somewhat to a lot of the technical aspects of writing scores for bands such as breathing, slurs, articulation definitions, etc. i speak with my band teachers about my stuff and they all come back to the same littlsnafusws but i’m working on it. buthat’sts beside the point, so being more of a percussion focus are there certain companies that focus in just percussion ensembles, solos, arrangements etc? if so please let me know!
phew that’s alot of stuff you guys but i know you guys are smart and awesome and can help me out, please answer just as much as you can for a curiomusicianian and have a blessed end of the weekend.
–Drew
I must agree with the previous author. The best option in your case in going for self-publishing. I’ve come across a really useful article on that topic, where basically your situation was described.
There is a number of platforms that allow even unknown composers to get heard. Here’s one them, the most suitable, as it seems to me:
http://www.load.cd/services/publish_sheet_music.html
Check the details there. I do hope it’s gonna be of use to use.
Luck!
Any recommendations for books or websites…?
…that give a recommended, step-by-step process to getting a manuscript published?
I have read several books and websites concerning the subject, and it seems that most of them focus on two things:
1.) They list 101 things NOT to do (yes, I understand that editors and agents are busy professionals and I shouldn’t hound them with E-mails all day, I assumed that such advice was common sense, but since every source I’ve read mentions this…)
2.) It is an extreme long-shot to EVER be published, so don’t expect to even have your manuscript reviewed (paraphrase: you are not possibly as gifted and talented as I am, or any other published author for that matter, so why even waste your time trying, you worthless worm.)
So, my question is: Are there any resources available that simply focus on the “nuts and bolts” of how to actually go about submitting your work for publication (e.g., what font to use, is it best to submit the entire piece or just a sample chapter/synopsis, is it better to first approach an agent or a publishing house that accepts unsolicited material, etc.)
Thanks in advance for any recommendations or advice.