Lens On: Manuscript Formatting Part One

Lens On: Manuscript Formatting

Part One – Formatting a Manuscript for Submission or Contests  

By Brad R. Cook

Agents, editors, and publishers have so many submissions to go through don’t give them any reason to drop it in the T-file! Producing a quality, professional product is the best way to get noticed.  

Even if you are not going the traditional publishing route, and have a damn-the-man attitude, you’ll still need to hire editors, e-book formatters, and other freelance professionals. Having a properly formatted manuscript will save money. As a freelancer for several years, I can tell you not having a properly formatted manuscript could double the price, because it will take twice as long to work on.

The writing is what should stand out, not the font, the indents, or anything else.

Proper Manuscript Formatting

Use a standard font, 12 point type in black only, Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier

            Do not use all bold, no crazy colors, and no cute fonts, in fact don’t use Courier, they say you can, but use Garamond instead.   

Double-space the entire text

            Single space is great in a 6x9 trade paperback, but on a 8.5x11 sheet of paper it is a literal wall of text. Double space so a reader, or more importantly, an editor can get through the page without a headache.

Begin the next sentence one space after the period  

            History lesson: back when we used typewriters, due to the spacing issues of letters (look at courier and it will give you an idea) they had to put two spaces at the end of a sentence so the readers eye would notice the break. Welcome to the future, fonts are spaced more appropriately and adding those spaces, not only looks awkward, but also adds pages to your novel.

One inch margin on all sides of your document

            One inch is standard, don’t make it .5 so you can turn 12 pages into 10 pages. Not to mention they stick out (not in a good way) especially in a stack of manuscripts.

Indent five spaces for the first line of each paragraph  

            This is best done by formatting the paragraph in the document’s toolbar or by using the tab button; do not hit the spacebar five times.

            Every paragraph needs to be indented in a manuscript, most people know this and get it right, but I’m mentioning this because of how most people indent or even center for that fact. Please do not use the spacebar! Someone, your publisher, your e-book formatter, your editor will have to go through the entire manuscript fixing these mistakes. Please save them from wanting to rip every hair off their body, and set your paragraph indent in the toolbar. Then all you have to do is write and the document does all the formatting for you. Thank you.

Do not add a space between paragraphs

            Remove the default line spacing (Why Word, why couldn’t the default have been standard manuscript format!)

            History lesson: In the early days of the internet to break up the text heavy screen (back when blogs had text that scrolled for days, now we just use gifs) a space was put between paragraphs.

            As the age of the long blog fades into six second videos, let this practice of adding a space between paragraphs fade into history. It not only adds half an inch to a stack of manuscript pages, but it breaks up a readers flow, and that’s the last thing a writer wants to do.

            Set this for the document, usually under Page Layout, and let the program do the work for you.

Begin the first paragraph four to six lines below the chapter heading

            If the document is double-spaced, just hit Enter twice and – if you’ve formatted the document in the program, then it’s already indented too – and start the first sentence.

Start each new chapter one third of the way down on a new page

            For short stories this is about where to start the story on a page. Leaving space around the title is not only appealing to the eye, but also clearly denotes a new section of the story.

Use a title page

            Contact information should be included unless otherwise specified by the guidelines. Do not number the title page, begin numbering on the first page, usually chapter one.

Place page numbers in the bottom right hand corner

            Just like a book.

Use a header on the upper right hand corner of each page

            Include your name and the title of your manuscript. Name – Title or I always use Name | Title

Use 20lb bond paper, white, with a high brightness

            If you have to print the submission for a contest or conference please use only white paper. For some reason, especially in contests, people think crazy paper is going to help out their entry, but yet again you want the writing to stand out not the paper.

Acceptable file formats

            Try to submit everything in a .doc file. Other file formats are accepted, .docx, .rtf, or pdf, but to be honest it’s about where you’re submitting it. If handing it off to an editor they will want .doc file, same as with an e-book formatter, but a printer might want a pdf. Always follow the guidelines.

Do not embed pictures into the manuscript

            This will happen when the book gets to layout. Send them when the publisher asks for them; maybe send a couple with the submission packet. Ask what the agent or publisher would like to see.

Tips when formatting

Be consistent! How anything is displayed is up to you, if you want to use year/place instead of place/year that’s fine but keep it the same throughout the whole manuscript.

When entering a contest, do not put your name on the manuscript, only the title page.

Always follow the submission guidelines!

Coming soon - Part Two: Formatting Tips for Ebooks and Print

Brad R. Cook, author, publisher at Blank Slate Press, and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com or www.blankslatepress.com for more information. Follow me on Twitter @bradrcook https://twitter.com/bradrcook, @blankslatepress https://twitter.com/blankslatepress, @stlwritersguild https://twitter.com/stlwritersguild, or my tumblr page Thoughts from Midnight http://bradrcook.tumblr.com/

The Lens On: Series is a reoccurring series of articles on The Writers’ Lens highlighting various aspects on writing; they are meant to start a discussion on the stated topic. For more information on this topic please consult Google or other literary sources.

Lens On: Word Counts

Lens On: Word Counts

By Brad R Cook

Word Counts…

Counting words… but I’m a writer not a mathematician!

As writers we deal in words, but as contests gained in popularity, and shelf space became regulated, the amount of words we're allowed has been set into industry standards.

Below are words count lengths for a variety of projects – but don’t freak out – these are suggested lengths. If your project is longer or shorter, that doesn’t mean your work is bad or wrong, but you may want to consider why your project isn’t falling within the acceptable range.

If your word count is too high, maybe you need to edit, tighten, or remove an unneeded scene. If the word count is too low, consider adding some chapters, or elaborating on a few key moments.

Word Counts by Genre

For adult commercial novels like romance, mysteries, paranormal, or horror – 70,000 to 90,000

Sci-fi / Fantasy / Thrillers (Big World Books) – 90,000 to 120,000

Young Adult – 60,000 to 80,000

Middle Grade – 30,000 to 45,000

Memoir – 70,000 to 90,000

Novella – 17,500 to 40,000

Novelettes – 7,500 to 17,500

Short Story – 2000 to 10,000

Flash Fiction – 500 to 1000

Now that you’ve seen where your novel's at, don’t get twisted into knots.

There is no need to freak out about word counts when you are writing, use them as a guide. Focus instead on the flow and pace of the story. Telling a great story is more important than the word count, let an agent, editor, or publisher tell you that you need more words or less. Unless you are submitting to a contest, most have a word limit, and you will want to come under that number. At that point, every word becomes important and, and conjunctions become good friends. 

If you want to know more about word counts, there are a number of places you can go. I consulted, Wikipedia, New Leaf Literary’s Tumblr page, a number of publishers websites, and Writers Digest.

May I suggest Chuck Sambuchino’s Writers Digest article – WORD COUNT FOR NOVELS AND CHILDREN’S BOOKS: THE DEFINITIVE POST   http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/word-count-for-novels-and-childrens-books-the-definitive-post

I try not to worry, and only calculate the word count at the end of the first draft. Except when writing short stories for contests – I stress over every word and phrase to whittle the story to within the accepted limit. Do you worry about word counts? Let us know in the comment section.

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy author and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com , follow me on Twitter @bradrcook  https://twitter.com/bradrcook , or my tumblr page Thoughts from Midnight http://bradrcook.tumblr.com/

St. Louis Reflections http://www.stlbooks.com/B009271-1211-51/Review.aspx

Lens On: Pacing

Lens On: Pacing

By Brad R. Cook

Pacing may be one of the most important aspects of a novel and one few workshops touch on. This isn’t a post about sentences; today I focus on the flow of words and how quickly a reader can get through your writing.

Pace is a writer’s gift to the reader. No one wants to get bogged down in the middle of a book, struggling to turn each page, fighting every word and sentence as if trekking through the Amazon jungle with a machete. Readers want pages to fly by like a Lamborghini speeding down the highway.

Modern novels… okay, good modern novels, have a pace you can snap along with. I love them and I try to emulate them. I’m not exactly certain when it started, but I would argue that the noir detective novels might be one place. These mysteries really developed the quick pace dialogue that now dominates the market.

Older novels, especially the Victorian novels, had a much slower pace. Overly wordy prose, filled with tangents that deviated from the main plot, and monologues that lasted a page, led to books with hundreds of pages – giant tomes bound in leather, that are completely unsuited for a beach read.

I find that good pace comes mainly from three places –

1 – Back and Forth Dialogue – Quick dialogue with short or no tags is a great way to increase your pace. Too much description in a dialogue tag can slow down the natural flow of a conversation. Beware the monologue; unless you’re a teacher or lecturer, most conversations involve two or more people speaking over each other. Capture that on a page and readers will fly through your work.

2 – Action Scenes – Fight scenes, chase sequences, or sex scenes are a great way to increase the pace of your novel. These are the exciting parts, and naturally should be a quick read. All are places where you don’t want to bog down the reader with, long descriptions, too much emotion, or an over focus on scenery. It is actually really hard to talk while fighting or running – try reading out loud next time you’re running on the treadmill.

3 – Word Choice and Sentence Length – When a sentence, short phrase, long phrase, paragraph, chapter, novel, or article is packed with terminology, expressions, vocabulary; words that may be important to conveying the meaning of your prose, but all the writer ends up doing is making the reader, or audience, re-read the same passage repeatedly, over and over, until they fully obtained the meaning of your original intention. (that may be the worst sentence I have ever written, so I hope you get my point) Keep it short; keep it sweet, keep it simple and the pace will follow.

What is your favorite way to improve the pacing of your writing? Or do you recommend a novel with great pacing? Let us know in the comments section.

The Lens On: Series highlight various aspects on writing for The Writers' Lens; they are meant to start a discussion on the stated topic. For more information on this topic please consult Google or other literary sources.

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy author and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com , follow me on Twitter @bradrcook  https://twitter.com/bradrcook , or my tumblr page Thoughts from Midnight http://bradrcook.tumblr.com/

St. Louis Reflections http://www.stlbooks.com/B009271-1211-51/Review.aspx

Lens on: Pitching

Writer's Digest Conference Pitch Slam 2011

Lens on: Pitching

By Brad R. Cook

I wanted to focus The Writers’ Lens on pitching to literary agents, publishers, and editors. In 2011, I had the great privilege to attend the Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City. After returning I wrote an article for The Scribe, St. Louis Writers Guild’s Literary Magazine, titled The Mechanics of the Perfect Pitch. I’ve updated that article so I could include it in the Lens On: Series, but what I learned still applies.

The Mechanics of the Perfect Pitch

By Brad R. Cook from the Spring 2011 issue of The Scribe

            The Missouri Writers Guild Annual Conference is a month away, are you ready for your Agent Pitch? No. Calm down, breathe, it’s going to be okay. Pitching is easy when you know what you’re doing.

            I had the pleasure of attending the Writer's Digest Conference in New York. It is famous for the Pitch Slam, a two-hour event held on Saturday where a writer has two hours to pitch to as many agents as possible. It was the craziest thing I have ever been a part of, every three minutes a bell rang and you had to get up. When I attended in 2011, 55 agents and 650 writers filled the room. Now that is the Super Bowl of pitching, there won't be anything like that at the MWG Conference.

            So what makes a great pitch? If you were at the November 2010 St. Louis Writers Guild workshop with Chris Richman of Upstart Crow Literary you would have heard about the various types of pitches. Chris helped everyone master the Elevator Pitch, a short 25 word sentence that describes the book. It is often called a Log Line. At the MWG Conference you’ll have seven minutes but what do you do with them?

Here are a few tips I picked up, I hope they help.

 1 – Do mention –  The Hook

                                      Is it complete,

                               Word Count,

                               Genre,

                               Main Character,

                               Main Plot,

                               One or two subplots, but only if important,                                                      Elevator Pitch (25-35 words)

                               Log Line ([Book] meets [Movie])

                        This is exactly what the agent will be listening for.

2 – Generalities and Clichés will kill a pitch  

            Say what’s different rather than why it’s the same as another book.

3 – Don't use all your time

            You want time to talk about your book, but you also want to give the agent a chance to ask questions. Half for pitching, half for discussion.

4 – Be positive - remember you're trying to sell yourself.

5 – Practice, practice, practice 

            Say it in the mirror, tell a friend, write it down. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Heck even if you’re not ready for publication, practice pitching in front of agent anyway (just make sure you tell them when it will be done)

6 – It is the work that sells not the writer  

            Focus on why the book is good, not yourself. Unless you’re writing non-fiction then it’s all about you and your platform.

7 – Don’t ramble or get bogged down in the details  

            Be specific but be concise.

8 – Don’t giveaway the ending or get tied up with back story

            Make the agent read your book to learn the juicy tidbits, and you only have a few minutes so focus on the story – unless you’re writing non-fiction.  

9 – Don’t expect the agent to take a proposal or query letter

             They have limited suitcase space

10 – Rejection isn’t about you; it’s about the writing or the industry

             Maybe the agent just picked up a similar book, or maybe they don’t represent that genre. The point is that the agent isn’t putting you down. They are just not the right agent for that material. If you are rejected, remember, there is always another agent – so get ready to pitch to them! 

            The goal is to hear those glorious words – send me a partial, I want to read that, but remember, publishing is long road and this is just the first step. Good luck with your pitches!

Do you have any tips for writers agonizing over their pitches? Add to my tips, can I get an 11, 12, and 13… Let us know in the comments.

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy author and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com or follow me on Twitter @bradrcook https://twitter.com/bradrcook

St. Louis Reflections http://www.stlbooks.com/B009271-1211-51/Review.aspx

To learn more about St. Louis Writers Guild, visit www.stlwritersguild.net, Saint Louis Writers Guild on Facebook, or @stlwritersguild on Twitter.com

For information on Missouri Writers Guild and its conference, visit www.missouriwritersguild.org or follow them on Twitter at @MoWritersGuild 

Lens On: Dialog Tags

Lens On: Dialog Tags

By Brad R. Cook

Do we read tags, or do our brains just absorb them and focus on the next line of dialog?

I do know this, there isn’t one answer, there isn’t even a right answer, but there are some suggestions.

Today I am focusing The Writers’ Lens on Dialog Tags, those pesky little sentences that hook on to our characters speeches. Most are short, some are overly wordy, but all are packed with information. Do we even need them, though?

For those who are uncertain what I am talking about, Dialog Tags announce who is speaking in the text. They most often are identified as: I said, he said, she asked.

When Should A Dialog Tag Be Used?

            Anytime a new character speaks on a page. Dialog tags are there for the reader, as the writer we know who is talking, we can hear them clearly in our heads, but the reader might be a little confused especially when there’s a crowded room of people talking over each other. A few tags can go a long way.

            It is essential to tag dialog when two or more characters are on the page. Think of a movie, they way the director jumps from one close up face shot to another when people are talking, they are visually tagging the conversation. It’s no different for writers. Identify who is speaking and the reader won’t have to reread to clarify.

When don’t you need dialog tags?

            When you only have two characters. If there are only two people talking on the page then after you have established the order you no longer need the tags. The conversation becomes a back and forth that is easily followed. It helps if the characters have different voices.

           

            When the context of the surrounding paragraphs describes the character. If you just got done writing about the character stepping up to a podium, then you don’t need a tag, the reader will know who is speaking.

            If you are Ernest Hemingway.

Said Brad vs. Brad Said

            Does order matter? No. Just use one and stick with it!

Which Dialog Tag Should I Use?

            Said, always use said. Most readers expect to see said, so the brain doesn’t even register it, we simply read the tag and move on. Because of this it can actually be distracting to use different tags.

            But what about asked, whispered, shouted, agreed, or any of the other descriptors? Here’s where the rules get murky, you can use them, sometimes you should use them… BUT you need to ask, should you just use said and move on, or do you need to use a different descriptor.

Which Dialog Tags Should I NOT Use?

            Telling Tags. “What a day.” I lamented. This says nothing, one could argue that the writer needs to mention the character’s feelings in the tag because “what a day” could mean anything without context, and they’d be right. But show the lament, or else you’ve missed a great chance to explore the character. Always show.  The same goes for declared, regretted, bragged, or… you get my point.

            Unneeded Tags. “Damn You!” I screamed. Readers are smart; an exclamation point is universal for screaming, shouting, or any number of similar emotions. Save the white space and add two words to some other description.  

Can I Conveying Action With Dialog Tags?

            Yes. But…be careful, you don’t want to slow up the pace of the conversation. So use when it is necessary. Here is also where you find two differences of thought. Some say you shouldn’t use action tags like laughed, smiled, or frowned. That action cannot be spoken and should not be in the dialog, but I would disagree. I would say that a sentence could call for action between the dialog. “That’s funny.” I chuckled. “But we really should get back.”

And since we’re on the subject,

Where Should I Put The Dialog Tag? Before, After, or In-between?

            Before or after – that’s up to a personal preference and how you identify characters. Some would say to identify the character before they speak to help the reader, others would argue that it should go at the end because it is the conversation that is more important. You decide, but only use one.

            In-between – yes! A great way to break up long monologues is with actions tags. People rarely stand stiff as a board and talk. We are animated creatures, usually performing multiple tasks at once. Only politicians like long speeches.

Well, I hope that helps everyone understand Dialog Tags. If you want a fun exercise, check out how your favorite authors tag their books. It’s something I notice now and I always get a kick out of it.

What is your favorite place for a Dialog Tag, or how do you feel about the said only world we now live in? Let us know in the comments.

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy author and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com or follow me on Twitter @bradrcook https://twitter.com/bradrcook

St. Louis Reflections http://www.stlbooks.com/B009271-1211-51/Review.aspx

Lens on P.O.V. (Point of View)

Lens on P.O.V. (Point of View)

By Brad R. Cook

Today I wanted to focus The Writers’ Lens on something important to all stories, the Point of View.

There are three basic points of view – First Person, Second Person, and Third Person

Each has their proper use, and will have significant influence on how your story is told. So it’s best to know your POV before you start, otherwise you’ll end up rewriting an entire book from one POV to another. I don’t suggest that.

However, rewriting a short story in multiple POV’s can be a great exercise to discover what POV you are most comfortable with or which is best for your story.

First Person

First Person Point of View is telling the story as if the writer is the main character. This form is easily recognizable by the use of “I”, but it can be a very effective technique when writing.

The Good

            First person instantly gives your story a clear voice. The MC’s voice.

            The pace of your novel is faster, because the reader isn’t bogged down with lots of descriptions or various characters’ opinions; these are usually quick-reads.

The Bad

            First person limits the amount of story that can be told, everything is filtered through the main character and we only see the events through their eyes.

            If you’re not careful it can become a grocery list and not a story. I did this, then I did that, and then I went over here. That isn’t a story; it’s a list of actions.

Second Person

Second Person Point of View is telling the story directly to the reader, connecting with them as if you were in the room with them. This is not usually used in novels, but is often a gimmick, a technique of breaking the fourth wall.

The Good

            It allows the writer to connect directly with the reader.

            This can often be effective in short spurts, like a narrator who talks to the reader while the characters are separate from them.

The Bad

            Often the writer ends up telling a story as opposed to showing the reader what is happening in the story.

            These stories can sometimes come off as ‘preachy’.

Third Person

Third Person Point of View can be further divided into Limited, Multiple Viewpoints, and Omniscient. All three are defined by the use of he/she.

Third Person Limited is told from only the main character’s point of view, as if the narrator sat up their shoulder through the whole novel. Everything the reader absorbs is from this single point of view, allowing the reader to get to know that character.

Third Person Multiple Viewpoints is told from two or more points of view. This usually works best when one chapter is dedicated to a characters point of the view and different chapters represent different characters.

I would not advise switching within the same chapter, unless…

Third Person Omniscient involves a narrator who lets the reader in on every characters mind and action. If third person limited has the narrator sitting on the main character’s shoulder, then third person omniscient is floating high above and telepathically linked to everyone. It’s a delicate balance to write, and I suggest reading some classical novels for inspiration.

The Good

            Many books are written in third person, it used to be the most common POV.

            Third person allows the writer to include greater depth for each of the characters not just the MC.

The Bad

            It can distant the reader from the characters, whereas first person makes them feel like part of the story.

What Point of View is your favorite to write, or do you have a Good or Bad point to share? Let me know in the comments.

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy author and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com or follow me on Twitter @bradrcook

St. Louis Reflections http://www.stlbooks.com/B009271-1211-51/Review.aspx

Lens on Echoing

Lens on Echoing

By Brad R. Cook

Introducing the new Lens On series of articles.

I wanted to focus the Writers’ Lens on a variety of issues that writers encounter. Am I an expert imparting sage wisdom? Nope, but I do want to start a dialogue about how to fix them. Today, I’ve aimed the lens on something that plagues all rough drafts – Echoing.

Echoing, you may know it by other terms, is when a word or phrase is repeated multiple times in a paragraph or on a page.

Yes, sometimes this can be done for dramatic effect, but that’s not what I’m talking about in this article. I’m focusing on the ones we don’t mean and need to be edited out of any manuscript.

All writers have words and phrases we repeat without even knowing it. Some would call this voice, but it’s really our own idiosyncrasies. I’m sure there is a psychologist out there who would tell you these words have deep insight into our psyche, but I just know I have a short list of words and phrases to keep an eye out for. You’ll find them in any rough draft, they might try and sneak by, but once you know what to look for they pop right off the page.

Example:

Jack burst through the door as shots rang out down the street. He shot the two men inside. “Clear!” Monroe charged across the room to the stairs and motioned with his hand. Both men hurried up the stairs and burst out onto the roof. Jack shot the man with the rifle ending his grip on this neighborhood.

Obviously, I echoed burst and shot. I know it’s a bad paragraph, but I couldn’t find any examples in my writing – I don’t have anything that rough at the moment. My next WIP, though, will be filled with them.

Here’s how it should look:

            Gunfire echoed down the street as Jack burst through the door and shot the two men inside. “Clear!”

            Monroe charged across the room to the stairs and called Jack forward with his hand. Both men scrambled to the roof. Jack saw a man laying prone with a rifle and pulled the trigger twice, ending this sniper’s grip on the neighborhood.

 

Ahh… editing. As you can see, burst and shot, are only used once. It makes the paragraph more interesting and keeps the reader from only seeing burst and shot and none of the words in-between.

One could argue that I am also echoing – and or the – but we’re talking about key words and phrases.

One way to stop this is to go through and highlight all the repetitive words. Soon you’ll see them without having to highlight them, but this is why we edit – to find these little snafus. You can also read the piece out loud; you’ll hear the repetitive phrases more easily.

So watch out for those echoes...watch out for those echoes…

What words or phrases do you echo? Do you have any tips for spotting the echoes while you edit, let us know in the comments.

 

Brad R. Cook is a historical fantasy author and President of St. Louis Writers Guild. Please visit www.bradrcook.com or follow me on Twitter @bradrcook

Check out my poem Clayton: The Little City in St. Louis Reflections http://www.stlbooks.com/B009271-1211-51/Review.aspx