Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
When a publication has an online submission system that includes your name and contact info in the form, but still says "submissions should be in standard manuscript format", should the document itself be anonymous even if the submission information doesn't specifically say so? Some say they want the manuscript anonymized, and some don't. I decided the other day to include the contact info at the top of the manuscript when I sent something in, but now I'm wondering if that was the wrong decision. (Not for the contest, I know that is anonymous) Thanks.
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V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: P
ALWAYS available for critique.
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
I think you're fine. I've always personally included the information on the MS unless explicitly told not to and have never had a problem.
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Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
Thank you. I'd hate to get rejected for something more firmly in my control like that.
V34: R,HM,R
V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: P
ALWAYS available for critique.
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: P
ALWAYS available for critique.
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
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Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
Hi Becky,
You can find the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) manuscript preparation guidelines here: http://www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/. These are the standard guidelines that nearly every market follows when their fiction guidelines instruct the author to "follow standard manuscript preparation guidelines."
I include Name, Address, Phone number and email.
Only remove name and contact information if the guidelines ask you to. Some markets (Escape Pod is one) ask that all identifiers be removed from the manuscript. They will auto-reject if identifiers are included. Identifiers to be removed do not include those embedded in file information (i.e., The kind that identifies the user in a sidebar comment.).
Kent
You can find the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) manuscript preparation guidelines here: http://www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/. These are the standard guidelines that nearly every market follows when their fiction guidelines instruct the author to "follow standard manuscript preparation guidelines."
I include Name, Address, Phone number and email.
Only remove name and contact information if the guidelines ask you to. Some markets (Escape Pod is one) ask that all identifiers be removed from the manuscript. They will auto-reject if identifiers are included. Identifiers to be removed do not include those embedded in file information (i.e., The kind that identifies the user in a sidebar comment.).
Kent
Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
SMF should include contact information unless guidelines explicitly state otherwise. I know Mike Resnick for one uses that contact info. A manuscript and a cover letter do not always travel hand in hand, if an editor reads on physical copies or an eReader, for example.
FWIW if I'm submitting anonymously I usually do strip out the file properties too--better safe than sorry, and some people had problems with that here, IIRC.
FWIW if I'm submitting anonymously I usually do strip out the file properties too--better safe than sorry, and some people had problems with that here, IIRC.
Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
That's what I figured, and what I finally decided, but then I had a flash of fear that I was giving them an easy reason to reject me by not knowing the secret of anonymous manuscripts.
Thanks all for the responses. At least if I get a rejection letter, I can reasonably assume it wasn't because of my personal info!

V34: R,HM,R
V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: P
ALWAYS available for critique.
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
V35: HM,R,R,HM
V36: R,HM,HM,SHM
V37: HM,SF,SHM,SHM
V38: P
ALWAYS available for critique.
www.rebeccaetreasure.com
-
- Posts: 341
- Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:45 pm
- Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
Thanks, Matt,
If the necessity arises, removing hidden file information can be done in Word 2013 and higher using the info found in this article: https://computerservices.temple.edu/removing-hidden-information-microsoft-office-files
If the necessity arises, removing hidden file information can be done in Word 2013 and higher using the info found in this article: https://computerservices.temple.edu/removing-hidden-information-microsoft-office-files
Re: Cover Letters v Standard Manuscript Format
I tend to save my files as RTFs (unless the market specifically requests other formats) to cut out the file information.
Echoing everyone else's thoughts: Standard Manuscript Format means with contact info unless the guidelines say otherwise.
Echoing everyone else's thoughts: Standard Manuscript Format means with contact info unless the guidelines say otherwise.
Michelle Pang
http://www.ympang.com
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"Subtle Ways Each Time" in Escape Pod.
"The Palace of the Silver Dragon" in Strange Horizons.
http://www.ympang.com
1xFinalist, 10xHM
"Subtle Ways Each Time" in Escape Pod.
"The Palace of the Silver Dragon" in Strange Horizons.
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