Always use plain white, 8 1/2" x 11" good bond paper. Type on one side of the paper only. All margins should be at least one inch and not more than one and a half inches. Double space. Number every page except the first one. Do not bind your manuscript in any way, except with a paper clip.

In the upper right hand corner of the first page, approximately one inch from the top of the paper, type your name, address, telephone number, email address if you have one, the story's title in quotation marks, the approximate number of words in the story and the exact number of pages, and the words "First North American Serial Rights" (which indicates that you are offering them the license to print the story for the first time, and that you retain all rights thereafter).

Most periodicals have guidelines online now - check our listing of periodicals. When in doubt, write a short letter to the publisher first to find out their submission guidelines. Include an SASE.

Unless the manuscript is specifically for a book publisher, type each story separately and do not number the pages in sequence except for individual stories. At the end of the story, drop three spaces and type "The End" or "-30-".

Computer printouts are okay as long as the pages are separated, the paper is good quality, and the type is dark and letter quality (laser or high quality inkjet). Photocopies are okay only if they are excellent reproductions. Manuscripts must be easy to read, clean and clear.

Check with the publisher before sending simultaneous submissions. Many publishers do not accept them. If you send a simultaneous submission, mention it in your cover letter. Try to limit simultaneous submission to publishers whose circulations do not overlap.

Always send a cover letter with biographical and submission information. Most periodicals find a short bio (no more than four sentences) useful - model this on the contributors' bios you see in the journal.

Generally, you should include a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) with your submission. Remember that postal meter stamps are only valid within the city or town where they were issued and are no good for return postage. For international submission, acquire stamps that are domestic to the periodical's country - these can be obtained online through the national postal services using a credit card. Failing that, include and International Reply Coupon (IRC) which you can purchase from Canada Post, and which run around three dollars each. IRCs can be inconvenient for editors, since they require a visit to the post office, so stamps are preferred where available.

There are exceptions to what used to be the "always include an SASE" rule. Some print journals are now happy to reply by email (check their guidelines if you're not sure), in which case you can simply specify in your cover letter that the manuscript is disposable and include a valid email address. Electronic journals, of course, will always reply via email.

Allow up to four months for a reply, if the publisher does not have an established reporting time. If you do not receive a reply in a reasonable amount of time, write a letter of inquiry. If you do not receive a reply to your inquiry, write a second letter withdrawing your manuscript from consideration. Register this second letter.

Keep a record of all of the stories you have sent out, what the results have been, and how long it has taken editors to reply. These records will prevent inadvertently sending the same material to more than one place, or sending more than one package to the same publisher at the same time, or sending the same material to the same publisher twice, and so on. You can also use these records to estimate a publisher's reporting time.

Never send your only copy.

Copyright 2005 Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia. All rights reserved. These documents may only be reproduced for personal or non-commercial use, in their entirety, with this copyright notice attached.