Format and Headers and Page Numbers, Oh My!

In submitting stories to fantasy and science fiction publications, I normally follow (unless otherwise specified by the guidelines) Proper Manuscript Format by William Shunn. It's simple, easy to follow, and is accepted by most publications. Best of all, removing the standard header (Last Name / Title / Page Number) from the first page is as simple as ticking Different First Page in the Header design box of Microsoft Word.

But what if you're required to follow a different format, like say, Manuscript Preparation by Vonda McIntyre, that requires a cover page? Now your header has to start on the third page instead of the second. All of a sudden, Different First Page property just won't cut it anymore.

What you need to do is introduce sections in your document, so Microsoft Word can identify the different types of headers (or lack thereof) that you require for each section. Here's an article that shows you how to do this, particularly, how to remove the header from the second page.

Now you think you're all set, but not quite yet. You realize your first header shows the page number "3", when it should start at "2" (i.e., disregard the cover page in the numbering). You need to tweak the page number properties to get this right. Here's another article that shows you how to start page numbering on page 2.

Hope this helps! Keep on writing!

I'm baaack!!!

Picking this up again more than 4 months after  ;) Better late than never...

Since my last blog post, I have rediscovered my passion for writing short stories and have started writing and submitting stories to various markets, particularly e-zines and anthologies dealing with fantasy, science fiction, and romance. :) I've had 3 stories accepted for publication so far (amidst 6 rejections and counting!). While writing short stories doesn't generate much revenue - though you could get up to $100 for a story depending on how good you are - it certainly does much to keep the brain in motion. The little thrill you get upon receiving an acceptance letter doesn't hurt either. And who knows? This may be the stepping stone to writing an actual novel!

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, you can now submit your stories to publishers in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, etc.. If your story is accepted, payment is made via PayPal so be sure to set up your account!

As with all other online transactions, a bit of caution is required before submitting and/or signing a contract! Be sure to read the fine print and look up the potential e-zine or publisher via Google to check for its authenticity. Be wary of vanity presses as well. These are publishers that accept your stories and then charge you to print, publish, and distribute! The publishers should be paying YOU.

When in doubt, Duotrope's Digest (http://duotrope.com/index.aspx) is a good source of tried and tested publishers of every genre and length (from nanofiction to full blown novellas!).

Best of luck and happy writing!