Argh - Double spacing question.

[Chacha]

I emailed the agent of whom I was going to Query, and she wrote me a nice email back saying to include the first five pages of my work. However...I feel like an idiot, because I forgot to ask if those five pages were to be double spaced. I don't want to seem like an annoyance by emailing her again - So I thought I'd ask everyone here. The manuscript is to always be double spaced, right? At least from what I've read. So I assume I should send it like that, but I wasn't quite sure. (This is an email Query, by the way. They accept both mail and email, but they actually prefer email - Things changing? I found it rare for people to accept E-queries.)

Thanks

[dustinzgirl]

Standard is 1.5 spacing times new roman or courier 10 or 12 font.

I would imagine that if it is not stated, just go with the average.

[Commonmind]

dustin, most of the submission guidelines I've read (and most of the "How to submit your manuscript" resource sites out there) require double-spacing. I always considered that to be the standard. I don't want to take away from your advice, but I would actually suggest double-spacing as it seems to be more common. No offense.

[The Ace]

Double-spacing won't hurt.

[Frontierzone]

Agreed. Double-spacing makes reading a lot easier.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Double-spacing for sample pages, single for the query letter (which should be short, by the way, and no more than a paragraph of synopsis there).

If this particular agent wants a one, two, or three page synopsis in addition, she will have presumably told you about that.

Twelve point Courier is still the industry standard, although smaller publishers sometimes ask for, or will accept, something else. Agents, of course, like to sell to the largest paying market they can. So it's safest to always use Courier 12 unless someone specifically asks for another font.

edit: One of the things an agent wants to find out from the sample pages is whether or not you know how to properly format a manuscript. Double-spaced is the standard, not just because it's easier on the eyes, but because it makes it easier for the editor and the copy-editor to mark up manuscripts in a legible manner.

[John Jarrold]

Yep, double spacing is industry standard for submitted typescripts.

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by Chacha

(This is an email Query, by the way. They accept both mail and email, but they actually prefer email - Things changing? I found it rare for people to accept E-queries.)

Thanks

I receive 99.9% of my submissions by e-mail, but I know from anecdotal evidence that some agenices stil require hard copy. Which seems a pity...

[Chacha]

Thanks for the help, I'll send it double spaced.

And, yea, I researched some more agents last night, and I found that the majority do in fact prefer e-mail, I don't know what I was looking at before.

And if I may, I'd like to ask one more question. I have a prologue, and convienently enough, it comes out to five pages double spaced. Should I send that...or the first actualy five pages of the first chapter? I wasn't sure, because while the prologue contains the actual first five pages, the first chapter is, well the first chapter.

Thanks again for all your help, it's been great!

[Commonmind]

Originally Posted by Chacha

Thanks for the help, I'll send it double spaced.

And, yea, I researched some more agents last night, and I found that the majority do in fact prefer e-mail, I don't know what I was looking at before.

And if I may, I'd like to ask one more question. I have a prologue, and convienently enough, it comes out to five pages double spaced. Should I send that...or the first actualy five pages of the first chapter? I wasn't sure, because while the prologue contains the actual first five pages, the first chapter is, well the first chapter.

Thanks again for all your help, it's been great!

I believe I remember John actually answering a similar question in his dedicated thread. You might want to check there for the answer. The thread contains quite a bit of useful information and I would suggest reading it in its entirety no matter what.

[Chacha]

Originally Posted by Commonmind

I believe I remember John actually answering a similar question in his dedicated thread. You might want to check there for the answer. The thread contains quite a bit of useful information and I would suggest reading it in its entirety no matter what.

Ah, thank you. I remembered reading that somewhere on here, but I couldn't remember where - And I couldn't remember what it said either.

[Chacha]

See, the reason I'm having a difficult time deciding is because it's not really a prologue...but it kind of is. I know - that make zero sense.

For example - It's not information laden, in that, it doesn't bog the reader down in boring information. It's something in the book that happened many, many years before the actual year/years the book is being told in - but it puts the reader right in the action. It doesn't say, for instance, this happened, then that happened, then this happened which is the cause of this.

I'd like to envision it as being part of Chapter one, but I'm not sure I could do that. Because the time is being shifted so dramatically.

[John Jarrold]

Well, five pages is enough, in many agents and publishers' eyes, to say 'no' or ask to see more. So I'd send the prologue, and if it interests the agent enough they will ask to see more. Around 90% of submissions to agents and publishers can certainly be turned down after reading ten pages...