A few lessons I’ve picked up.
There are a lot of posts out there by writers far more successful than myself on this subject, so what I’m hoping to do is condense the advice I’ve been given that I consider the best, and make it into a bit of a one-stop shop.
First off, if you are writing a piece specifically for a certain publication, look up their submission guidelines. If they have a specific format listed, writing your piece in a document formatted in their preferred manner will do wonders for your sense of flow and pacing, as it will provide you with the same reading experience that the first readers (also known as slush readers) will eventually receive.
A good baseline for formatting is the Shun Manuscript, which is a succinct demonstration and explanation of good practice, though it is in American English, so some conventions will differ regionally (dialogue markers, etc.).
Beyond that baseline, the requirements of different publications will vary. Some may insist on a certain font, or spacing rule, or similar. This is usually done as a method of filtering submissions, and failing to comply with these rules is liable to get your work deleted unread, which is a waste of your time and theirs, particularly if you are submitting to a publication non-simultaneously, which is the norm.
Submission etiquette is a vital part of getting work published, and not respecting a publication’s policy on simultaneous submissions (offering your work to different publications at the same time) is liable to turn having your work accepted into a complete disaster. The rule of thumb I’ve been taught is that if in doubt, do not simultaneously submit. The guidelines on sim-subs on the publication’s website will usually be very clear, but if they are not, presume that doing so is not permissible.
As such, if the publication does not explicitly permit sim-subs, you should wait until receiving a rejection notice before submitting the same piece elsewhere.
If you’re submitting a piece via a medium like e-mail, keep anything other than the writing itself bare and to-the-point. It exists as a way of communicating as efficiently as possible the pertinent details about what you are submitting to the first-reader, and nothing else. As an example, here is the text of the e-mail I sent for a recent submission:
Hello,
Please find attached my short story The Dust Filter (5100 words). I hope it is to your liking. I have no relevant publications to disclose. This is not a simultaneous submission. Thank you for the opportunity to catch your eye.
Best wishes,
Emma Maguire
Essentially, you are putting as little as possible between the slush reader and reading your submission. The work should speak for itself.
The other important factor at play is where you submit your work to. There are innumerate publications, and selecting ones that chime well with the work you are producing is a must. Take the time to read the publication you are hoping will accept your writing, to get a feel for what it is they are looking for. If it’s worth your time and won’t compromise your work’s integrity, reshaping it a little to fit in is nothing to be afraid of. Otherwise, there are plenty more journals and magazines in the sea.
In summation, the single most important factor is the submission criteria set out by the specific publication in question. If they want it in triple-spaced 13pt Papyrus with every ninth word underlined, do it. Any rules about file format, submission windows, etc., obey them. And above all else, make sure that you’re submitting your work to a place where you’d be happy to see it printed.
Rainbow Samphire 