Formatting Question [Italics]

I understand when you submit your manuscript to an agent, it should be in Courier New/12 font (depending upon the agent's submission guidelines). When Courier is italicized, it's very hard to see it as italicized (I've never tried it, it's what I read in publishing books.) The slant of the italics is very slight. Unlike Times New Roman, which is quite clear and easy to see that it's italicized.

To ensure it's clear to the reader that it's italicized, it's underlined. You don't italicize it and underline it, just underline it.

Now, you're last question, a part that's supposed to be underlined...I don't know. Hopefully another will be able to answer that question!

I don't understand the Courier as the easy-to-read standard. I find it very hard to read and hate it. I guess we can't account for personal tastes, huh?

Both Times and Courier are acceptable fonts.

Using italics are fine. Underlining is used so the typesetter knows when to use italics. For agent submissions, don't worry about this.

Underline is standard for italics. It's one of those things that goes back to typsetting I think. Depending on the font, italics can be easy to miss, but underlines are easy to spot.

After a while you get used to hitting ctrl-U instead of ctrl-I.

If something is suposed to be underlined, I'd probably just underline it and keep an eye out to make sure it's right when you get galleys.

Do agents expect italics to be underlined?

I've been wondering about this: When sending a ms sub as an attachment to email, do agents expect the italics to be underlined? And if so, why?

I understand during the pre-computer era underlining was necessary due to typewriter limitations. With technology being what it is now, why not change that?

Formating a manuscript for submissions has changed. Some authors still do but the majority do not because the rules are no longer the same when it goes to the typesetter.

Once it gets to the editor they will tell the author about any changes they want during the proof review... Or so I have been told.

No. You can use italics for italics now.

I asked when my first book was accepted for publication, and I was told that archaic things like underlining for emphasis and two spaces after a period just have to be taken out, so they appreciate it when you do it for them.

Thanks! I am so glad I asked.

My first manuscript submitted to agents had italics italicized. However, I read in several places that you should underline, so I changed it. It has been so confusing. With WP programs being what they are, it made more sense to leave the italics as italics instead of underlining.

Now that I think about it, I sent a requested full to an editor with the italics underlined--*biting nails* Hopefully she'll be okay with it!

I still double space after every period. I've heard from some editors who want it, and I think I would have a hard time breaking that habit if I tried.

I honestly never heard of double-spacing before joining AW.

And I still underline for italics.

Of course, all of my subs are to epubs, and by email. So any changes they want me to make, I do in seconds with search/replace.

Last week I subbed a manuscript where I'd underlined for emphasis. The publisher likes italics instead. So, I used search and replace and had the entire matter sorted in about two seconds.

I always used italics for italics in my novel submissions to agents.

For periodicals, anthologies or e-pubs, follow their guidelines because they may have specific requirements.

Agents have nothing to do with italics. Italics/underlining is for the editor and typesetter, and it has nothing to do with typewriters. Underlining is a proofreaders' mark, and all editors use proofreaders' mark. So do typesetters.

Writers really need to get over thinking that anything is done as a holdover from typewriters. Pretty much nothing is. Underlining is used because a great many manuscripts are still edited by hand, and when you edit by hand, you must use proofreaders' marks to keep everyone on the same page.

There is an editing process, and things change during this editing. If, as an editor, I find something that isn't italicized, but needs to be, the only way I can show this is by underlining it. If the writer uses actual italics, there are no two things the next editor and the typesetter must watch for, and that's a pain in the ass.

It doesn't much matter which you use with an electronic manuscript that will be edited on a screen, though some publishers still want underlining because they use electronic proofreaders' mark that also maintain underlining for italics, but for print manuscripts that will be edited by hand, you're taking a big chance if you use actual italics. Odds are good that the published novel will have some mistakes in it.

See James and I always come to blows about what editors want. For example he says that it's editors who want italics underlined, yet I just spent a month going back and forth working on a proposal with an editor and she would add italics to my work.

Ditto my recent anthology short story, where the few italics I put in were translated just fine to the proofs.

From what I can tell these days, because most editors aren't printing out MSs and then underlining what they want to be in italics, but are instead working on the computer using track changes, all things in italics will appear as things in italics and not a combination of italics and underlining as he says. I seriously wouldn't worry about it.

Some people apparently do still prefer underline instead of italics, but I wouldn't worry about it either way. (Personally, I think it's outdated. I use italics. I also use only a single space after periods and wouldn't touch Courier with a 10-foot pole...the world is changing.)

It shouldn't matter if you are just querying agents. Once you have an agent and are ready to submit to publishers, he or she can advise you on which to use.

Jamesaritchie said:

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Writers really need to get over thinking that anything is done as a holdover from typewriters. Pretty much nothing is.
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I disagree. From what I know, you couldn't type italics with a typewriter, therefore it seems that this bit of hold-over of underlining can stem from the days before word processors.

Also, as for the double space after period, right after I signed with my agent four years ago, he asked me to remove all double spaces after periods and make them single space. I've been doing that since, no problem.

It doesn't matter what you do (re: italics or underline), as long as you follow whatever guidelines the agent has, and if there are no guidelines, if they love your work they'll tell you italics or underline. It won't deter them from repping you.

Thanks for all the input.

It sounds as if this is a preference (editor or publisher) sort of thing and not necessarily an industry standard. My worry was my submissions were coming off as amateurish (not underlined) or outdated (underlined).

It's also a question of what font you use for your manuscripts. I use Courier for most of mine and underlining just looks better than italics with that particular font.

A Rather Silly Question About Formatting. . .

Uh . . . yeah.

I know that when your work is sent to the printing press, it's underlined so the typesetter knows to put it in italics. But what about submitting that work to an agent? Should you have the italicized parts underlined or, well, in italics?

It seems to be a minor thing but it's given me headaches because I don't know what agents would rather see, italics for a more natural-looking submission or underlines to show that you know how the business works.

rebelcheese said:

Uh . . . yeah.

I know that when your work is sent to the printing press, it's underlined so the typesetter knows to put it in italics. But what about submitting that work to an agent? Should you have the italicized parts underlined or, well, in italics?

It seems to be a minor thing but it's given me headaches because I don't know what agents would rather see, italics for a more natural-looking submission or underlines to show that you know how the business works.

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You don't have to underline what's meant to be in italics these days, unless whoever you're submitting to explicitly tells you to do it that way. Just use italics for italics.

Marlys said:

You don't have to underline what's meant to be in italics these days, unless whoever you're submitting to explicitly tells you to do it that way. Just use italics for italics.

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That simple? I'm actually kind of surprised.

Thank you. I've been worried I've been doing it wrong all this time.

If it's print, underline. Nothing has changed in this regard.