(The following opinions are not necessarily those of any magazine editorial staff with which I am associated.)Tips from a slush reader to the writer:
1. Standard manuscript format can be boiled down to two simple rules:
- Double-space the body of the story.
- Font is 12-pt. Courier or, if you absolutely must, Times New Roman.
2. First impressions count for a lot. See note number 1, above.
3. If you want to write a courtroom scene and you're not a lawyer, don't.
4. If you want to write a story in which the protagonist is a writer, and you're not Stephen King, don't. (And that proviso only because Stephen King is rich enough to get away with anything.)
5. Master the rules of English grammar and demonstrate that mastery in some way before pissing on them and setting them afire.
And this next is certainly not shared by all editors, but is one I feel strongly about:
6. I don't care what magazine you edit, what workshops or MFA programs you attended, or what organizations or cliques you belong to, because I'm not judging you. I'm judging whether this one particular story you've submitted fits our needs. If it doesn't, I don't give a toss about your impressive resumé or your influential friends. I believe in meritocracy. If the Good Ole Boy system was a human being, I'd be doing time at Pewee Valley for its murder right now.
7. I cannot be bribed, but liberal doses of chocolate do tend to mellow me out.
