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FICTION SIGs
Participation guidelines

Please read these guidelines before attending your first meeting and either print or bookmark this page for future reference. The Fiction and Novel SIGs provide opportunities to get thoughtful, detailed feedback for your works in progress. SIGs do not replace writing programs, classes or workshops, nor are they classrooms for learning basic grammar and sentence structure.

First, You Format
Get in the habit of using standard formatting. Publishers expect it and readers will give full attention to your content, rather than being distracted by an odd layout. Your 10 pages should:

Be computer or typewritten

On white paper, in black ink

Use 1 to 1 ½” margins on all sides

Use standard 12 point fonts (An easy-to-read font like Times New Roman, Courier, or Arial.)

Be double-spaced and left justified

Have paragraph breaks (and standard indentations) whenever there is a change in speaker, action, or POV

• Be spell-checked
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation
• Have numbered pages (If you’ve already created headers including your name, story title, etc., and you prefer to leave them on, that’s fine, but you don’t need to add them for the benefit of the group.)

  Copyright notices and symbols on your pages flag you as a rank amateur. Lose them and you’ll not only appear more professional, you can include more writing on your pages for us to review.

  Italics can be formatted however you prefer. Some experts say italic text should always be underlined, others say differently. Whichever system you elect, just make sure you stay consistant.

For novels or long short stories, chapters should always start on a new page. Some experts recommend starting each new chapter two-thirds down the page. Chapters longer than 15-16 pages may be a tough sell in today’s market, so look for ways to split them. The AWG Fiction SIG is structured for 10 pages or less, to allow more authors an opportunity to be read. On occasion, we may consider a 12-13 page chapter. If your 32 page short story has a natural break at page 8, that’s where you should stop, and continue another segment at the next SIG.

Write two short paragraphs to introduce your work, so you don’t spend more time on the intro than it takes to read your pages. (You don't need to photocopy your intro.) The first paragraph should include genre, type of work (novel, short story, essay, etc.) type of story (coming-of-age, man-against nature, etc.) and what you are looking for in terms of feedback.

The second paragraph should let us know where your current pages fit within the story, what happened before this chapter/section begins, and what happens next. It can be hard to squeeze everything into two tight paragraphs, but it will help us offer you optimum feedback.

Privacy, Please
As Fiction SIG pages or other correspondence make the rounds, you'll have access to other AWG members' email addresses, and sometimes phone numbers or other contact information. Ensuring the privacy of our members and guests is very important. It is acceptable to contact other members for writing-related purposes. Or even social ones ("I had such a good time chatting with you, I'd like to invite you to my open house.")

However, it is never acceptable to use AWG contact information to solicit for commercial, political, religious or other purposes. Do not include your AWG colleagues in mass emailing of jokes, unless you have their permission. Do not share their contact information with other organizations. Members who violate the AWG's no spamming/harassing policy will be warned and even terminated from the group.

However, the AWG does have a great way to share information. If you'd like to share details about a competition, networking night or other writing-related event, post it on the AWG Yahoo! Group message board. All memberships in the AWG Yahoo! Group are approved by the Group Moderator. Email for an invitation.

Count Heads, Run Copies
Bring enough enough collated and stapled copies for the number of people expected. You can check the RSVPs on the Evite page on the day of meeting. Everyone needs a copy on which to write down his/her notes as the work is read.

Non-fiction, essays, synopses, query letters and other nonfiction writing are welcome at the Fiction SIG, but should follow regular fiction formatting rules when brought to the group. Poetry should be spaced as appropriate. Screen, radio, and teleplays should be taken to our Screenwriting SIGs.

Bring a pen to make notes on the work of others and to capture remarks made about your work. Prepare to roll up your sleeves and settle in for a fun, insightful session.

For More Information
For questions on grammar and punctuation, refer to "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk and E. B. White or "The Chicago Manual of Style." Both are available at bookstores and libraries.

Check these links for articles about fiction formatting. When writing for publication or to enter contests, always follow the formatting guidelines provided by the editors. Remember, they are flooded with submissions. Don’t give them an excuse to reject your work!

Writing World: A Quick Guide to Manuscript Formatting

William Shunn: Proper Manuscript Format

The Obligatory Manuscript Format Article

Manuscript formatting rules

Fiction Addiction's manuscript formatting rules