Silver Boomers

Good Standard Formatting Rules

• Use a simple, serif type style (like Times Roman or Courier), set at 12 points.
• Double space all prose manuscripts. Poetry may be single-spaced. Do not justify right-hand margins. Allow 1 to 1 ½-inch margins all around.
• Use white bond paper, 20-pound or better, 8 ½ x 11 inches. No onionskin, lined paper or colored stock.
• Type your name, your pen name if you desire to use a different name, your mailing address, your email address, your telephone number, and the previous publication history of your submission in the upper left corner, single-spaced. In upper right corner, type approximate word count of prose or the line count for poetry.
• Drop down about half-way on the first page, then center your title, with your byline beneath it. These are double-spaced. Start your text below the byline, indenting each paragraph 5 spaces. Do not add extra space between paragraphs. The first page of a manuscript will have about 12 lines of text on it.
• On page two and subsequent pages, type the title (or a key word from the title) in the upper left corner as a header, followed by a dash and your last name. Place the page number in upper right. The text should begin 3 or 4 spaces below this header. Again, keep it simple. No rules, script or graphics in the header or in the text.
• Type on one side of paper only. Paperclip the finished pages together. Don't staple, and don't put the manuscript in a folder.
• Fewer than five pages may be mailed flat or folded in a #10 business envelope. Five pages or more should be mailed flat.
• Paper-clip to the manuscript a separate page with a biographical sketch of yourself between 75 and 100 words.
• You may include a self-addressed stamped postcard for notice of whether or not your manuscript has been accepted. If you prefer to be notified by email a postcard need not be sent. If you include a second self-addressed stamped postcard, we will use that to inform you we have received the manuscript. This is optional. Manuscripts will not be returned to the author, and will be shredded after publication of the book.

Mail to: Silver Boomer Books, 2998 South 14th Street #101, Abilene TX 79605. Do not decorate your manuscript or envelopes with happy faces, lip prints, perfume, cookies or other gimmicks.