For instance, some publications prefer blind submissions, meaning you won’t put your name on the document itself. Others want your information on every page. Find the button marked “Submit” or “Submissions” on the publication’s home page. You might see “For Authors” instead.
Do not put this information in a header. Format your heading like this: Jane Poet123 Writing AvenuePenandink, TX 73313123-456-7890JanePoet@thisismyemail. comwww. janepoet. com
The poem lines should be parallel with your name across the page. Do not put this information in the header.
Your heading should look this way: Jane PoetPoem Title, page 2, continue stanzaBegin the text of your poem here.
Highlight the text of the poem, and use the tiny triangles in the ruler at the top to indent all of the text at once. Click on the bottom of the triangle where the tiny rectangle is so that both triangles move at once. Move it over 0. 5 inches (1. 3 cm). You can use this option in word processing software such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. If your poem is a shaped poem with different spacing for indentions, indent for each line by highlighting it individually and using the triangle at the top to move the line over.
To change the margins, look for “Margins” tab under “Page Layout. " You can also adjust margins by clicking on the tiny triangles at the edges of the page that are set on rulers. Move them to 1 inch (2. 5 cm). Change the font under the “Home” tab in Microsoft Word using the drop-down menus.
To skip a line between stanzas, hit return twice instead of once. If your word processor automatically adds a space between paragraphs, change that setting because it will treat each line like a paragraph. Highlight the text and then right-click on it. Click on “Paragraph,” and check the box “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style. "
Page breaks are usually located under “Layout” and “Breaks. " Click on the page where you want the break, then click “Page” under “Breaks. " If your poem is longer than a page, continue the poem onto the next page, adding the second page header.
Some editors prefer you to copy and paste your poem into an email. Unfortunately, sometimes the formatting from your word processing can create a messy poem. This process helps clean it up.
This process strips the poem of its word processing formatting, making it more suitable for email. You can also click the paragraph button that looks like a backwards “P” at the top of your word processing software. This button shows all the formatting applied to your document, which you can then erase. As another option, try using an online site that strips formatting.
