# Fonts



## CharlesVer (Sep 16, 2010)

Hello, 

This is my first post here on these forums.

I'm considering submitting a short story to a publisher, I've been writing for a number of years but am new to submissions and publishing.

Reading the publisher's requirements, they included a link to Shunn's formatting.
William Shunn : Manuscript Format : Short Story

Shunn highly recommends the Courier font, but mentions Times New Roman as an alternative.  He goes into detail, though, why the Courier font is preferred.

My Microsoft Word does not have Courier available, but it does have New Courier.  I know that they are not the same, but New Courier is similar to Courier.  Would it be better to use New Courier, which was not mentioned by Shunn but is closer to his recommended font, or to use Times New Roman, which he did recommend as an alternative?

Thanks,
Charlie


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## Sam (Sep 16, 2010)

Times New Roman is generally accepted across the board. I'd go with it.


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## garza (Sep 16, 2010)

The problem is, Microsoft's version of Times New Roman dosen't really look like Times New Roman. The original Times Roman and the slightly revised Times New Roman were designed to be used with newsprint, which is highly absorptive. To get the same effect on the computer screen and when printed on better quality paper, it appears that the weight of the type had to be increased, and it does not come out the same. To my eye, TNR printed on pulp paper looks good, while Microsoft's TNR has a crude look about it. 

In serif typefaces Bookman Old Style and the more compact Book Antiqua are far more attractive. Among commonly used sans-serif type faces Arial has a very utilitarian look, while Verdana has an elegant appeal that has made it increasingly popular. 

Arial is all I ever use for my own writing. Once it gets to the shop the editor can have it cast in whatever typeface he wants. It's no concern of mine, so long as the cheque clears the bank.

New Courier is all I ever use on email, though.


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## Baron (Sep 16, 2010)

The courier font can be googled and downloaded.


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## garza (Sep 16, 2010)

The Linotype website has all the old favourites like Helvetica, Futura, and Univers. I may spend a few dollars there.

New Courier isn't a bad typeface. I switch to it sometimes when I'm writing and pretend I'm 14 again, banging away on that old Underwood Model Five.


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## CharlesVer (Sep 17, 2010)

Baron said:


> The courier font can be googled and downloaded.


 
The Courier font is on my computer.  It just isn't accessible from Word.  I only see it in Notepad.  I have had no success finding a way to access it from Word.  I've googled answers and found lots of them, though none really helped.  I suspect it has something to do with my printer, and that the Word software can only access fonts that I can print.

However, I contacted William Shunn, the author of the article on standard formatting for submissions.  He said that his recommendation of Courier applies to the entire Courier family, including Courier New and Courier New Dark, which is preferred by many people who find Courier New to be too light.

Apparently publishers find the Courier family to be easier to read and identify errors than other fonts.

Charlie


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## garza (Sep 17, 2010)

Do all your writing in Notepad, then switch to Word for formatting and printing. That might work. I write in Notepad and most of the time use Arial, available in Notepad and Word.

Courier New appears, at least to my eye, to have been modeled on the version of Courier used on the IBM Selectric typewriters, the typewriters with balls. Courier New Dark I've not used. If it is a bit heavier than Courier New then that would make it look more like what I had in my old Underwood.


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## CharlesVer (Sep 17, 2010)

I'm fine with using Courier New.  The concern was that the publisher's requirements pointed to Shunn's article, which recommended "Courier."  I now know he meant the Courier family.   I prefer to do my writing in Word, I honestly don't like Notepad or any other software for writing.   If I really needed to use old Courier, writing in Notepad wouldn't help because as soon as I move to Word I'd lose it and the submission has to be .doc format.  My problem is  solved though, with the knowledge that Shunn's recommendations include Courier New as equally acceptable as Courier.

Thanks though,
Charlie


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## garza (Sep 17, 2010)

You say you don't like any software for writing, but you also say you prefer the, to me, most aggravating piece of software ever compiled or assembled: Word. 

All of what I submit for publication is plain text Arial. If I'm submitting something that includes graphics or tables I move the text into Word and add the other elements and perhaps different typefaces to show how pages should be laid out.

Anyroad, your problem is solved, and that's good.


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## CharlesVer (Sep 17, 2010)

Um, I said I don't like to do my writing using any _other _software _besides _Word.  

I'm just used to it.  If you find it aggravating, that's fine.  It's all personal preference.  I'm not recommending it for anyone else, I'm just saying what I use.  I think it's a wonderful world where everyone can make their own choices of what software to use.

I'm rather new to publishing, but I'm going to make an effort to submit my works using whatever guidelines the publisher wants.  This publisher wants it to conform to Shunn's formatting, which recommends Courier.   If I submit to another publisher and they want Arial, or Times New Roman, or handwritten hieroglyphics, I'm going to do my best to make the publisher happy.  I have nothing against Arial; I'm just following the publisher's specs.

Thanks for everything,

Charlie


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## RM Americano (Sep 17, 2010)

Some versions of MS Office only come with Courier as a non true-type font which means it can't be printed.  Just DL a true-type version.


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## garza (Sep 17, 2010)

CharlesVer - Sorry, I miss understood. You have a slightly misplaced modifier there.

You have exactly the right attitude when you say you will submit 'using whatever guidelines the publisher wants'. That's critical at your stage in your writing career. Later you'll find that you can be more flexible. I've know beginning writers who insisted it should be their way or no way, which always ends up being no way. Pink ink on lavender paper using Brush Script typeface was a real turn-off for the copy editors at Argosy. 

RM Americano - My version of MS Office has True Type Courier New. I may invest in Courier New Dark and see how it looks.


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## CharlesVer (Sep 17, 2010)

Thank you for taking the time to reply.



garza said:


> I've know beginning writers who insisted it should be their way or no way, which always ends up being no way. Pink ink on lavender paper using Brush Script typeface was a real turn-off for the copy editors at Argosy.


 
I find that absolutely amazing.  I think it's only common sense to follow the publisher's requirements.  Unless, of course, your name is "Stephen King" or "Dean Koontz" or some other brand name, in which case you could write your laundry list in magic marker on a napkin, submit it, and have a best seller.  

Charlie


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## garza (Sep 17, 2010)

You don't have to be a brand name, just have a solid reputation and an established relationship with certain editors and publishers. The last query email I sent said something like 'I have a few more thousand words on my trip to the Coast. Do you want it?' When the answer came back 'send whatever you have' I attached the copy in plain text Arial to an email and sent it off. Understand, though, that this was someone I've been dealing with for years who knows how I write. 

My efforts go into putting words together. News syndicates have copy editors who deal with the technicalities. If you stick with it you will get to that stage, though it may take longer with fiction. I've published very little fiction, and that a long, long time ago.

Of course it's a different story when I'm putting together a long technical report or policy recommendations paper that includes pie charts, graphs, drawings, tables, photos, and such. And it's when I'm trying to coerce Word into letting me format all of this the way I want it and not the way the fool programme wants it that I shout 'I hate word processors'. But the truth is they are essential and with a little persuasion I'm always able to get what I want. It's only for straight writing and for Web page design that I use Notepad.


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