Our purpose in these few lessons is to give some explicit directions
as to the general make-up of manuscripts intended for printing. Every
person who has even a business card or a circular to print should have
a knowledge of the common phraseology of a printing house.
As to paper, the size in most common use for manuscripts is what is
known as _letter_. The sheets in any case should be of uniform size.
Avoid all eccentricity and affectation in the preparation of your
manuscript, or "copy," as printers call it. The more matter-of-fact
and businesslike it is the better.
If at all possible have your manuscript type-written, and under no
circumstances should you roll the sheets when preparing them for the
mails. There are a number of large publishing houses which positively
refuse to touch rolled manuscripts. The very first impression created
by such a manuscript is one of extreme irritation. A rolled proof is
pretty nearly as discouraging, yet many printers still follow the
annoying practice of rolling their proofs.
Every printing establishment of any note has its methods and customs
as regards orthography, the use of capitals and of punctuation. As a
rule it is best to leave doubtful points to the printer. Any little
deviation desired may be easily remedied in the proofs.
Paragraphs should be boldly indicated by setting the line well back in
the "copy." Extract matter included in the text should be clearly
shown, either by marking it down the side with a vertical line from
beginning to end or by setting the whole well back within the compass
of the text. Such matter is commonly set in slightly smaller type.
With regard to the corrections in the proofs it must be remembered
that the more carefully an article is written the smaller the expense
for author's corrections. This charge is often a great source of
contention between the author and the printer, and, altogether, is an
unsatisfactory item. A printer is bound, with certain reservations, to
follow the "copy" supplied. If he does that and the author does not make
any alterations there is no extra charge and nothing to wrangle about.
A small correction, trivial as it may seem to the inexperienced, may
involve much trouble to the printer. A word inserted or deleted may
cause a page to be altered throughout, line by line, and a few words
may possibly affect several pages. The charges made for corrections
are based on the time consumed in making the necessary alterations.