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Guidelines for Yard Dog Press

Check the "News" page to see what we're reading for at this time.  The general guidelines are as follows:

All submissions – We usually only accept manuscripts that have not been previously published.  There have been a few exceptions, so if you have a previously published manuscript that you think we might be interest in, query first and be sure to include where and when the story or novel first appeared.

   NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS. We respond to queries within two weeks and to manuscripts within three months.  If we’re going to take longer, we will contact you and let you know why so that you can decide at that time what you want to do.

   We almost always make editorial comments on manuscripts whether we accept them or not.  The advice is free; take it or leave it.

Chap books – We are usually looking for tight, well written, novella-length books in the sci-fi, horror and fantasy genres.  We will consider other genres – query first with a synopsis.  From 15,000 to 20,000 words.  We are looking for the out-of-the-ordinary.  Basically, if it’s the type of thing that one of the major publishing houses would take, we probably don’t want it. 

   Advance in copies, pays 50% of net profit in royalties.  Depending upon length and potential market, these novellas may be published as staple-bound (trade-paper back size) editions first.  With a good potential market and a longer length, or with excellent staple-bound sales, we will go with a perfect bound trade paperback edition with a four color glossy cover.

Anthologies – We read for at least one anthology per year.  Watch the "News" page on this site for updates.

General requirements

No porn or hate fiction, please! 

All submissions must be in a fairly standard manuscript format.  If you don’t know what that is or are unsure, here are a few pointers:

 Ø       Use white, off-white, or bright paper, please.  Dark colors and dull grays can be hard on the eyes.  Recycled is great.  NOTE:  Most editors want only white paper. 

 Ø       12 point font.   Any smaller is hard to read, and any larger is a waste of paper.

 Ø       Left alignment for the body of the text.

 Ø       Use a legible font.  Times New Roman is best, but Bookman Old Style or Arial will work.  No fancy fonts, please!    If you want to get fancy with your title, fine.  But the text needs to be readable.

 Ø       DOUBLE-SPACE THE STORY ITSELF.

 Ø       PLEASE use the TAB key for the first line of your paragraphs.  If you use the space bar, this tab will be lost in transfer when you sell the work and need to submit an electronic file.  Save yourself and your publisher a lot of work and USE THE TAB KEY!

 Ø       If you’re using MS Word, any version of which I'm aware, your default margins will work, although I think they waste a lot of paper – hence a lot of trees.  Margins should be no less than ½ inch right, left, and bottom, and no less than one inch on the top.  Your header margin should be ½ inch, and your footer margin should be zero.

Your header should include your name, the title of the piece and the page number.  When you read several manuscripts from several people, it can be confusing.  This method prevents any such confusion even if the papers should be dropped.   So, the header should be aligned right and look something like this:  Jane Doe / This Is My Story / 1

 Ø       Page one – Include your personal information in an “Inside address.”  Be sure to include a word count.  It should be aligned left and look like this (single-spaced without the arrows):

Þ     Jane Doe

Þ     1234 Some Street

Þ     Somewhere, SS  012345-1234

Þ     (321)123-4567

Þ     janedoe@email.com

Þ     Approx. Word Count:   12,000 (or whatever)

Then skip ten or twelve lines and type your title (centered) with your by-line directly under the title.

Double space and start your text.  Remember – double space the text.

 Ø       Always send a SASE.  If you want the manuscript returned, then send a large enough SASE with enough postage.  If the manuscript is disposable, then just send a legal sized SASE with one stamp for a reply.  We will usually include a few line-edited pages.  Hopefully this will be helpful to you in future submissions.  (NOTE:  SASE = Self Addressed Stamped Envelope)

 Ø       Always include a cover letter telling us who you are and what you have had published if anything.  If the manuscript is disposable, please state that here.  If you want it returned, please be sure you include a large enough SASE with enough postage.   Please keep it short.  We want to spend our time on the manuscript.