Input From Editors ...

A prior post delved into submission formats for magazines, print and electronic. Steve Bucheit and I wondered why we didn't ever see Adobe's portable document format, or PDF, ever listed as an option.

Last week I read the February issue of Wired which reviewed a blog called Brass Goggles which linked to a new magazine called The Willows which accepts submissions formatted as PDF files. Happy coincidences.

I contacted the editor to ask why. His response was that he liked the PDF format as a writer and decided to list it as an option for his magazine.

That got me wondering the other side, why not PDF? So I started querying editors (a non-random selection) with an informal survey (very non-scientific) asking about their experiences and preferences. I received four responses. Here is a summary^*:

1. Placing text in the body of the e-mail screws up the formatting, from half the time to almost all the time. One editor who only allows this method thought writers could be better aware of formatting tools within e-mail software to fix this problem.


2. 3 of 4 have not had problems with viruses in attached files as anti-virus software is pretty good at scanning attachments (the 4th has had problems and switched to the text-in-email method exclusively).


3. Editors like having submissions in formats they can edit.


4. Editors list submission formats which they can integrate into their publishing process/procedures.

Some concerns were raised about PDF files:

1. PDF files are larger than plain text/.RTF. This can be a concern if editor has limitations on e-mail storage space.


2. PDF files can't be edited directly.


3. PDF format doesn't gain anything for writer/editor

My intent was to gather information, and understand the world of editors better since I don't live there. It was not to challenge individual editors to justify what they ask for or necessarily convince them to include the PDF format for submissions. However, I will say that there is some frustration for both professions.

- Writers who conduct themselves in a professional manner, can still be forced to spend a lot of time re-formatting a single story when the story is rejected and then submitted to other publications.

- Editors who try to be flexible with their guidelines, still receive a large number of poorly formatted submissions from, let us say, amateur writers.

So is PDF a middle ground? Not sure. Some of the concerns above require a little more research. I will say that, having sent out what I considered to be polite, professional inquiries, I received back considerate, well thought out, responses. As professionals, writers and editors can be partners in the process of change.

^*I sent messages saying it was an informal survey. One editor volunteered to allow publication of his comments. Which made me realize I didn't ask anyone permission to quote them. To stay on the safe side, everything is summarized, no links to publications. I'll notify those who were very considerate with their time and responses that the post is up. If they want to add anything, they are, of course, welcome to do so.