Writer's Glossary - M

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magazine

A printed medium usually produced in regular issues, such as monthly, quarterly, etc. Magazines can be printed or, as is often the case lately, electronic. Electronic magazines, or ezines, appear in many forms, from content available on Web sites to PDF ezines to downloadable ebooks.

magic realism

Also called magical realism, this is a subgenre of fantasy wherein there are magical elements in an otherwise realistic setting. Often interchangeable with contemporary fantasy, but where that subgenre needs only fantastic elements, magic realism must have something magical.

mainstream fiction

Fiction without any speculative elements, usually appealing to a broader audience. Mainstream tends to balance characterization, backgrounds, and plot evenly.

• See also fiction; genre fiction; literary fiction; speculative fiction.

manuscript

Any written piece of fiction, non-fiction, etc., as typed or printed and submitted to a publication for consideration.

manuscript format

A standardized set of rules for how a submitted written piece should look. The idea is to make the format of your manuscript invisible so that the editor reading your work focuses on the story (which is the important thing). The following rules are so standardized that virtually all publishers accept them.

• White paper, 20 pound, non-erasable, printed on one side only.
• One inch margins all the way around, double-spaced (blank line in between every printed line).
• Header at the top of every page identifying the title, author, and page number (as in "A Christmas Carol / C. Dickens / Page #27").
• Type or computer-print it (don't handwrite it) in dark black ink. If using a dot-matrix printer, only use one if you can't tell at a quick glance that it's dot-matrix print.
• On the first page, top left-hand corner, list:
  • Your Name
  • Your address
  • Your email address
  • Your SSN (if you're a U.S. citizen submitting to U.S. publication)
  • Word count of the story
  • The rights you offer (not necessary as most publications indicate what rights they're willing to purchase)
• Done in a single, easy to read typeface, usually either Courier or Times New Roman, in point size 12.
• For text emphasis, do not use italics. Underline any text intended for italicization. Avoid boldface type, but if you must use it, indicate it with *asterisks* before and after, and note this at the beginning of your manuscript. DO NOT USE ALL-CAPITALS.

Check out StoryBoard for a more detailed look at the process.

market

Any possible venue for publishing one's works.

medium

The method by which something is published or otherwise adapted for the world to see or read.

• printed media—generally, a book or magazine.
  • See also book club edition; hardcover; paperback; paperback original; special edition.
• electronic—a Web site, email, ebook, or other generally computer/online-based method
• film or television—film or video.
  • See also episode; screenplay; script.

mood

The emotional feeling created by a written piece, usually as intended by the writer. A writer may intend the mood to be ominous (as in an "end of the world is coming" story), light-hearted (as in a humorous tale), frightening (as in a horror piece), a sense of wonder ("exploring new worlds" SF), sadness (a brooding story about death and loss of youth), and so on.

motivation

See character motivation.

movie rights

The legal rights a writer offers a production company giving that company the usually exclusive right to turn the writer's work into a motion picture. Television rights fall under the same legal structure.

• See also option; publication rights.

ms, mss

Abbreviations for manuscript and manuscripts, respectively.

multiple submissions

Sending more than one manuscript at the same time to one publication. Many publications disallow this. Those that do usually require separate SASEs for each reply.

• See also simultaneous submission.

mystery

Fiction presenting a crime or other unknown which the main character traditionally attempts to figure out—"solve the case," so to speak.

• See also genre.

Mystery Writers of America

The MWA is a group serving writers of mysteries. There are member areas as well as public-access areas. For more information, visit their Web site at MysteryWriters.org.

For some commentary on those who complain that memberships to such groups is unfair, check out writers associations.

• See also Edgar Allan Poe Award; Grand Master Award.