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STANDARD MANUSCRIPT FORMAT PROFESSIONAL

Ending: To indicate the end of your manuscript, write the word “END” and center it after the last line.

Though many people instinctively hit the space bar twice to put two spaces between sentences, this is not the correct practice.

Sentence separation: Use one space between sentences after a period.

Italics: In the past, writers used underlining to indicate words that they intended to italicize.

Scene breaks: For scene breaks, add a blank line with a hashmark or three asterisks in the center to indicate a new scene.

Pages in the front matter, such as the table of contents, copyright page, or ISBN info are numbered with Roman numerals.

Page numbers: Page numbers begin with the number one and are numbered continuously, beginning with the first new page after the title page.

The right-hand side of your page will not be uniform.

Alignment: Your words should be aligned on the left-hand side of your page, but not justified.

Do not add an extra space between paragraphs. Double-spacing your lines makes the manuscript easier to read and mark up. Line spacing: All lines should be double spaced.For most word processors, you can do this by hitting the tab key once. Indentations: For the first line of a new paragraph, you should indent a half-inch.These should be the default margins in MS Word and other word processors like Scrivener. Margins: Your pages should include one-inch margins on all sides (so your top, bottom, left, and right margins should all be uniform).Though some agents and editors may prefer different serif or sans serif fonts like Arial or Courier New, Times New Roman with a 12 point font size is the industry standard. Font: Your font should generally be 12 point Times New Roman.Follow these rules to make sure you’re adhering to standard formatting practices and common submission guidelines for fiction and nonfiction manuscripts alike: Others prefer to complete an entire manuscript before worrying about paragraph indents or page setup. Some people decide to begin formatting their work the moment they open the first page of their Microsoft Word document.

Synopsis and query letter: single-spaced.If you dont know what that means, check your word processors HELP information, and try different. First page: your name and contact information in the top left corner Manuscripts should be left justified and ragged right.Left justification one space between sentences.Font: Times Roman, Arial, or Courier, 12 point.Send all manuscripts as Word document (.doc/.docx).

STANDARD MANUSCRIPT FORMAT PROFESSIONAL

Adhering to the industry standards of formatting guidelines will demonstrate to your reader that you are thoughtful, careful, and professional in the way you present your work, thus increasing the likelihood that they will apply the same thoughtfulness while reading. Formatting may seem like a boring or superficial aspect of manuscript submission, but proper manuscript formatting is a crucial indicator of whether or not your editor, reader, or literary agents will take your work seriously.