format manuscript

things to remember

Set the margins for you document at 3cm on all four sides.

Align to the left hand side only; the right hand side should remain jagged.

Use twelve point Times New Roman in black type only. Courier and Arial fonts may also be acceptable.

Lines should be double spaced with no extra spaces between paragraphs.

Single space between sentences after periods.

Indent new paragraphs and each new section of dialogue, with the exception of the opening paragraph of a chapter or scene break. Don't do this by hitting the tab key. Instead, set indentation to 1.25cm in Word through Format->Paragraph->Section.

Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the hash sign (#) in the center of the line.

Insert a key word from the title in the top right header with the page number and your last name. E.g., Smith - Manuscript - page 1

Begin chapters on new pages. Center the chapter title, even if it's only Chapter One (or Chapter 1), about one-third of the way down the page. Skip a couple of spaces and begin the text of the chapter.

Center a hash sign (#) one double-spaced blank line down at the end of the manuscript. Or, simply write The End. This will reassure agents and editors that pages aren't accidentally missing.

Use italics for italicized words. Never underline in novel manuscripts.

Your title page should include:

• The name of the work.
• Your approximate word count, to the nearest hundred.
• Your contact details formatted in the same font and size as the manuscript font.
• Copyright details.
• Your agent's details, if you have an agent.

Remember to keep a copy of your manuscript for yourself.

Reviews

[emmajoy]

Thank you so much for posting this brilliantly useful information, Cherrie. I can only assume it is okay to copy and print it, keep it by?

:) always

[Cherrie Palmer]

:) you bet, I thought it was a good place to keep it for me and everyone else

[emmajoy]

Thank you, Cherrie - believe me, i'm still learning, still making mistakes. Will copy and print now ..
Wishing you well and happy. :)

[Cherrie Palmer]

I have two books formatted with amazon kindle it is very user friendly