How to Format Your Manuscript: 8 Easy Steps
In my last article we discussed whether or not authors should format their own manuscripts—it was quite a discussion so if you missed that I suggest taking a look at it before reading this article. You can find that post by clicking here.
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve decided to format your own manuscript. The thing about manuscripts is they tend to be cookie cutter in terms of format, and that’s a good thing! Fantasy, romance, YA, and Christian thrillers are all formatted the same way, no matter what sort of fiction you write you can follow these 8 steps with ease.
1. Use 1-inch margins
Microsoft Word has 1-inch margins and 8.5x11 inch page size as the default setting so this tip may not even need saying but if you’re downloading or importing a file from a different platform be sure to double check for these standards.
2. Stick to basic font
You’ll want to stick to Times New Roman, black color, and 12-point. I’ve seen some agencies and editors accepting Courier New but TNR is your safest bet. Yes, it might look boring but being boring is better than being rejected from every agency on the market, right?
3. Create a title page
You’d be surprised by how many authors overlook this crucial page. When submitting your novel to an agency or editor, you should always have a title page; it doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should include all the basic information on your book. Be sure to include the title of the book, name of author, word count, and you may also include the genre—though this is up to the agency/editor you are submitting to.
4. Include page numbers
For the sake of organization, page numbers are a must. I always begin page 1 on the page immediately following the title page; they’re placed in the header on the far right with the title of the book and my name (the author’s name) on the far-left side of the header. Depending on which writing processor you are using, you may have to follow different steps to begin page numbers after the title page, but you can easily find out how to do that with a simple search on Google.
5. Use double-spaced lines
It’s probably best to check for double-spacing before you begin any writing, just because it could mess up other formatting to do it later on. Double-spaced writing is generally the standard for any place you might be submitting to—its easier to read the novel and scribble down notes on print copies.
6. Use .5 indents for paragraphs
Whether you indent the first paragraph of new chapters is up to you—some authors do it, others don’t—however, it is standard to indent all other paragraphs and dialogue too. Indents should be a half inch but most importantly, it should be set by going through your processor’s paragraph settings, not by pressing tab or space. Not all tabs are measured to .5 indentation so please do not rely on that for paragraph indents!
7. Include page breaks
Another tip on avoiding the tab or enter button. When you want to begin a new chapter, use page breaks; you may have to search for this depending on your writing platform, but page breaks are generally found in the Insert section.
8. Keep it uniform
There are some things that differ per author, like indenting the first paragraph of chapters, including chapter titles, and what to use in scene breaks (asterisks, dots, nothing at all, etc.) whatever you choose on these subjective areas of formatting, keep it uniformed. That means, if you’re going to write in Times New Roman, keep it in Times New Roman. If you’re going to indent the first paragraph of new chapters, do it every time. If you’re going to title or number your chapters, do it every time. If you’re going to mark scene breaks with an asterisk, use that at every scene break. Don’t try to mix things together, just pick one style and stick with it.
**Bonus Tip**
These 8 steps are general guidelines for any fiction manuscript; if you follow these standards, your formatting shouldn’t be the reason for any rejection letters (haha). But if you’d like to double-check, and you should always double-check, make sure to read through the guidelines of individual agencies or editors before submitting. Who knows, maybe there are some agencies with certain specifications, maybe there are editors who hate Times New Roman. It never hurts to check submission pages if you aren’t sure about something in your manuscript before submitting it to someone.
I hope you enjoyed this article! As a writer, I love sharing any knowledge and experiences I have that may help others and as a Christian I love sharing my faith as it can help others too. The Rebel Christian is a Christian website before it is anything else, don’t be afraid to check out the Rebel Blog for encouragement and motivation. If you happen to be a Christian writer, I strongly recommend reading through the Feature Submission page to see what I can offer you—free of charge.
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