Professional manuscript preparation is simply a matter of following a few general rules and being consistent with all the pages. These days, more submissions to publishers are being made on disk rather than paper, but the manuscript format remains the same.
The Basics of Manuscript Preparation
Use good quality white paper when printing off the manuscript and ensure the printer ink cartridge is full and dark. Print only on one side of the page.
When typing the manuscript, double space rather than single. It's easier to read and allows space for any notes an agent or editor may wish to make.
New paragraphs are made by simply hitting the spacer twice, as seen in this article. The new standard no longer includes indentation at the beginning of new paragraphs.
Use 12pt type in Times New Roman font. It's the preferred font and is easy to read.
Italics can be underlined or italicized. Generally, the copy editor will underline any words to be italicized so that the typesetter can pick them out easily.
Margins should be 1-1/2" on all four sides and the typing should not be justified to the right margin. In other words, it should not run evenly across the page.
Formatting the Cover Page
The author's name and address should be placed in the upper left corner of the page. The agents name and address just below that.
Add the Title of the novel and place it dead center in the Page. It can be underlined. Just below by a space or two, add the byline which should read "by Author's Name."
In the lower left corner add a rough calculation of the word count. Most word formats track that number, but it should be rounded off.
Beginning First Page and New Chapters
The first page begins about one third of the way down the page. Add the title line and byline and a line for chapter one. Center those lines. Drop a few spaces and then begin writing.
The subsequent pages begin at the top of the page. Subsequent chapters begin one-third of the way down the page. These subsequent pages should include the author's name, manuscript title and page number in the upper left or right corner. Abbreviate the name and title in order to get it all on one short line.
Proofread Before Printing the Manuscript.
Nothing turns an editor or agent off more than a manuscript full of typos. Spell-checkers within the word programs don't pick up the grammatical typos, like using "your" instead of "you're" or "it's" instead of "its." These are simply things to pay particular attention to when writing.
Proofread before printing the manuscript and proofread again after the work is printed. When it's printed, changes can be made by page number and a clean page can be printed off and inserted into the manuscript, replacing the old one.
Submitting the Manuscript
Ensure you have a copy of the manuscript. Send a polite cover letter with the submission. In most cases, the work has already been solicited and a request has been made for the full work, by either an agent or editor, so there is no need to make that cover letter a query letter.
If sending an unsolicited manuscript of any size include a self-addressed-stamped-envelope or enough postage stamps to cover the return of the manuscript if the author wants it returned.
Editors and agents receive mountains of embellished manuscripts tied up with pretty pink bows, and they are quickly sent to the slush pile. If the author follows the standard form of manuscript preparation, the work is more apt to be read.
Lorraine Syratt - Lorraine Syratt is a freelance writer, gardener and part-time antique dealer. Please see her full profile for more information.
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