Hey everyone. I have a question about how to format my manuscript. I've heard some things about the format, but I just want to verify. 1. You should put two spaces at the end of a sentence. 2. Double spacing. 3. Put your name, address, phone number, and email on the cover, along with the title of the book and the aprx. word count. 4. One inch margins all the way around. 5. Times New Roman font style. 6. Left-hand justified (I knew this one, but I was considering the one that stretches it to each side of the margins) 7. Use underlining instead of italics. Then there's the question of required sections. (e.g. cover page, contents page, preface, chapters, blah, blah, blah...) Can you all enlighten me of the general requirements publishers/editors have when you submit a manuscript?
...i still do and advise doing so, though some no longer consider it the mandated standard... thing is, regardless of the font used, it does make it easier for the reader to tell when one sentence stops and the next begins... and when agents/editors have to read mss all day, everyday, anything that makes it even a bit easier is worth doing, imo... ...always, for all mss... but single for queries, proposals, synopses... ...yes... but cover page is used only for book mss... for shorter works, the info goes on the first page, with title situated halfway down the page... and the proper abbreviation is 'Approx.' ...yes... for all but screenplays, that need a larger margin at left, since they're bound with brads... some use 1.25, but that wastes paper, imo... and the 250 words per page rule of thumb applies to 1" margins... ...only for queries, synopses, proposals, poetry, imo... courier new is much easier for agents/editors to read in large chunks, compared to the tiny, cramped times... should always be in 12 pt, regardless of font... ...always the former, never the latter [unless you're typing up a newsletter/brochure you plan to print on your own]... ...has been the standard since we used only typewriters and i still use/recommend this, for clarity and ease of reading, even if it's no longer mandated... ...too much to do here... email me and i'll send you ms format guide and answer any other questions you may have... love and hugs, maia
