Bronwyn Jameson ~ Romance Author

How to Format Your Manuscript

The following instructions are for MS Word, and how I choose to format my manuscripts for submission. Remember, there are no rules only tools and in this case the tools are to help you produce a clean, crisp document that is easy on the editor's poor over-worked eyes!

You may choose to set up a template, using these instructions, which you use as a starting point for each chapter or ms file. OR you can open a current ms document, select all text (Edit, select all), and apply each step to your ms pages.

1. Page Setup (in the File drop-down menu):

choose paper size (Letter for American publishers, A4 for British and Australian)
set margins to approx. 1" or 3cm all around (I actually increase the top margin and decrease the bottom, so the text sits more evenly aligned horizontally on the page)
I reduce the header/footer to 1cm (a personal preference, not a big issue!)

2. Header/Footer (in the View drop-down menu)

in the header, I put the title of the manuscript on the first line, my name on the second (and I ensure the font is the same as for the ms proper) although some folks like to just put their surname / title or keyword in title, all on the one line

3. Page Numbers (in the Insert drop-down menu)

I insert my page numbers in the header, right aligned (and, again, I check the font is correct because Word will use your default)

4. Font (in the Format drop-down menu)

I'm all for using a non-proportional font, because I believe they make the job of determining page-count easier and more foolproof, and because I write for a category/series line, that is important!

What is a non-proportional font? One in which each and every letter takes up the same space on the page. Narrow letters (e.g. an i or an l) take up the same space as wide letters (e.g. a w or an m.) To test if a font is proportional or non-proportional, type a number of l's on one line (say, 10 of them) and directly beneath type the same number of w's. Do they take up the same space? If the answer's yes, then this is a non-proportional font. The most widely used example in manuscripts is Courier New. An example I like is Lucida Console. A lot of writers don't like CN because it prints too faintly. An alternative is Dark Courier which can be downloaded free from lots of places on the internet.

font size: 12pt for Courier New or Dark Courier or Lucida Console. If you insist on using a small font, such as Times New Roman, I reckon you need to go with at least 13pt if not 14pt.

5. Paragraph (in the Format drop-down menu)

set the paragraph indent for the first line (mine is the default of 1.27cm) or you can use your Tab key while typing. Your choice, just know that each new paragraph in your ms should be indented\
line-spacing: now this can be tricky so pay attention! The aim is to achieve 25 lines per page and the exact setting will depend on your top and bottom margins and your paper size. You might like to start with double spacing. If that doesn't yield 25 lines on your page, try setting the spacing to Exactly 25pt or Exactly 26pt or Exactly 23pt. NB: for a 12pt font, double-spacing = 24 pt (12 x 2, get it?) so that should give you a clue as to whether you need to increase the spacing between your lines slightly, or decrease it. Remember your aim is 25 lines per page.

Why 25 lines? This has to do with the way SOME editors and publishers calculate "word count." I put that in inverted commas because it's not really a word count so much as a method of determining how many pages the ms will end up when typeset in book form. If your ms is all 25-lines-per-page, at approximately 10 words (or 60 characters) per line, the editor can easily and quickly work out the "word count" at 250 words per page and ascertain in a jiffy if your ms is a suitable length. Oh, and it helps if YOU, the author, knows this as well!

click on the Line and Page Breaks tab and untick the Widow/Orphan Control box. This is a necessary step for getting the even number of lines per page. Trust me on this!

6. You probably won't have to change anything here, but check that your ms is all aligned to the left margin only (i.e. not justified margin to margin as the printed book will be.)

7. Each chapter should start on a new page, preferably 1/3-1/2 the way down that page. Don't ask me why, that's just the way "it seems to be done." :) I make about 7 or 8 line breaks before typing the new chapter heading.)

A few general points:

I use this format for both ms pages and the synopsis. Even if the guidelines state, for example, "2 single-spaced pages", I convert those 2 s/s pages to double-spacing before printing and submitting. I believe in making everything as easy as possible on the editor's eyes.
A note on word count: if your publisher uses computer word count, then ignore everything I have said about calculating "word count" according to the 250 words per page method.
Print everything in black ink on good quality white bond paper (80gsm or 20 pound.)
Don't bind your ms or use paper clips or binders. Secure the pages together with large-size rubber bands.
Include a title page with the name of your ms, targeted line, word count, and your contact details.