How to Prepare a Manuscript For Publication

In the old days of the twentieth century, writersFar too often, I hear authors tell me, in regards
submitted their manuscripts on paper and theyto some punctuation rule, "That's how my
prepared those manuscripts on typewriters.third-grade teacher taught me to do it." Guess
Today, many publishers will still take paperwhat? Your third-grade teacher was probably
manuscripts for consideration, but most will wantright back in 1972, but punctuation rules have
a word processing document submitted when anchanged. If you're not sure about something, get
agreement is made to publish the book.a copy of the most recent (15th) edition of "The
Previously, publishing houses had typists whoChicago Manual of Style" and it will answer all your
would retype manuscripts for them, but no onedilemmas about whether periods go inside or
wants to waste time and money doing thatoutside quotation marks (they used to go outside,
today.but now they go inside) and whether to write out
Unfortunately, many authors are still stuck innumbers over ten or only over one hundred (one
typewriter mode and consequently makehundred is correct).
mistakes formatting their manuscripts. Here are aIn addition, make sure you only have one space
few points for formatting your manuscript forafter a period, semicolon, exclamation point, etc.
submission to potential publishers or to submit toIn typewriter days, two spaces was standard,
the person designing your book. While there arebut now one space is preferred. If your
no hard rules for manuscript formatting-somemanuscript already has two spaces in it, don't
variance is permissible and different publishersworry. You don't have to go through the entire
may have different preferences-if you abide bybook to remove each individual space. Use the
these basic guidelines, you will appear professionalFind and Replace option. In the Find field, type in a
and have a manuscript that will not require aperiod and then two blank spaces (. ), under
great deal of extra work to format into a book.Replace type in a period and one blank space (. )
Title Pageand then select Replace All and voila! You now
In the upper left hand corner of the title page,have just one space after your periods. Repeat
include all your pertinent information: name,the process for question marks, colons, etc. and in
contact information, word count of manuscript,just a minute or two, your punctuation spacing will
and copyright. The word count can be found onbe perfect.
most word processing programs by going toTitles, Styles, and Fonts
Tools and then Word Count. If you can't find it,Authors are not book designers. Far too many
use the Help option in the program. As for theauthors try to make their manuscripts look pretty
copyright, it is not necessary at this point toby using 24-point Algerian for the book title,
copyright the book-you are simply stating you are16-point Aristocrat for the parts titles, 14-point
aware of your rights to the publisher. YourBaskerville for chapter titles, 12-point Bodoni for
format would look like this:subtitles and so on. All you're doing is creating a
Hope Whitmanlogistics mess. Your entire manuscript should be in
1222 Pineapple StreetTimes New Roman 12-point. Using Bold is
Hollywood, CA 89983sufficient for your part and chapter titles, and
(616) 228-1443 homesubtitles. Fancy fonts will only turn off publishers,
(616) 482-9430 workand those fonts will be erased anyway when the
89,557 wordsbook is laid out, so rather than wasting your time
Copyright 2010decorating your manuscript, focus on the writing
Then a third of the way down the page, centeritself.
your book title and below that your name.Follow the Publisher or Layout Person's Guidelines
My NovelIn general, format your manuscript following the
Byabove standard guidelines, striving for simplicity
Hope Whitmanand clarity. However, if you are self-publishing, you
Headermay want to ask your layout person if he or she
The header should include your name, your bookhas any preferences for how you format the
title in italics, and the page number. Do notmanuscript. If you are submitting to a publisher,
manually type the page number on eachyou want to follow proper formatting guidelines
page-your program should be able automatically torather than asking questions because you do not
insert the page numbers for you. Again, go to thewant to look like an amateur, yet it does not hurt
Help button for instructions on how to insert theto look at the publisher's website to see if it
page number (as well as a Header) if necessary.contains any specific formatting guidelines to
The header's information should be aligned withfollow. Also, make sure you follow instructions
the right margin, so it would look like this:regarding whether the publisher wants you to
Whitman/My Novel - 89submit just a query letter, a book proposal, or a
Line Spacingcomplete manuscript, and whether the publisher
Double space your manuscript throughout. If youprefers paper or you can submit the manuscript
don't know how to double space, go to Help inelectronically.
your word processing program, or get help fromA properly formatted manuscript will not
a live person. Whatever you do, don't decide toguarantee you a published book, but it will show
double space by hitting the Return key at the endthat you are professional, which might get you
of each line. I've seen that happen too manypast the gatekeepers of a publishing company so
times, and it is not only a waste of your time, butyour words are actually read and considered for
a nightmare for the layout person to remove allpublication. And if you are self-publishing your
the Returns later. Being professional requires basicbook, a properly formatted manuscript will save
computer skills. If you don't have them, take ayour design person time and frustration and
class or ask someone else to format yourpossibly save you some money, as well as
manuscript for you.making you an author he or she will be willing to
Punctuation Spacingwork with again.