Build your book format a paperback manuscript word for. A novel manuscript requires a title page formatted in this manner click to see example contact. Your title page should let the reader know what theyre reading, who wrote it, how to contact the author, and how long the piece is. Also, use section breaks so each chapter title page starts on its own page. This sample novel excerpt shows some of the ways in which novel format differs from short story format. How to format a nonfiction manuscript book editing services. Skip a couple of spaces and begin the text of the chapter. Manuscript format guidelines for poetry short stories essays childrens books novels nonfiction books and plays writers relief, inc.
How to format your childrens book manuscript dummies. This is space for editors or agents to make handwritten notes, if they desire. Then include your last name and page number in the top left margin of the first and each subsequent manuscript page. The first page of your manuscript is the title page. At the bottom of the page, type and center the authors name. If youre submitting a packet of poems to a journal or magazine, make sure you include your name, address, phone number, and email on a cover. Before sending your novel out to potential agents and publishers, be sure its sent in the standard manuscript format by following these. Make sure the name is at the very bottom of the title page.
Fiction authors should use indented paragraphs without full paragraph breaks. Nonfiction authors may opt for no indentation so long as paragraphs are separated by a full paragraph break. At the top right of every page, except the title page, display. How to format your novel manuscript the editors blog. Proper manuscript format for the 21st century i wrote the original version of my manuscript formatting guide in 1993, modeling it after a much older twopage guide i received from damon knight in 1985.
Every manuscript you send must go out with complete contact information on the first page, as well as the title of your book and the word count. Luckily for you, formatting your manuscript can be summarized in a few bullet points. How to format a manuscript for an ebook working writers. Title pages proper manuscript format william shunn.
Page count might be overkill if your picture book manuscript only spans one page. About 12 the way down the page, centered, enter the full manuscript title all caps or mixed caps. Header right justified, contains the following information. You will need to make sure to complete your header when you format your childrens manuscript. Generally speaking the title page is the first page of the manuscript, and needs to include the book title, the sub title, the word count, your contact information including email and phone number. Use a 1 margin on all sides use a title page, set up the same as the title page in your package see page 159.
After all, when your eyes are the only ones observing your work, worrying about things like proper page layout, mirror margins, section breaks. Despite some slight variations in style, experts invariably recommend that you include as a header your last name, the title or abbreviated title, and the page number along. Formatting your manuscript header in ms word 2007 1. Indent the first line of every paragraph by about 12 inch. Use regular page margins and include page numbers if possible. The term manuscript has its origins in the latin term manu scriptus, which means written by hand. The first line of a paragraph is indented one half inch, or 5 characters, from. Leave 23 inches, or 68 cm, between your details and the title. There are many acceptable ways to layout a title page. Proper manuscript format for a novel first manuscript. Please be sure to add a book title page and page as books are printed solely according to the manuscript you upload, we dont add or subtract to your manuscript so ensure your book is uploaded.
How to format a picture book manuscript for publishers. How to format a novel manuscript writing academy scribophile. Step on the right foot by perfecting the very first thing everyone sees of your final manuscript. Despite some slight variations in style, experts invariably recommend that you include as a header your last name, the title or abbreviated title, and the page number along the top right of each page of the manuscript text. For one thing, a novel manuscript requires a separate title page. What are the guidelines for formatting a manuscript. How to format and submit your poetry manuscript 2020. Include page numbers in the upperright corner of each page. Start headers on page two of the actual manuscript. Center your book title and byline about halfway down the page. To create a header or footer, go to the insert tab on the toolbar, activate header, select the style you want, then select edit header, then type your surnametitle.
The header of every page should have your surname, the books title, and the page number with this standard format. With the greatest of respect for book designers and internal formatters, formatting isnt exactly the sexiest of topics for an author to consider. Prep book manuscript format book publishing companies. Center the chapter title, even if its only chapter one or chapter 1, about onethird of the way down the page. How do i format my manuscript to the industry standard. Yes, sure, agents are looking for wonderful writing above all, so in that sense the way you format your. Even with the advent of desktop publishing, making it possible for anyone to.
The header of every page should have your surname, the book s title, and the page number with this standard format. Manuscript presentation makes a big difference to the way literary agents receive your work. Create a cover page for your book manuscript with this accessible simple black and white template. At the very least, if you format your manuscript with times new roman, 12point font, double spaced without any extra spacing between paragraphs, use oneinch margins on all four sides. How to format a manuscript the specifics guidelines you. Simple instructions to formatting in microsoft word. So, later on, you can select the best practices and which tools to use in your book design. And you will have the ability to transform your manuscript into a beautiful. When you format each chapter title page, apply the heading 1 style to each chapter title. After you format your manuscript in word, add finishing touches with kindle create. For your manuscript it should show your last name at the left, the book title centered, and the page number to the right. Today, a manuscript refers to a preliminary draft of a novel, short story, or nonfiction book. I hear long title enthusiasts everywhere gasp, but remember, the point of including the title in the slug line is to identify a stray page if it wanders from the manuscript, not to reproduce the entire.
Here are the basic manuscript formatting standards. Include your query letter as the first page of the manuscript document. In a few clicks, it can help you format your title page, table of contents, and individual paragraphs and change your books look and feel by applying themes. Insert a key word from the title in the top right header with the page number and your last name. Crack open a book in your genre to see what the paragraphing conventions are, then emulate. A few picture book basics types of picture books manuscript critiques manuscript formatting cover letters a few words on agents writing exercises links books on writing contact me about me golda. If your intentions are to submit your manuscript to a publisher or an agent, please check. We want the authors name on the left side and the title of the book on the right. Pages are numbered continuously, with page one being the first page after the title page. How to format your manuscript even if you hate computers. Sample title page writing picture books for children. How to format your childrens manuscript like an expert. How to format a title page if your book has a subtitle.
For example, the first page of the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime would have the following as the header. Title xyz words page 1 ofx then at the top of your. Standard manuscript format is a formatting style for manuscripts of short stories, novels, poems and other literary works. Below are steps that will take you through how to format a nonfiction manuscript and make it industry standard. The number of words, combined with the information in your. At the time, all novel manuscripts or other written works were handwritten. In a few clicks, it can help you format your title page, table of contents, and individual paragraphs and change your books. How to format your book for amazon kindle using microsoft. The easiest way to set your book formatting size is to enter the size of the book as the paper size on your page setup screen and enter. How to prepare poetry manuscript submissions writers digest. In the standard format, section text is doublespaced, leftaligned, and set in a 12point courier font. Each page should have a header with the page number, authors surname and a reference to the books title in all caps.
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