![]() ![]() (Two was standard years ago, before the digital age.) No lines between paragraphs (except for verse), and no extra space between paragraphs.Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 (except for verse).Center the title, and place your byline below it.If she desires, the editor will make notes in this space. Include the word count on the upper right.Put your name and contact details in the upper left of first page: address, phone number, email address, and website or blog address, if you have one.Never use sans serif fronts, and avoid Comic Sans at all costs. I know very few editors who appreciate a manuscript in Courier because it’s just not easy to read en masse for most of us. (Some similar serif fonts, such as Garamond, are acceptable. Font: Use 12pt Times New Roman, black, regular. ![]() Make sure your page layout is set to Word’s default, with one inch margins all round.It’s easy to give an editor or agent a good first impression by presenting your manuscript correctly. An improperly formatted manuscript screams, “This writer’s work just isn’t ready yet!” Comic Sans, single spaced, and you can already see two sloppy proofreading errors. They have probably been working hard to become a better writer. This writer has done their research, which implies that they have taken time and effort to learn what they can. It is properly formatted as per industry standards, and its font is easy on your exhausted eyes. You pick up Manuscript A and breathe a sigh of relief. After a long, tiring day of acquisitions meetings, liaising with marketing, editing manuscripts already acquired, and various other duties, you find yourself on the crowded commute home, with half an hour in which to wade through a few of these submissions. Several more piles choke the floor around your desk, and they’ll only be larger by tomorrow. Beside you is a teetering tower of manuscripts awaiting your response. ![]() Imagine you are an editor at a publishing house that still accepts unsolicited submissions. ![]()
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