How to Format Your Manuscript for Submission

So, you’ve poured your heart and soul onto the page, right? You’ve wrestled with plot holes, tweaked dialogue, and probably deleted more words than you’ve kept. That’s the hard part, building that world. But here’s the thing, there’s a hurdle many of us just… don’t see coming, or maybe we just don’t realize how critical it is: manuscript formatting.

See, your manuscript isn’t just your story. It’s also a professional document. It’s like your business card, your interview outfit, and your first impression all rolled into one. When you send it out, it’s gotta scream “I know what I’m doing!” A manuscript that looks polished and professional? That tells an agent or editor you’re serious, that you pay attention to the details, and that you respect their time. A messy, inconsistent one? Well, that often ends up in the dreaded “slush pile” before anyone even gets to your brilliant prose.

This guide? It’s all about showing you exactly how to make your manuscript shine. We’re going to give you the steps to present your work with the kind of precision that makes publishing pros sit up and take notice. Let’s get your story the read it deserves.

The Secret Handshake: Why Formatting Really, Really Matters

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of how to do this, we’ve got to understand why it’s so important. Think about it: agents and editors are absolutely swamped. These folks get hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions every single week. Their time? It’s incredibly precious.

Imagine you get a document that’s all over the place – weird fonts, inconsistent spacing, messy indents. Now, instead of just reading your amazing story, they’re having to fuss with the document itself. They’re spending time adjusting settings, trying to figure out where one paragraph ends and another begins. That’s not just annoying; it’s a distraction. It tells them you might not fully understand how this industry works, and in a business built on collaboration and precision, that’s a huge potential red flag.

Your beautifully written story deserves to be seen in its best light. You don’t want anything getting in the way of someone immersing themselves in your world. Standard formatting? It’s the universal language of submission. Speaking it fluently shows you respect their expertise and their incredibly limited time.

Setting Up Your Digital Workspace: Your Tools

Your word processing software is pretty much your main weapon here. While there are tons of options out there, Microsoft Word is, without a doubt, the industry standard for sending out manuscripts. It’s got all the features you need, and everyone can open its files. So that’s your safest bet.

Applications like Scrivener are fantastic for writing and organizing your thoughts, but when it’s time to submit, you’ll almost always need to export your work to a Word document. Please, please, please avoid any super niche or proprietary word processors. They might cause compatibility headaches for the person trying to read your masterpiece.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Software Choice: Go with Microsoft Word (works on Windows or Mac).
• Version Check: Make sure your Word version is reasonably up-to-date. Most people can open older files, but ancient versions might cause display glitches.
• Save It Right: Always save your final submission as either a .doc or a .docx file. A .pdf is generally only ever acceptable for things like picture books or graphic novels, and even then, only if they specifically ask for it. For novels and non-fiction, a PDF means they can’t easily copy text for annotations or edits, which makes it totally unsuitable.

The Basic Rules: Looking Good, Reading Easy, Staying Consistent

Every single formatting choice we’re about to talk about boils down to three main ideas: how it looks, how easy it is to read, and how consistent you are. Your mission is to create a document that’s easy on the eyes, a breeze to read, and uniform from start to finish. Any deviation from these principles is going to create friction.

1. Page Size & Orientation

This one’s super simple. Your manuscript should always be US Letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) and set to portrait orientation. This just mimics the standard paper and print format.

How to do it:

• Head to Layout (or it might be Page Layout) > Size > Then pick Letter (8.5″ x 11″).
• Make sure Orientation is set to Portrait.

2. Margins

Standard margins are 1 inch (that’s about 2.54 cm) on all four sides – top, bottom, left, and right. This gives you plenty of white space around your text, so it doesn’t feel squished, and it leaves room for editors to make notes.

How to do it:

• Go to Layout (or Page Layout) > Margins > Then choose Normal (1″ all sides).
• If “Normal” isn’t an option, just select “Custom Margins” and set all the values to 1 inch.

3. Font Choice & Size

This is a big one. It directly impacts how readable your manuscript is. Seriously, fight the urge to use anything fancy, decorative, or unusual. Professionalism means keeping it simple and clear.

• Font Type:
  • Yes, please: Times New Roman or Courier New. Both are perfectly fine and widely used. Times New Roman is a classic, commonly seen in print. Courier New is a monospaced font, like an old-fashioned typewriter, and some people like how distinct each character is. Just pick one and stick with it throughout your whole document.
  • Nope, don’t do it: Arial, Calibri, Comic Sans, Georgia, Garamond, or any quirky script fonts. Even though Arial and Calibri are default on many computers now, they’re not standard for manuscript submissions. And Comic Sans? That’s an instant “nope” from anyone in publishing.
• Font Size:
  • Definitely 12-point. This size is perfect for readability – not too big, not too small.
  • Avoid: Anything smaller than 12-point (it’ll strain their eyes) or larger (it makes your manuscript look longer and just looks unprofessional).

How to do it:

• Select your entire document (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A).
• Go to the Home tab > look for the Font section.
• Pick either Times New Roman or Courier New.
• Set the font size to 12.

4. Line Spacing

Double-spacing is absolutely essential for literary manuscripts. This gives editors plenty of room to write notes, make corrections, and scribble suggestions directly on a printed copy or digitally. Single-spacing makes your text dense and a nightmare to read and mark up.

How to do it:

• Select your entire document.
• Go to the Home tab > find the Paragraph section.
• Click the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon (it looks like up and down arrows with lines next to them).
• Select 2.0 (or “Double”).

5. Paragraph Indent & Spacing

This is where a lot of common mistakes happen, so pay close attention!

• First Line Indent: The first line of every new paragraph (except sometimes the very first paragraph of a chapter, we’ll get to that) needs to be indented by 0.5 inches (about 1.27 cm). This is the universal visual cue that you’re starting a new paragraph.
  • How to do it right: Use Word’s paragraph formatting settings. Never use repeated tab presses or multiple spaces to create indents. If you do it manually, your formatting will break if the font size or margins change.
• No Extra Space Between Paragraphs: There should be no blank lines whatsoever between paragraphs. Just keep that standard double-spacing throughout. The indent is the only thing that tells the reader it’s a new paragraph.

How to do it:

• Select your entire document.
• Go to the Home tab > Paragraph section > Click the tiny arrow icon in the bottom-right corner of the Paragraph group. This opens a dialog box.
• Under Indentation, in the Special dropdown, pick First line.
• Make sure By is set to 0.5″ (or 1.27 cm).
• Under Spacing, make sure Before and After are both set to 0 pt.
• Confirm Line spacing is set to Double.
• You might also want to check “Don’t add space between paragraphs of same style” to be absolutely sure.

6. Page Headers: Your Manuscript’s ID Tag

Every single page, except for the very first page of your manuscript, needs a running head. This is like your manuscript’s little ID badge – it tells them who it belongs to even if pages get separated.

• Where it goes: Top-right corner of every page.
• What it says: Your last name / Your manuscript title (or a shortened version of it) / The page number.
  • Example: “Smith / The Last Dragon / 12”
  • Super important: Do not put the word “Page” before the number. Just the number itself.
• How it looks: Same font and size as your main text (12-point Times New Roman or Courier New).
• First Page Exception: The very first page of your manuscript (Page 1 in your story) should not have a running header. This can mess up automatic pagination later on.

How to do it:

• Go to the Insert tab > Header & Footer section > Click Header > Then choose Blank (Three Columns).
• Delete the placeholders in the left and center.
• In the right placeholder, type your Last Name / Short Title /.
• While your cursor is still in the header area, go to the Header & Footer Tools Design tab (or just Design tab in newer Word versions) > Header & Footer section > Click Page Number > Select Current Position > Choose Plain Number.
• Now, back on the Header & Footer Tools Design tab > In the Options section, check the box for “Different First Page”. This will make sure your title page doesn’t have a header.
• To close the header, click the “Close Header and Footer” button or just double-click outside the header area.

7. Page Numbering

Consecutive numbering is absolutely crucial. Every page of your manuscript, from the first page of your novel’s actual text (which usually starts as page 1) all the way to the end, needs to be numbered in order.

• Where it goes: In your running header, top-right, after your name and abbreviated title.
• Where it starts: The first page of your novel’s main body text (meaning the first chapter of your manuscript, typically after your title page) commonly begins with page number “1.” Your title page and any other front matter (like a table of contents or a character list, if specifically requested, which is rare) are usually unnumbered or numbered with Roman numerals (i, ii, iii). But for novel submissions, starting with numerical pagination on Chapter 1 is the standard.

How to do it:

• This is usually handled automatically by the Header settings we just covered in Point 6. Just make sure the page number is updating correctly.

Manuscript Structure & Order: The Whole Package

Beyond just how individual pages look, the overall structure of what you submit is super important. Unless an agent or editor tells you otherwise, the standard order for a full manuscript submission goes like this:

1. Title Page (Page 0 or Unnumbered)

Think of this as the main entrance to your manuscript. It should be clean, clear, and totally professional.

• Placement: Centered, or arranged strategically.
• What to put on it:
  • Upper Left (Your Contact Information):
    • Your Legal Name (or your Pen Name if you consistently use it)
    • Your Physical Address
    • Your Phone Number
    • Your Email Address
  • Upper Right (Word Count):
    • Your exact word count (e.g., “Approx. 85,000 words”). Use Word’s built-in word count feature (usually under the Review tab > Word Count). Round to the nearest thousand.
  • Center of the Page (Title & Author):
    • TITLE OF YOUR MANUSCRIPT (All caps, bold)
    • (Optional: Your subtitle, if you have one, in Title Case)
    • By
    • Your Legal Name (or Pen Name)
  • Bottom Right (Copyright):
    • © Year Your Legal Name (e.g., © 2024 Jane Doe) – While copyright is yours automatically when you create something, putting it here is standard practice.

How to do it:

• Create a brand new page before your first chapter.
• Place your contact info and word count as described.
• Center your title and author name.
• Add your copyright info.
• Make sure this page does not have a running header or page number. (We already did this by checking “Different First Page” in the Header settings. If you want numerical page numbering to start from 1 on the very next page, you might need to insert a “Section Break (Next Page)” after your title page.)

2. Manuscript Body

This is your actual novel or non-fiction book.

• Chapter Breaks:
  • Every new chapter must start on a brand new page.
  • Chapter Title Placement: Center the chapter title (like “CHAPTER ONE” or “Chapter 1: The Long Road Home”).
  • Vertical Spacing: Leave a handful of double-spaced lines (about 4-6 lines) between your chapter title and where the chapter text actually begins. This creates a nice visual break.
  • First Paragraph of Chapter: The very first paragraph of a chapter (right after the title) is not indented. All the paragraphs that follow are indented.
• Scene Breaks:
  • If you have a significant shift in time, place, or point of view within the same chapter, you need a scene break. Mark it with a single, centered asterisk (***) or a single hash mark (#) on its own double-spaced line.
  • Leave a double-spaced blank line above and below that scene break indicator.
  • The first paragraph after a scene break should be indented, just like a regular paragraph.

How to do it:

• For each new chapter:
  • Insert a Page Break (usually under Layout > Breaks > Page).
  • Center your Chapter title/number. Leave generous double-spaced lines below it.
  • Crucially, make sure the first paragraph of that chapter is not indented.
• For scene breaks:
  • Type *** or # and center it on its own double-spaced line.
  • Make sure you have double-spaced blank lines above and below it.

Final Review & Polish: The Scrutiny Test

Before you even think about hitting that “send” button, you must do a thorough review. Even tiny errors can make you look less professional.

1. Spelling and Grammar

There’s no negotiating on this. Use your word processor’s spell and grammar check, but don’t rely on it completely! It’ll miss things like “their” instead of “there.”

How to do it:

• Run a thorough spell and grammar check.
• Read your manuscript out loud. This is a fantastic way to catch awkward phrasing and errors you might have skipped over.
• Consider trying professional editing software (like ProWritingAid or Grammarly Premium) for a final polish, but always, always review their suggestions yourself. They’re not perfect.

2. Consistency Check

Ensure that every single formatting rule you’ve just applied is perfectly consistent throughout your entire manuscript. Inconsistencies are incredibly distracting and scream “lack of attention to detail.”

How to do it:

• Spot-check your chapter beginnings: Are all the first paragraphs un-indented?
• Check your paragraph indents: Are all the other paragraphs indented by exactly 0.5 inches?
• Randomly check pages to confirm margins and line spacing are correct.
• Verify your header continuity: Is that running header correct on every page after your title page?

3. Font and Size Verification

Triple-check that your entire manuscript, including your headers, is in the correct font (Times New Roman or Courier New) and size (12-point).

How to do it:

• Select everything (Ctrl+A), then quickly glance at the font and size display in the Home ribbon.

4. Save and Back Up

Always save your final version with a clear filename (e.g., “YourLastName_ManuscriptTitle_Full.docx”). And please, back it up! Use a cloud service (like Google Drive, Dropbox) and/or an external hard drive. Seriously.

How to do it:

• Save as LastName_Title_Manuscript.docx.
• Maintain backups. Always.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid: The Hidden Traps

• Using hard returns (hitting Enter) for spacing: Never use multiple hard returns to create vertical spacing (like between chapter titles and text, or around scene breaks). Use Word’s paragraph spacing settings, or simply double-space and hit enter once. Extra returns can cause major issues if the document gets converted or edited.
• Excessive formatting: No bolding, italics, or underlining just for random emphasis. Use italics sparingly for things like internal monologue, foreign words, titles of works, or emphasis where it’s truly needed. Bolding is almost never used in prose manuscripts except maybe temporarily for your own organization on chapter titles. Underlining is completely outdated from typewriter days.
• Unnecessary front matter: Unless they specifically ask for it, do not include things like a dedication, acknowledgments, table of contents, character list, or bibliography in your initial manuscript submission. These are typically added after your book is acquired.
• Embedding fonts or images: Avoid embedding custom fonts. Only include images if they are absolutely integral to the story (like a crucial map in a fantasy novel), and only after you’ve confirmed with the agent/editor that they prefer embedded images over separate files. For most prose, you won’t need any images.
• Track Changes/Comments enabled: Make sure all “Track Changes” are accepted and all comments are removed before you save your final submission. Sending a visibly edited document just looks unprofessional.
• Multiple files: Unless they specifically ask for it, send your manuscript as a single .docx file. Do not send chapters as separate documents.

The Agent/Editor Specifics: Always, Always Check Guidelines

While everything above represents the industry standard, it is absolutely crucial that you check the individual submission guidelines of every single agent or publishing house you plan to query. You’ll usually find these on their websites, often under sections like “Submissions” or “About Us.”

• Small Variations: Some might have a strong preference for a specific font (e.g., only Courier New). Others might ask you to put your query letter and synopsis within the same document as the manuscript, while others want them separate.
• Partial vs. Full: Agents frequently request a “partial” (like the first 50 pages or first three chapters) before they ask for the “full” manuscript. Make sure your partial is formatted identically to your full.
• Word Count Ranges: Pay close attention to their preferred genres and the word count ranges they’re looking for.

How to do it:

• Before every single submission, go to the recipient’s website and find their specific submission guidelines.
• If their guidelines conflict with these general standards, their guidelines win. Always follow theirs. If you’re ever in doubt, default to these industry standards.

It’s More Than Just the Rules: The Silent Message

Flawless formatting isn’t just about following rules; it’s about sending a powerful message without saying a single word. It tells the person on the other end:

• “I take my writing craft seriously.”
• “I understand how this industry works.”
• “I respect your time.”
• “I’ll be easy to work with.”

In a field where personal taste plays a huge role, the objective perfection of your manuscript’s presentation can give you a subtle, yet incredibly important, advantage. It removes any reason for the reader to stop before they’ve even had a chance to evaluate your amazing story. You’ve cleared their first hurdle, allowing them to dive right into the world you’ve so painstakingly built.

Mastering manuscript formatting is a vital step for any aspiring author. It’s like the professional handshake, the silent signal that you’re ready for the tough journey of publishing. By meticulously following these guidelines, you’re not just sending a story; you’re sending a professionally presented piece of work that absolutely deserves attention and consideration. Invest the time now, and you’ll reap the rewards later. Your story really does deserve to be seen in its best light.