How to Format Short Story Collections

How to Format Short Story Collections: A Definitive Guide

The journey of a short story collection from concept to published work is often fraught with creative challenges, but one area that frequently befuddles authors is formatting. Beyond the narrative prowess, the presentation of your collected works significantly impacts reader experience and a publisher’s first impression. A meticulously formatted manuscript speaks volumes about your professionalism and attention to detail. This comprehensive guide will strip away the mystery, providing actionable, concrete steps to ensure your short story collection gleams with professional polish, whether you’re submitting to agents, publishers, or self-publishing.

The Unseen Power of Professional Formatting

Before delving into the technicalities, it’s crucial to understand why impeccable formatting matters. It’s not merely a box to tick; it’s an invisible hand guiding your reader. Clean formatting enhances readability, prevents eye strain, and subtly conveys respect for your craft and your audience. For agents and publishers, a well-formatted manuscript signals that you are an author who understands industry standards, making their job easier and your submission more attractive. In self-publishing, it’s the bedrock of a positive reader review, preventing complaints about technical glitches that detract from your narratives. Think of it as the elegant frame around your literary art – essential for its full appreciation.

I. The Global View: Collection-Wide Formatting Standards

Your entire short story collection needs a consistent, overarching structure. This provides coherence and a professional veneer that individual stories, however brilliant, cannot achieve alone.

A. Page Size and Margins: The Invisible Borders

The standard page size for most manuscripts (and ultimately, print books) is 6×9 inches for fiction. While you might initially draft in an 8.5×11-inch document (standard letter size), be aware that this will need to be adjusted for final publication or submission.

For Submission (8.5×11 inch document):
- Margins: 1-inch all around (top, bottom, left, right). This gives sufficient whitespace, making the page less dense and easier to read.
For Self-Publishing (final book size, e.g., 6×9 inches):
- Margins: These are crucial for a comfortable reading experience and depend on your chosen book size and page count. A good starting point for a 6×9 book is:
  - Top: 0.5 – 0.75 inches
  - Bottom: 0.5 – 0.75 inches
  - Outside (fore edge): 0.5 – 0.75 inches
  - Inside (gutter/binding edge): 0.75 – 1.0 inch (This extra space accounts for the book’s binding, ensuring text isn’t lost in the crease).
- Example: For a 6×9 inch book with 300 pages, try top/bottom/outside at 0.6 inches, and inside at 0.8 inches. Adjust slightly based on your specific font and line spacing for optimal visual balance.

B. Font Choice and Size: Readability Is King

Resist the urge to use fancy or decorative fonts. Clarity and readability are paramount.

Common Choices:
- Serif Fonts: Times New Roman, Garamond, Baskerville. These fonts have small decorative lines (serifs) at the end of strokes, which traditionally guide the eye across the line of text. They are highly readable for long-form content.
- Sans-Serif Fonts (less common for body text, but acceptable for titles/headings): Arial, Calibri, Helvetica. These fonts lack serifs and are often used for screen display or headlines.
Recommended Size:
- Body Text: 12-point for manuscripts (8.5×11). For final book layout (e.g., 6×9), 10.5-12 point is standard, depending on the font itself (some fonts appear larger or smaller at the same point size).
- Chapter/Story Titles: Usually 14-16 point, bold, perhaps slightly larger for main collection title.

C. Line Spacing: Breathing Room for Words

For Manuscripts (8.5×11 document): Double-spacing is the industry standard. This leaves ample room for editor’s notes, provides visual breaks, and makes the manuscript less intimidating.
For Final Book Layout (e.g., 6×9 book): Single spacing (1.0 or 1.15 line spacing) is typical. However, consider an “at least” line spacing option in your word processor (e.g., “At least 14pt” for a 12pt font) to ensure consistent spacing regardless of ascending/descending characters. This gives a little more air than absolute single spacing.

D. Justification: Aligning Your Narratives

For Manuscripts (8.5×11 document): Left-aligned (ragged right). This is the standard. Avoid full justification for manuscripts as it can create awkward gaps between words (rivers of white space) when not professionally typeset.
For Final Book Layout (e.g., 6×9 book): Full justification (aligned left and right) is common and preferred for a clean, block-like appearance. Crucially, hyphenation must be enabled and set correctly to prevent those “rivers.” Your publishing software or professional formatter will handle this precisely. If self-publishing using Word or similar, enable automatic hyphenation for full justification.

E. Page Numbers: The Reader’s GPS

Page numbers are non-negotiable navigational tools.

Placement: Usually in the header or footer, centered or right-aligned. For manuscripts, top-right of the header is common.
Format: Simple Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…). Do not use Roman numerals for main content pages.
First Page of Story/Chapter: Traditionally, the first page of each story (or chapter) does not display a page number, although the page is counted. The page number then reappears on the second page. This creates a cleaner aesthetic for openings. Always confirm this convention if submitting to an agent/publisher, as some prefer consistent numbering.

F. Table of Contents (TOC): The Collection’s Map

A clear, well-structured TOC is vital.

What to Include:
- Each story title.
- Corresponding page number for the start of each story.
Automatic Generation: Use your word processor’s (e.g., MS Word’s) automatic TOC feature. This requires applying “Heading 1” style to each story title. This way, if you make changes, your TOC updates effortlessly.
Styling: The TOC should use the same font as your body text, usually 12-point. Story titles in the TOC can be bolded. Ensure consistent leading dots (…) between the title and the page number.

G. Running Heads (Optional for Manuscripts, Standard for Books)

Definition: Text appearing at the top of each page, usually the author’s name on the left page and the collection title (or individual story title) on the right page.
For Manuscripts: Generally not required or used.
For Final Book Layout: Standard practice.
- Left Page (even page number): Author’s last name.
- Right Page (odd page number): Collection Title.
- First Page of Story: Running head is typically suppressed on the opening page of a story.

II. The Micro View: Formatting Individual Stories

Consistency is key, but each story also has its specific formatting needs within the collection.

A. Story Title Pages: A Grand Entrance

Each story should begin on a new page, even if the previous story ended halfway down. This separation is crucial.

Elements:
- Story Title: Centered, bolded, larger font (e.g., 14-16pt), placed roughly one-third to halfway down the page from the top margin.
- Author Name (Optional for individual stories): If you’re using a single author name for the entire collection, you might omit it on individual story pages for brevity, or include it directly below the title.
- First Line of Story: Double-spaced from the title (or author name), with an indent.
Example (Story Title Page, manuscript format):
(Page Break)

[~5-7 blank lines]

The Last Ember
[Double-spaced]
By A. Writer
[Double-spaced]

[Indented]The air hung heavy with the scent of ozone…

B. The First Line: Kicking Off the Narrative

Chapter/Story Start: The first line of every story or chapter should begin with a paragraph indent. Do not skip a line after the title and then not indent.
Example:

The Whispering Woods

[Double-spaced]

[Indented]Eleanor had always been told to avoid the Whispering Woods, but the lure of the legend was too strong to ignore. The path, barely visible beneath a canopy of gnarled oaks, welcomed her with a chilling breeze.

C. Paragraphs and Indentation: Structure and Flow

Indentation: Use a consistent first-line indent for every new paragraph. This is typically 0.5 inches. DO NOT use the space bar or tab key multiple times to create indents; use your word processor’s paragraph formatting settings.
No Extra Space Between Paragraphs: In traditional manuscript and book formatting, there is no extra blank line between paragraphs of continuous prose. The indent is the visual cue for a new paragraph.
Example:

…She adjusted the weight of her pack, the straps digging into her shoulders. A faint shimmer in the distance caught her eye.

[Indented]It was then she heard the humming, low and resonant, vibrating through the very ground beneath her feet. Fear, cold and sharp, pricked at her skin.

D. Scene Breaks: Signaling a Shift

When you shift time, location, or point of view significantly within a story (not at a story break), use a scene break.

Method 1: Asterisk (***): Centered on its own line, with an extra blank line above and below.
Method 2: Three Asterisks (***): Centered, with an extra blank line above and below.
Method 3: A Single # or *: Less common but acceptable.
Method 4: Clean Break: Simply an extra blank line between paragraphs, often combined with no indent on the first paragraph of the new scene. This requires careful judgment to avoid looking like a regular paragraph break. The asterisk method is generally clearer.
Example:
…He closed his eyes, wishing for silence, but the city hummed relentlessly.

***

[Indented]Miles away, across the river, Sarah woke to the shrill cry of a gulls. The dream, vivid and unsettling, clung to her.

E. End of Story Marker: A Clear Conclusion

A subtle yet effective cue to the reader (and formatter) that a story has definitively ended.

Method: A centered hash mark (#) or three centered asterisks (***) on the line immediately following the last line of the story.
Example:
…He watched the ship disappear over the horizon, a single tear tracing a path down his weathered cheek. His journey was finally complete.

#

III. The Front Matter: Setting the Stage

The “front matter” comprises the pages that come before your collection’s stories begin. They introduce your work and provide essential information.

A. Title Page: The Collection’s Identity Card

This is the very first page of your manuscript.

Elements (Manuscript Submission):
- Your Legal Name/Pen Name: Top left corner, single-spaced.
- Your Contact Information: Email, phone number (often below your name).
- Approximate Word Count: Top right corner (e.g., “55,000 words”).
- Collection Title: Centered, roughly halfway down the page, bolded, larger font (e.g., 20-24pt).
- Byline: “By [Your Name/Pen Name]” directly below the title, centered.
Elements (Self-Published Book): Simplified, often just Collection Title and Author Name, creatively laid out.

B. Copyright Page: Protecting Your Work

This page protects your intellectual property and provides publishing details.

Key Information:
- Copyright Notice: “Copyright © [Year] by [Your Name/Pen Name]. All rights reserved.”
- ISBN (International Standard Book Number): Essential for published books. If self-publishing, you’ll purchase this.
- Publisher Information: (e.g., “Published by [Your Imprint Name]” or “Published by [Publisher Name]”), address if applicable.
- Legal Disclaimer (Optional, but often included): “This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.”
- Book Design/Cover Design Credits: (e.g., “Book design by [Designer Name]”, “Cover illustration by [Illustrator Name]”).
- Edition Notice (Optional): (e.g., “First Edition,” “Second Printing”).

C. Dedication Page (Optional): A Personal Touch

A brief, heartfelt dedication. Keep it short and sweet.

Placement: Usually centered on its own page, typically after the copyright page.
(Page Break)

[~Halfway down the page]

To my grandfather, whose stories first taught me to dream.

D. Epigraph Page (Optional): Setting the Tone

A quote, poem, or excerpt that introduces a theme or atmosphere for the entire collection.

Placement: On its own page, typically after the dedication (if present) or before the TOC.
Formatting: Centered, italicized, with the source attributed below.

E. Acknowledgments Page (Optional): Giving Credit

Your opportunity to thank those who supported your journey.

What to Include: Editors, beta readers, critique partners, family, friends, mentors.
Placement: Can be in the front matter (before the TOC) or in the back matter (after the last story). Placing it in the back matter is common for short story collections, as it keeps the “getting to the stories” process quicker. If in front, it’s usually just before or after the TOC.

IV. The Back Matter: The Denouement

The “back matter” appears after the final story.

A. About the Author Page: Your Bio

A concise, engaging biography.

Content: Keep it relevant to your writing. Mention any awards, previous publications, and briefly introduce yourself. You can include a website or social media handle.
Length: Usually 100-200 words.
Placement: Its own page, directly after the last story (and end marker).

B. Other Works by Author (Optional): Lead-In for More

If you have other published works (or upcoming ones), this is where you list them.

Format: Simple list of titles, perhaps with a brief tag line.
Example:
Also by [Your Name]:
- The Crimson Tide (Novel)
- Whispers in the Alley (Collection)
- Upcoming: Echoes of Mariposa

C. Glossary/Appendix (Rare for Fiction Collections)

Only include if absolutely necessary for reader comprehension (e.g., a collection heavily featuring unique cultural terms, or an interconnected collection with complex lore).

V. Practical Application: Tools and Workflow

While the principles remain constant, the tools you use will influence your workflow.

A. Microsoft Word (or Equivalent): For Drafting and Manuscript Prep

Most authors draft in Word. Utilize its features:

Styles: Crucial! Apply “Heading 1” to story titles, “Normal” to body text. This makes automatic TOC generation and consistent formatting effortless.
Paragraph Settings: Use the “Paragraph” dialogue box for indentations (first line indent), line spacing (double or single), and “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style” or set precise “Spacing After” for visual breaks.
Page Breaks: Use “Insert > Page Break” to start each new story on a fresh page.
Header/Footer: For page numbers and running heads. Use “Different First Page” for story openings or title pages.
Hyphenation: Enable for full justification in final layouts.

B. Conversion to PDF: The Universal Submission Format

Always submit a PDF version of your manuscript. This locks your formatting in place, ensuring it appears exactly as you intended, regardless of the recipient’s software or computer settings.

Word to PDF: “File > Save As > PDF” or “File > Print > Print to PDF.”

C. For Self-Publishing: eBook and Print Considerations

eBook (EPUB/MOBI): eBooks use reflowable text. This means readers can adjust font size, and the text re-flows to fit the screen. Complex formatting (specific page breaks within stories, precise margin control) largely disappears. Focus on clean, semantic structure (using headings, paragraph breaks). Scene breaks are still essential.
Print (PDF): You’ll need a print-ready PDF. If you’re not comfortable with advanced layout software (like Adobe InDesign or Affinity Publisher), consider hiring a professional formatter. While Word can export print-ready PDFs, achieving truly professional typography and precise control over elements like kerning and ligatures is best left to dedicated layout software or experts.

VI. The Final Review: Polishing the Polish

Before pressing “send” or “publish,” conduct a meticulous final review.

Read Through on Screen: Scroll through the entire document. Do margins look consistent? Are page numbers accurate?
Print a Few Pages: Nothing beats seeing it on paper for catching subtle errors in spacing or alignment. Print the first few pages, a middle story, and the end.
Check TOC Against Pages: Every entry in the TOC must link to the correct page number.
Confirm Scene Breaks: Are they consistent in appearance and placement?
Look for Widows and Orphans: A “widow” is the last line of a paragraph appearing by itself at the top of a new page. An “orphan” is the first line of a paragraph appearing by itself at the bottom of a page. Your word processor can usually prevent these automatically via paragraph settings, but check manually.
Proofread for Typos/Grammar: This is paramount. Flawless formatting can’t cover up a messy manuscript.

Conclusion

Formatting your short story collection is a critical, often underestimated, step in the publication process. It’s a silent testament to your professionalism, a courtesy to your readers, and a necessary foundation for agents and publishers. By meticulously applying these guidelines, you transform your collection from a mere compilation of stories into a polished, professional literary work, ready to captivate its audience. Invest the time in this final stage of creation; the meticulous presentation will ensure your powerful narratives receive the attention and respect they deserve.