Manuscript format
Encyclopedia
Manuscript format is the formatted work that an author submits to a publisher, editor
, or producer for publication
. Even with the advent of desktop publishing
, making it possible for anyone to prepare text that appears professionally typeset
, many publishers still require authors to submit manuscripts within their respective guidelines.
Although publishers guidelines for formatting are the most critical resource for authors, style guide
s are also key references for authors preparing manuscripts since "virtually all professional editors work closely with one of them in editing a manuscript for publication."
s.
Some guidelines that may be applicable to most manuscripts include:
There are several reasons for these requirements.
Double spacing the text (providing additional leading
), provides the copy editor additional space in and around letters, words, and lines to make notes and corrections on the manuscript. Leaving more than half the first page blank allows the editor or copy editor to write summary instructions to the typesetter that concern the entire manuscript.
of the manuscript, although this may be noted on a query letter
also. Most publishers pay writers based on a hypothetical number of words in the manuscript. However, this is not the physical count of actual words; this is a rough count of the number of characters divided to better estimate the space that the final text will consume in the published version. Normally, this involves counting every character in the manuscript, including spaces, and dividing by 6. If the correct font size is used, and if the margins
are set so that lines contain an average of 60 characters, the editor can easily assume that there are 10 words per line. Furthermore, if the top and bottom margins are set so that there are, for example, 20 lines on each page, the editor can easily count 200 words per page.
Page numbers, author's name, and title on every page ensure that if an unstapled manuscript is shuffled on a table, shared among two or more people, or dropped, it can easily be reassembled, and if a stack of unstapled manuscripts is dropped, it can easily be sorted into the correct sets.
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, or producer for publication
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. Even with the advent of desktop publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
, making it possible for anyone to prepare text that appears professionally typeset
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
, many publishers still require authors to submit manuscripts within their respective guidelines.
Although publishers guidelines for formatting are the most critical resource for authors, style guide
Style guide
A style guide or style manual is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization or field...
s are also key references for authors preparing manuscripts since "virtually all professional editors work closely with one of them in editing a manuscript for publication."
Basic manuscript formatting
Manuscript formatting depends greatly on the type of work that is being written, as well as the individual publisher, editor or producer. Writers who intend to submit a manuscript should determine what the relevant writing standards are, and follow them. Individual publisher's standards will take precedence over style guideStyle guide
A style guide or style manual is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization or field...
s.
Some guidelines that may be applicable to most manuscripts include:
- One inch margins
- Double spaced textLeadingIn typography, leading refers to the distance between the baselines of successive lines of type. The term originated in the days of hand-typesetting, when thin strips of lead were inserted into the formes to increase the vertical distance between lines of type...
- A single, clear, 12-point typeface
- No extra space between paragraphs
- An indented first line for each paragraph
- Information identifying the author and title of the manuscript on every page
- Page numbers
There are several reasons for these requirements.
Requirements for copy editing
The copy editor needs to be able to easily read all the letters that make up the words. If a much smaller or larger font size is used, the text becomes more difficult for the copy editor to read.Double spacing the text (providing additional leading
Leading
In typography, leading refers to the distance between the baselines of successive lines of type. The term originated in the days of hand-typesetting, when thin strips of lead were inserted into the formes to increase the vertical distance between lines of type...
), provides the copy editor additional space in and around letters, words, and lines to make notes and corrections on the manuscript. Leaving more than half the first page blank allows the editor or copy editor to write summary instructions to the typesetter that concern the entire manuscript.
Word count
Writers can also add the word countWord count
The word count is the number of words in a document or passage of text. Word counting may be needed when a text is required to stay within certain numbers of words. This may particularly be the case in academia, legal proceedings, journalism and advertising. Word count is commonly used by...
of the manuscript, although this may be noted on a query letter
Query letter
A query letter is a formal letter sent to magazine editors, literary agents and sometimes publishing houses or companies. Writers write query letters to propose writing ideas....
also. Most publishers pay writers based on a hypothetical number of words in the manuscript. However, this is not the physical count of actual words; this is a rough count of the number of characters divided to better estimate the space that the final text will consume in the published version. Normally, this involves counting every character in the manuscript, including spaces, and dividing by 6. If the correct font size is used, and if the margins
Margin (typography)
In typography, a margin is the space that surrounds the content of a page. The margin helps to define where a line of text begins and ends. When a page is justified the text is spread out to be flush with the left and right margins...
are set so that lines contain an average of 60 characters, the editor can easily assume that there are 10 words per line. Furthermore, if the top and bottom margins are set so that there are, for example, 20 lines on each page, the editor can easily count 200 words per page.
Requirements for manuscript handling
The final reason involves how editors, copy editors, and typesetters handle manuscripts. They might work on an entire manuscript at one time or the editor might hand groups of pages to the typesetter at a time. Unstapled pages facilitate this. The copyeditor typically makes marks on every page; a page that lies flat is easily set aside and is out of the way of the next page. Typesetters often place the copy on a raised surface to view it better; stapled manuscripts are difficult to manage in this way.Page numbers, author's name, and title on every page ensure that if an unstapled manuscript is shuffled on a table, shared among two or more people, or dropped, it can easily be reassembled, and if a stack of unstapled manuscripts is dropped, it can easily be sorted into the correct sets.
Other manuscript formats
Publishers have different requirements for manuscript format. Knowledgeable writers check a publisher's Writer's Guidelines before submitting manuscripts. In addition, specialized formats that are different from those described here might be required for certain situation including:- Plays and screenplays
- Research or academic papers
See also
- List of style guides
- ManuscriptManuscriptA manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
- Sentence spacing
- Sentence spacing in language and style guidesSentence spacing in language and style guidesSentence spacing guidance is provided in many language and style guides. The majority of style guides that use a Latin-derived alphabet as a language base prescribe or recommend the use of a single space after the concluding punctuation of a sentence in final written works and publications...
- Style guides