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Format Your Novel for Submission
You can format your novel manuscript any way you want as you’re writing and editing. If you want a purple font on a pink background, have at it. If you have a font you just love looking at, use it while you’re writing.
But, when you’re ready to submit your novel to an agent or publisher, follow the guidelines. Please. Let your creativity shine through your story, not your manuscript format. There really is a time to blend in with others, to be just one of the crowd, and this is that time.
No fancy fonts or colors. No odd sizes in fonts or margins. No illustrations or graphics, such as your five-year-old son’s artwork for a suggested cover.
You want an agent or editor talking about your submission, but for the right reasons. Don’t be the joke of the week at your favorite publishing house.
Don’t give harried agents and editors an excuse to toss your manuscript before they’ve read the first word.
So, how do you format a novel manuscript an acceptable way?
Find out what the agent or publisher recommends
Yes, many publish their specs and formatting requirements right on their Web sites. Checking out the specs should be your first step.
Adapt your manuscript for each agent or publisher (most will be remarkably similar).
For any agent or publisher without a specific format, follow an accepted format for novel manuscripts
- Twelve point, Times New Roman (or Courier New, if you insist), black font
- One-inch margins on all four sides
- Half-inch paragraph indentations (five spaces) (this tab is pre-set in MS Word) for the first line of each paragraph
- Double space; no extra spaces between paragraphs
- Align left (not justified). The right edges will not be uniform or even.
- Number pages beginning with the actual story (don’t count or put page numbers on the title page)
- Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the number sign # in the center of the line
- Include your last name, your title (or keywords from the title), and the page number in the page header of every page except for the title page. Align the header to the right, so the information doesn’t interfere with the text of the manuscript. (Jones/Taming the Monster/1)
- Begin chapters on new pages (insert a page break). Center the chapter title, even if it’s only Chapter One (or Chapter 1), about 1/3 of the way down the page. Skip a couple of spaces and begin the text of the chapter.
- Center a number sign # one double-spaced blank line down at the end of the manuscript. Or simply write The End. You want agents and editors to know they’ve reached the end.
- Use italics for italicized words. (Former practice was to underline to show italicized words, but that’s no longer necessary unless an agent or publisher requests underlining.)
- Single space rather than two spaces after periods between sentences. If you forget this one, nobody’s going to turn down your manuscript because of it. It’s just a good habit to get into, especially for those of us who learned on typewriters and always added two spaces between sentences.
Include a title page
- Aligned left and single spaced, near the top of the page, include contact information: Your real/legal name, address, phone number, e-mail address. Follow with the word count. Alternatively, you can set word count apart by listing it at the top of the right side of the title page.
- About 1/2 the way down the page, centered, enter the full manuscript title (all caps or mixed caps); on the next double-spaced line, type by or a novel by or a story by; on the next double-spaced line, add your pen name or your real name plus your pen name—Alexis Chesterfield writing as Billie Thomas
- If you have an agent, include the agent’s contact name and information beneath your name (yes, skip a line)
- Header information is not included on the title page. The title page is not included in page numbering.
- For some genres, including romance, you can include the sub-genre, such as suspense or Regency. Include this information either above or below the word count.
That’s it, a basic format for novels.
Do you have leeway with some of these items? Yes. For example, your header could be aligned left. But since the agent’s or editor’s eye will be looking to the top left of the page first, a header on the left side could be distracting. Can you add an asterisk instead of the number sign for scene breaks? Sure. Just don’t get too fancy; you don’t want to distract the person deciding on your story. You simply want to show a break. (You could also use three number signs instead of a single one.)
You can use dashes instead of the slash between items in your header.
Some recommend beginning chapter one on the title page, others insist on the title page standing alone. This one’s up to you. I like the less cluttered look when chapter one begins on its own page, and this seems to be the more accepted practice these days.
Remember… Always, always, always check the recommended format for each agent and publishing house you submit to.
Never send more than they request.
When you submit, submit professionally.
*****
On a personal note, I always change manuscript fonts to Times New Roman since the serif font is easier to read on a print copy (and I always edit from hard copy).
***
Related posts:
- Narrative Tense—Right Now or Way Back Then
- Mastering Scene Transitions
- Use Words, Not Punctuation, To Tell Your Story
Tags: manuscript, story format, submissions Posted in: How to, Writing Tips
63 Responses to “Format Your Novel for Submission”
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The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
Thank you for reading The Editor's Blog, an Internet resource for fiction writers, 
Hi Beth,
So glad I found this post! It has been saved for future use!
Regards,
Paige
Paige, I hope it will be very helpful for that future use. Here’s hoping you write many manuscripts.
Hi Beth,
I have a quick question. I’m formatting a title page and doing my best to go by your guidelines. My book isn’t really a novel or a story. Rather, each chapter is it’s own humorous story/ essay. In that case, where you suggest putting “story by”, or “novel by”…what would I put? Probably a silly question, but I’m trying to be as professional as possible. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Paige
Paige, you could simply put by on that line. Or, if they were all essays, you could say a collection of essays by.
Or, if the title of the manuscript already contains the word essay, you could say a collection by.
Or, if the collection is all short stories, you could say, a collection of stories by
But by on its own is perfectly fine.
Thanks Beth! Greatly appreciated!
Beth,
Nice, succinct article. I have an post on this subject on my blog. I’m going to insert your advice on adapting your submissions to each agent or publishers recommendations – and link back to your article.
Newbie
Newbie, thanks for the link. Your post looks good.
My dilemma is word count! And let me tell you, I’m stressing – BIG TIME! Do I calculate by pages (250 words/pp) or by actual computer word count? Some agents don’t specify which method they prefer.
Here’s my problem:
My actual word count (by computer) for my historical romance is 133,500. I’ve trimmed it down, since it’s been brought to my attention that few new authors are accepted with a word count over 100,000 – 120,000.
If I use the 250 words pp calculation, there’s a significant difference, depending the type of font. As you will see, I’ve tried several of the recommended fonts.
12pt TNR, 109,250.
12pt Arial – 113,500
Change that font to 12pt Courier New and it’s a whomping 144,250 (Yikes!)
I don’t want it to seem as though I’m playing “Fool the Agent” by using fonts to manipulate the word count. How significant is this? And do I need to mention how I came up with the word count?
It’s silly really! I’ve polished the manuscript, written the query letter, have 5 different synopses of varying lengths to satisfy any number of discriminating agents and I get stuck on word count! :::SIGH:::
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
GerrileenR, just use the word count from Word for most submissions. You would typically round the number, but yours already is a number that needs no rounding. Check the specs for each agent or publisher before you submit, since one might advise you to calculate your word count a certain way.
Historicals typically have more words than some other categories of romance, but 133,000 is a lot of words, especially for a new writer. All those pages cost a publisher money; they’re going to wonder if they can make that money back on a new author.
Is there no way you can reduce your word count even more? You may have to consider eliminating a sub-plot.
While it’s true that some writers have sold stories with higher word counts, it’s also true that some agents or publishers might not look beyond the word count and reject your manuscript because of that.
My advice? Keep cutting.
Grabbing the scissors . . . AGAIN!!! Thanks!
My pleasure, GerrileenR. Remember to hang on to the sections you cut out; you may have the chance to add them back in.
This article saved me!!! I’m a new author about to get ready to publish a five-book series and I’m looking for any help I can! Thanks a million! This solves all my questions on formatting!
Alice, congratulations on the series. What a great achievement. I’m glad this article proved useful.
Thanks. I am only 15, so it’s hard to know where to find things.
Alice, there’s so much good information available online. My advice is to always check with several sources.
You might also want to join a writing group. Most take writers of all ages and genres, so you’ll be exposed to a variety of writers at different skill levels and with different interests. Many groups keep a library of resources so you should be able to get most of your questions answered.
I wish you great success.
Thanks again!
I’m so glad I came across your information Beth. It has been so helpful with my first novel. Although I’ve researched I can not seem to find information about inserting letters, like love letters, within a chapter. Do you change the font and indentions or keep it the same font, TNR 12 pt., indenting the standard five spaces? Can you help?
Thanks,
Tish
Tish, each publisher may have specific rules for making such items as letters and other text stand out in a book, but for the writer working on a manuscript, one clear method is to indent both the left and right sides of the letter. This shows that the letter is from a different source than the rest of the text without the writer having to resort to a fancy font or other method.
Do not use all caps; caps make the text difficult to read. Some would recommend italics, but a long section of italics may be hard to read as well. All you need to do is show that the text is different from the surrounding text; a publisher will decide how it will ultimately look.
Be consistent. If you’ll include several letters, make sure they have the same indentions. And don’t forget the indention on the right side. Half-inch indentions should be adequate, though you might have to play with the right indention to make it noticeable.
The half-inch indention on the left side is in addition to the paragraph indention.. That is, the paragraph tab is a half inch. You’ll indent another half inch and then begin your letter.
I hope this is helpful..
Thanks for the helpful post. I’m hoping you can clear something up for me. While trying to determine the proper format to submit a manuscript to an AGENT, I keep encountering advice on how to format a manuscript to submit to a PUBLISHER. I see in your article you write “when you are ready to submit to an agent OR publisher follow these guidelines”. This obviously leads me to believe the guidelines are the same for submission to either. However, I read somewhere that the following guideline is for submissions to publishers only:
“Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the number sign # in the center of the line”.
Is this true? Or should I go ahead and insert a blank line with # for scene breaks in the manuscript I plan to send to agents during the query stage?
Please advise. Thanks so much!
Tara, you can use the blank line with # for both agents and publishers, unless one in particular requires something else. They’ll all understand the # indicates a scene break. It’s not likely that marking a scene break in another way will hurt your chances with either an agent or a publisher. Just don’t try something crazy, like a row of red hearts stretching across the page.
Thanks very much for the feedback. Can I ask, why is it so frowned upon to hit return more than twice to indicate a scene break? Im assuming its a space thing? Thanks again. It is wonderful to have professional advice.
Tara, I’m guessing you’re right that it’s a space issue. Why put the extra space when it’s not necessary? But I’ve never actually heard anyone say anything about it one way or the other. Manuscript formatting is set up the way it is to make the pages easy to read and to make notes on. Anything writers can do to help agents and editors is a good thing.
So, if someone says they don’t like extra spaces, I wouldn’t put in more than two returns for that reader. In general, there wouldn’t be a reason to put in too many anyway.
Outstanding website for first-timers like me! One question regarding manuscript format: I have one inch margins all around. Is it okay to have the header information at the half-inch mark and the story text at the one inch mark? Thanks.
Nick, that’s pretty much standard, so you’re good. Any lower on your header and you risk running it into the text or it just getting in the way. Any higher and you risk it being cut off if the printer jams.
Your goals are to make the manuscript easy to read and to identify yourself and the story. Agents and publishers aren’t going to penalize you for your personal choices as long as those choices aren’t contrary to their stated policy or to basic standards.
Glad you like the site.
Thank you so much for this article. I have read many books and swam through the Internet and there are so many different things I have read. A big point of contention for me, was underline versus italics. Since my protagonist develops telepathy, this is a biggie for me.
Also, I like using veranda for me as a font, but will change it to TNR. (that seems to be the font poll winner, or courier, which, for me, is harder to read. Probably why resumes are not in courier.
What are your thoughts on query submission formatting?
Thanks again,
Deb
Deb, it’s my pleasure. Courier is hard for me to read too, especially on hard copy.
A query is a business letter, so you wouldn’t go wrong approaching it as such. Think single spacing but add a line space between paragraphs. Use 1 1/2 inch side margins if you can still get all your text on a single page. If not, try 1 1/4 inch. Smaller margins, such as one inch, combined with single spacing will make the query look cramped.
Don’t indent. Use a basic font such as Times New Roman and a normal-size font. You don’t want to make the agent or publisher squint to read your letter. And you want the words, not the format, to stand out.
I hope that helps.
Beth, thank you for this article. I have spent several hours searching for formatting advice and yours is the most comprehensive and concise out there. One thing I can’t find — how to format segments? I have written a book of insights where segments can range from one line to five pages. I have separated each segment with the same graphic taken from MS Word. Is this acceptable formatting for manuscript submission, or should I remove these graphics and replace them with asterisks, or a solid line running between margins?
Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Nancy
Nancy, I’m glad you found what you needed.
For segments, which I’m guessing you are likening to scenes, you just want to show the break. Be consistent and go with the basics. I wouldn’t use a graphic or a line. Asterisk or hash mark (number sign or pound sign) are good choices. Using three of either—*** or ###—allows them to be noticeable without being overwhelming.
Let the publisher decide what kind of visual break they want between sections when they publish. You just need to show that there are sections.
If you have something cool you’d like to use to set off sections, you can talk about that with the publisher after they buy the manuscript.
Also, since some of your segments are long, consider beginning each on a new page, as if they were new chapters. That might seem odd for some of the shorter ones, but you’ll want to be consistent with your formatting. All segments, no matter the length, should be formatted the same way.
Can your single-line segments stand alone as a chapter? That is one legitimate approach. Decide how you want those segments to be viewed. Again, you might not have the final say-so, but for your submission, you just want to make clear what you’ve got and the way you see the sections breaking.
Does that help?
Beth, thank you so much for your quick response and helpful suggestions. There are 12 chapters and each segment pertains to its particular chapter, so I will use the ### as the separator.
As I wrote my book, I had fun creating it in a way I envisioned it to be once in hard cover. Now that I’m preparing the manuscript for submission, reality sets in and it’s time to conform to submission rules. I created more work for myself and learned in the process.
Thanks again for your help!
Nancy
My pleasure, Nancy. Good luck with the submission.
Thanks, Beth. I’m excited!
Beth —
LOVE this guide to formatting a manuscript. Thank you very much. I have one question though: my novel has several instances where the narrative includes excerpts from the main character’s writing — he’s a screenwriter and I feel very strongly about showing what he is writing at times. How do I format these ‘excerpts’? I’ve been indenting the entire chunk of “character writing” five spaces (1/2 inch) on both sides. Is this proper or is there a better way to do this? Thanks!
Telly
Telly, glad to hear you can use the info. Yes, indenting 1/2 inch on both sides is great. And that means not the 1/2 tab indention on the left, but another half inch. You want the text to stand out as something “other” but not be fancy. You can use the same setup for letters and e-mails. You could also change the paragraph line spacing to 1 1/2. This too makes the section stand out, but readers still have room to make notes if necessary.
If these excerpts are long, keep to double spacing. You want agents and publishers to note the different sections without making them hard to work with.
And don’t change the font; the publisher will take care of that.
A good question for everyone. Thanks for asking it.
Hi Beth,
I’ve seen differing advice on whether I should print on both sides or only one side of each page in submitting a novel manuscript to agents.
What’s your take on this? Should my manuscript submission be printed on only one side of each page, or is printing on both sides preferable?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Tim
One side only, Tim. That’s definitely the standard. I’ve never once heard a recommendation to print on both sides. And you’ll find that a lot of agents and publishers now use electronic submissions, so you don’t actually have to send hard copy at all.
Another good question and one others might have been wondering about—thanks for putting it out there so we could discuss it.
Thanks so much for your quick reply, Beth. You’re very kind to take the time.
If you don’t mind me extending the question, does this also apply to a novel synopsis submitted to an agent? One side only?
Thanks again.
Tim
Tim, use one side only for the synopsis and any other communication with agents or publishers, such as your query letter. It might seem a waste of paper, but that’s how it’s done.
Keep your query to a single page if at all possible. For the synopsis, there are different lengths; follow submission guidelines of the agent or publisher.
Thank you very much for this comprehensive information, Beth. A few questions: I have used the double double space method to show a change of scenes (same character’s POV). But if there is a change of POV within the same chapter, I have used the *** in the first double space row following the previous scene/POV. Will this method not be acceptable? Does a change of POV require a new chapter, especially if that changed scene/POV is relatively short?
A change of POV does not require a new chapter but yes, it would be a new scene.
Use your asterisks or hash marks to show that scene change. Use the same asterisks or hash marks to show a scene change even if there is no change in POV. If the publisher wants to show a difference between a scene change with a POV change and one without, let that be the publisher’s call. For a manuscript you intend to submit, let your scene changes be consistent—whatever you use for one scene change, use also for another.
Some publishers may not show a scene break with a change in POV alone, one without a change in place or time—that is their choice. What you want to do is show that you realize there is a change in scene and/or a change in POV or viewpoint character, so go ahead and visually mark that scene change in your manuscript.
I hope that answers your questions. If not, please let me know.
This might be a mundane question. But is it okay to bold the title on the title page or is it better to not.
Misti, while it might make no difference at all, I see no reason to bold the title. Bold is used to make text stand out among other text, but there’s not a whole lot of other text on the title page. And everyone knows they’re looking at the title. As I said, it may meaning absolutely nothing to agents and publishers, but since someone might be bothered by it, why not just leave it normal?
Okay thank you so much! Also I know there is a limit to words agents and editors will look at for new writes, but is there a minimum word count? Right now I am still editing my manuscript and the word count according to Word is 46,459 this number may grow but most likely not by much.
Thanks again this blog is great!
I’m so lucky to have found your site and much appreciate the information. One question apropos the page header. If in the corner
one puts Smith/Blue Moon/1 does one also put the page number
at the top, centered?? and if so how far down from the top?
Thanks so much and may your spring be a merry one!
Lally, the page number in the header is all you need for page numbering. You’ll have a correct page number on every page, so even if your pages went flying, they could be put back into order.
I’m glad you’re finding the blog useful. If you have other questions, please ask.
So many thanks for such a quick reply. My problem is solved!
I’ve noticed agents now want sample pages sent in the body of the email, not as an attachment. How do I format the pages so that my work will read as if it were printed and sent snail mail? I’ve tried emailing myself pages from my manuscript (via cut and paste) and it never seems to be right. It’s either single-spaced (when the original word doc is double) or the tabs marking a new paragraph vanish. I’ve tried saving as RTF and emailing…still problems. Yikes, galore!
Yikes indeed, Hay. But those who request samples via e-mail are aware of formatting issues.
Your e-mail program may not allow for double spacing or other “proper” manuscript formatting. So don’t sweat that. Make sure you do have paragraph breaks, correct spelling, and visual scene and chapter breaks. That may be the best you can do given the limits of e-mail programs. Some allow you to italicize while others don’t, so you might not have that ability either.
Again, those who request partial submissions in the body of an e-mail are aware of what they’ll see. It’s when they request that longer submission that you’ll want to have the formatting just right.
Thanks for the heads-up for those who might not have submitted via e-mail.
Misti, there are typical word counts, but they are for genre and type of book, not necessarily a count for agents or publishers. Yet you’re right that first-time novelists don’t often get the option of offering long novels. Publishers are less likely to take a chance on an extra-long story by a new author than they would on an established author who is known to deliver the audience and the sales.
I’ll try to write up an article for common word counts to give you an idea of typical standards.
If an agent asks that I include my submission in the email does that mean I should attach it or literally include the copy into the body of the email?
Kim, in the e-mail it most likely means to include it in the body of the e-mail. They need to be wary of attachments with viruses and that kind of thing. I’m guessing the submission is only a limited number of pages, not the full manuscript? You could always ask for clarification, but if you’re talking blurb or synopsis or first pages, they’re probably looking for it to be in the e-mail itself.
For reasons to complicated to bore you with, I’ve temporarily had to abandon Scrivener [and all it's magnificent formatting features] and instead I have my manuscript in a word document. Now I find that if I flip between Times New Roman and Courier, there is a 15,000 word count difference. I’ve checked it several times and cannot fathom why this should be so. Has anyone else come across this, or is it just my poor weary computer going on strike?
Maddy, are you figuring word count per page with the two fonts or are you talking about Word’s word count feature? There should be no difference between fonts using the word count feature. As for figuring total word count based on words per page, then yes, there could be a difference if you use different fonts.
With Courier—assuming one-inch margins all around—you’ll get fewer words to the page than with Times New Roman. So if you change the font, the number of words per page changes, as does the total number of pages, and if you’re figuring word count manually based on 250 words per page, the totals will be different.
While Courier might average 250 words per page, Times New Roman could have 300 or more. If you don’t take that difference into account, totals will be off. Or if you don’t consider that the number of pages is different, that might also account for the difference.
So a 370-page manuscript in Courier becomes a 320-pager in TNR. If you figure 250 words to the page (which is correct for Courier, incorrect for TNR), then your totals are 92,500 and 80,000. A big difference.
I hope that’s the simple answer for the differences in your word counts.
For most submissions, and unless the agent or publisher says otherwise, use the Word count feature in Word.
Beth – thank you for all your useful information. I have a genre question: my story is a true story, but written as a novel. I am unsure as to how to market it. The family members’ names are real; the ancillary characters’ names are fictional.
Note: I can change the names and market it as a novel if necessary, but the title character has a certain limited amount of name recognition – fame? – and I would like to keep that.
Marilyn, I admit I have no counsel for you on your question. But I do have other questions whose answers might be helpful.
Would the people care that you’ve written about them and used their names? Did you secure permission to write about the lives of real people? People have the right to control the commercial use of their names and likenesses. You probably need permission from all and not simply from the famous individual.
You also need to consider libel. Even if the events you’ve written about are true, one of the people might not have the same take on an event and may consider your words libel. Have you gotten information from all parties? Do they agree that your portrayal is accurate?
Would you find more readers with a novel than with a work of non-fiction? That is, is that one person’s fame enough to capture an audience or would you find more readers with a novel?
Stories about the lives of real people can be uplifting and exciting and wonderful. But the writer needs to know the laws that speak to the issue. Even novels purporting to be fiction but which feature identifiable people can cause problems for a writer. My advice is to check out information about writing about identifiable individuals, see what the pitfalls and special needs are.
I would love to hear what you decide to do.
Beth -
Thank you for your valuable input. I do not yet have permission from my siblings, but now that my MS is finished, I will send it to them right away and ask for permission.
Beth – a note regarding formatting manuscripts. Microsoft Word version 2010 has a template that is made specifically for mss. It’s a wonderful timesaver. If you open your document in that template from the beginning, it keeps everything right for you.
It’s a little more complicated if you’ve written your first drafts on an older version of Word, but I think it probably can be done.
Marilyn, thanks for the tip on the Word template. You can also create your own templates.