Master manuscript formatting with this comprehensive guide. Learn industry-standard formatting rules for fonts, spacing, margins, and more to impress agents and publishers.
Why Proper Manuscript Formatting Matters More Than You Think
Here’s something most first-time authors don’t realize: the easiest way to make your manuscript look amateurish—and potentially torpedo your chances with agents and publishers—is improper formatting.
You could have written the next great American novel, but if you submit it in Comic Sans with single-spacing and justified text, literary professionals will assume you haven’t done basic homework about the publishing industry. First impressions matter enormously, and your manuscript’s formatting creates that first impression before anyone reads a single sentence of your actual prose.
The good news: Proper manuscript formatting is straightforward, requires minimal effort, and dramatically improves how publishing professionals perceive your work. Think of correct formatting as the professional attire of the manuscript world—it signals you’re serious, knowledgeable, and respectful of industry norms.
What manuscript formatting accomplishes:
- Demonstrates professionalism: Shows you understand publishing conventions
- Ensures readability: Makes your work easier to evaluate and edit
- Facilitates editorial process: Allows agents, editors, and designers to work efficiently with your manuscript
- Provides fair evaluation: Removes distracting visual elements so readers focus on content
- Prevents automatic rejection: Avoids the “amateur author” red flags that lead to quick passes
In 2025’s competitive publishing environment, where agents receive hundreds of queries weekly and publishers maintain high selectivity, every advantage counts. Proper formatting won’t guarantee acceptance, but improper formatting can guarantee rejection.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about manuscript formatting, from non-negotiable industry standards to areas where slight variation is acceptable.
Understanding the Formatting Landscape: Standards vs. Preferences
Unlike formal style guides (Chicago Manual of Style, AP Stylebook), manuscript formatting doesn’t have a single ironclad authority dictating every detail. Instead, you’re navigating a mix of universal “must-haves” and agent/publisher-specific preferences.
The three-tier approach:
Tier 1: Universal Standards (“Must-Haves”)
These apply across the industry. Violating them marks you as unprofessional.
Tier 2: Common Conventions (“Should-Haves”)
Most professionals expect these, though minor variations exist.
Tier 3: Variable Preferences (“Nice-to-Haves”)
Individual agents or publishers may have specific requirements that differ from general standards.
Critical rule: Always check submission guidelines. When an agent or publisher provides specific formatting requirements, those trump general industry standards.
Tier 1: The Non-Negotiable Must-Haves
These formatting elements are universal expectations. Get these right every time.
1. Standard Font: Times New Roman, 12-Point
The standard: Times New Roman, 12-point font size
Why this matters: Publishing professionals review dozens or hundreds of manuscripts. Their brains are calibrated to Times New Roman at 12-point. This font size and style allow them to quickly estimate manuscript length, readability, and pacing.
Acceptable alternatives:
- Arial (12-point)
- Garamond (12-point)
- Book Antiqua (12-point)
Avoid:
- Courier (now considered old-fashioned for novels)
- “Creative” fonts (cursive, decorative, unusual)
- Sans-serif fonts beyond Arial (Helvetica, Calibri) for fiction
- Font sizes below 11-point or above 13-point
Special note: If you’re submitting to specific publishers with stated preferences, follow those. But absent specific guidance, default to Times New Roman 12-point.
2. Double-Spacing Throughout
The standard: Double-spaced lines with NO additional spacing before or after paragraphs
How to set this correctly:
- Line spacing: Double (2.0)
- Space before paragraphs: 0
- Space after paragraphs: 0
Why this matters: Double-spacing provides room for editorial marks, comments, and revisions. Additional paragraph spacing disrupts this system and makes the manuscript harder to edit.
Common mistake: Using paragraph spacing instead of proper double-spacing. Your manuscript should show consistent double-spacing between ALL lines, not extra gaps between paragraphs.
How to check: Your manuscript should look evenly spaced throughout, with no conspicuous gaps between paragraphs.
3. One-Inch Margins All Around
The standard: 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all four sides—top, bottom, left, and right
Why this matters: Provides space for editorial notes and comments. Also, many word processors default to 1.25-inch or 1.5-inch margins, so you need to deliberately check this setting.
How to verify:
- Word: Layout → Margins → Normal (should show 1″ all around)
- Google Docs: File → Page Setup → Margins (set to 1 inch)
- Scrivener: Check compile settings for margin specifications
Special consideration: Some publishers may specify different margins for final typesetting, but for manuscript submission, stick with 1-inch.
4. Left Alignment (Not Justified)
The standard: Text aligned to left margin only; right edge remains ragged
Why this matters: Justified text (where both left and right edges align) creates awkward spacing between words that makes manuscripts harder to read and edit.
How to set:
- Word: Home → Paragraph → Align Left
- Google Docs: Format → Align → Left
- Ensure “Justify” is NOT selected
Visual check: Your right margin should have an uneven, natural edge where lines end at different points.
5. Paragraph Indents: 0.5 Inches, Not Tabs or Spaces
The standard: First line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) using automatic paragraph formatting
The correct method:
- Word: Home → Paragraph → Special: First Line → By: 0.5″
- Google Docs: Format → Align & indent → Indentation options → Special indent: First line → 0.5 inches
Why automatic indents matter: Future book designers can globally adjust indents if you use proper formatting. If you’ve used tabs or (worse) manual spaces, they’ll need to manually fix every single paragraph—time-consuming and expensive.
Common mistakes:
- ❌ Hitting Tab key for each paragraph
- ❌ Hitting Space bar five times
- ❌ No indent at all (block paragraph style)
Pro tip: Set automatic first-line indents ONCE when you start your manuscript. Then forget about it—every new paragraph will indent correctly automatically.
Exception: Don’t indent the first paragraph after chapter breaks or section breaks. Start flush left, then indent subsequent paragraphs.
6. Numbered Pages with Header Information
The standard: Every page numbered consecutively; pages include identifying header
What to include in headers:
- Your last name
- Book title (abbreviated if long)
- Page number
Format: LASTNAME / SHORT TITLE / Page #
Example: SMITH / MIDNIGHT GARDEN / 47
How to set up:
- Word: Insert → Header → Edit Header → Type your name and title → Insert → Page Number → Top of Page, Right
- Google Docs: Insert → Headers & page numbers → Page number (top right) → Add name and title manually
Critical details:
- Page numbers should start with the first page of actual manuscript (after title page)
- Title page doesn’t receive a page number
- Use consecutive numbering throughout—never restart numbering with each chapter
Why this matters: If an agent prints your manuscript and drops it (or wind scatters the pages), headers allow quick reassembly. Continuous numbering helps track manuscript length and reference specific pages in feedback.
7. Chapter Breaks: New Page for Each Chapter
The standard: Each new chapter starts on a fresh page using proper page breaks
The correct method:
- Insert → Page Break (Ctrl+Enter in Word)
- NOT hitting Return/Enter multiple times until you reach a new page
Why page breaks matter: If you use manual Returns, adding or deleting text earlier in the manuscript shifts everything, destroying your chapter breaks. Proper page breaks remain functional regardless of text changes.
Chapter formatting:
- Chapter number and/or title centered or left-aligned
- 1-2 extra line spaces before chapter title (optional)
- 1-2 extra line spaces after chapter title before text begins (optional)
Example formatting:
[Page Break]
CHAPTER FIVE: The Discovery
The morning came too quickly. Sarah rolled...
8. Section Breaks Within Chapters
The standard: When you break within a chapter (time jump, POV shift, location change), mark it clearly
How to indicate section breaks:
Minimum: One extra blank line between paragraphs
Better: Three asterisks (or other symbol) centered, with blank lines before and after
Example:
...end of first section.
* * *
Beginning of next section...
Why this matters: Extra blank lines alone might be mistaken for formatting errors, especially if the break falls near a page break where the extra space isn’t visible. Asterisks or symbols make the intentional break unmistakable.
Avoid: Using dashes, equal signs, or overly decorative symbols. Keep it simple and professional.
Tier 2: Common Conventions (Follow Unless Instructed Otherwise)
These elements represent widespread industry practice, though some variation exists.
Title Page Format
Include:
- Book title (centered, about 1/3 down the page)
- “by” or “A Novel by”
- Your name (legal name, or “Legal Name writing as Pen Name”)
- Contact information (upper left corner: name, address, phone, email)
- Word count (upper right corner, rounded to nearest thousand)
Example layout:
Jane Smith 78,000 words
123 Main Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(555) 123-4567
janesmith@email.com
THE MIDNIGHT GARDEN
A Novel by
Jane Smith
Variations: Some authors include genre, some don’t. Some center contact info at bottom. Check submission guidelines for specific requirements.
Manuscript End Marker
Common practice: Type “THE END” or “###” centered on the last page after final sentence
Why: Signals clearly that the manuscript is complete, not accidentally truncated
Variations: Some authors omit this entirely. Not strictly required but professional courtesy.
Header Formatting Variations
Standard: LASTNAME / TITLE / Page #
Acceptable: LASTNAME Page # (omitting title)
Acceptable: TITLE / Page # (omitting author name)
Choose one style and maintain consistency throughout.
Tier 3: Variable Preferences (Author Discretion or Publisher-Specific)
These elements vary more widely. Make intentional choices and maintain consistency.
Spacing Around Chapter Breaks
Option 1: Start chapter title 3-4 lines down from top of page
Option 2: Start chapter title immediately (1 line from top)
Option 3: Start chapter title 1/3 down the page (matching published book aesthetic)
Recommendation: 1-2 extra blank lines before chapter title, 1-2 after, then begin text. Simple, clean, not excessive.
Special Text Formatting
When your manuscript includes elements that differ from standard narrative (text messages, letters, signs, emails, handwritten notes), you need to distinguish them visually.
Common approaches:
Italics for internal thoughts or alternative text
Example: Meet me at midnight – don’t be late
Centered text with spacing for signs or notices
Example:
NO TRESPASSING
VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED
Font change for handwritten letters (use sparingly)
Example: Georgia or other slightly different readable font
Block quotes for longer excerpts
Example: Indent from both margins, single-space
Key principles:
- Keep formatting simple and readable
- Avoid “creative” fonts that are difficult to read
- Use extra spacing (blank line before and after) to set alternative text apart
- Be consistent—if you italicize text messages in Chapter 1, italicize them throughout
Italicizing Character Thoughts in Third Person
The debate: Should character thoughts in third-person narration be italicized?
Example: Why do I find this all so complicated? he thought.
Alternative: Why do I find this all so complicated? he thought.
Current trend: Increasing preference for NOT italicizing thoughts, treating them as part of close third-person narration.
Recommendation: Choose the approach that best serves your narrative voice. If you italicize thoughts, do so consistently. If you don’t, ensure context makes thoughts clear.
Note: This sparked heated Twitter debates among publishing professionals, demonstrating there’s no universal rule. Both approaches are professionally acceptable.
Common Formatting Mistakes That Scream “Amateur”
Mistake #1: Making Your Manuscript Look Like a Published Book
The error: Attempting to format your manuscript like a finished book with:
- Fancy title pages with graphics
- Justified text (even margins on both sides)
- Decorative fonts or multiple font styles
- Reduced margins to fit more on each page
- Single-spacing to reduce page count
Why this is wrong: Publishing professionals work with manuscripts in standard format. Their sense of pacing, length, and structure depends on seeing manuscripts formatted consistently. A “book-like” manuscript disrupts their calibration and signals you don’t understand the publishing process.
Remember: Manuscripts and books serve different purposes. Manuscripts are working documents for editorial processes. Books are finished products for readers.
Mistake #2: Inconsistent or Missing Page Numbers
The error:
- No page numbers at all
- Page numbers that restart with each chapter
- Page numbers that skip or duplicate
Why this is wrong: Makes the manuscript nearly impossible to reference in editorial feedback. Agents and editors need to note specific pages for revision suggestions.
Fix: Insert continuous page numbers that run from first manuscript page through final page, no restarts, no gaps.
Mistake #3: Using Spaces or Tabs Instead of Automatic Indents
The error: Manually creating paragraph indents by:
- Hitting Space bar five times
- Hitting Tab for each new paragraph
- Using no indents at all (block paragraph style with spacing between)
Why this is wrong:
- Creates inconsistent indent depths
- Makes global formatting changes impossible
- Signals unfamiliarity with word processing basics
- Causes nightmares for book designers during typesetting
Fix: Learn to set automatic first-line indents once, use throughout.
Mistake #4: Adding Extra Spacing Between Paragraphs
The error: Including blank lines or extra spacing between every paragraph
Why this is wrong: Disrupts double-spacing system, makes manuscript look like a web article instead of professional manuscript, interferes with editorial process.
Fix: Double-spacing between lines, zero spacing between paragraphs. Each new paragraph begins immediately after the previous one (with automatic first-line indent).
Mistake #5: Overly “Creative” Formatting Choices
The error:
- Using handwriting-style fonts for letter scenes
- Colored text for different characters’ dialogue
- Unusual fonts to indicate different time periods or settings
- Graphic elements or ASCII art
Why this is wrong: Distracts from content, makes manuscript harder to read, signals unprofessionalism. Publishers will remove these elements anyway.
Fix: Use simple formatting (italics, spacing) to distinguish alternative text. Save creative visual choices for published book design phase.
Special Formatting Scenarios
Manuscripts with Multiple Points of View
Best practice: Indicate POV shifts clearly with chapter breaks or section breaks (marked with asterisks or symbols)
Header approach: Some authors include POV character name in chapter title
Example: CHAPTER 12: Sarah’s Perspective
Avoid: Mid-scene POV shifts without clear marking
Manuscripts with Prologues, Epilogues, or Special Sections
Formatting: Treat these like chapters—new page, clear title, continue page numbering
Example:
[Page Break]
PROLOGUE
Text begins...
[Later, after last regular chapter]
[Page Break]
EPILOGUE
Text begins...
Poetry or Verse Within Prose Manuscripts
Formatting:
- Set apart with extra spacing before and after
- Center or indent verse portions
- May single-space within poems while maintaining double-spacing in prose
- Consider italics to further distinguish
Front Matter (For Complete Manuscripts)
If submitting a complete manuscript with front matter (dedication, acknowledgments, author’s note):
- Start page numbering with first manuscript page (not front matter)
- Front matter pages may use roman numerals (i, ii, iii) or remain unnumbered
- Check specific submission guidelines
File Format and Submission Best Practices
File Naming Conventions
Use professional, searchable file names:
Good: Smith_MidnightGarden_Full_Manuscript_2024.docx
Bad: my book final FINAL version 3.docx
Include:
- Your last name
- Book title
- “Manuscript” or “Full” or “Partial”
- Date (optional but helpful)
Use underscores to separate words (prevents garbling when spaces convert to “%20” in some systems)
File Format Requirements
Standard: .docx (Microsoft Word format)
Also acceptable: .doc (older Word format)
Sometimes acceptable: PDF (check guidelines—some agents/editors prefer Word for editing capability)
Avoid:
- Google Docs links (unless specifically requested)
- Pages format (.pages)
- Open Office or uncommon formats
- Rich Text Format (.rtf) unless requested
Before submitting: Open your file in the format you’re sending to verify it displays correctly.
Page Size Standard
US/Canada: 8.5″ x 11″ (Letter size)
International: A4 (210 x 297mm)
Default setting: Most word processors use correct regional standard
Final Submission Checklist
Before sending your manuscript, verify:
- [ ] Times New Roman 12-point font throughout
- [ ] Double-spacing with no extra paragraph spacing
- [ ] 1-inch margins all sides
- [ ] Left alignment (not justified)
- [ ] Automatic 0.5-inch first-line paragraph indents
- [ ] Continuous page numbering with header information
- [ ] Proper page breaks between chapters
- [ ] Section breaks marked clearly
- [ ] Title page with contact info and word count
- [ ] Professional file name
- [ ] .docx file format
- [ ] Spell-checked and proofread
- [ ] Follows any agent/publisher-specific requirements from submission guidelines
Why Standard Formatting Helps Everyone
For you as the author:
- Presents work professionally
- Avoids instant rejection for technical errors
- Shows respect for industry norms
- Makes revisions easier
For agents and editors:
- Allows quick assessment of manuscript length
- Facilitates reading and evaluation
- Provides space for editorial marks
- Enables fair comparison across submissions
For designers and typesetters:
- Simplifies conversion to book layout
- Reduces production time and cost
- Prevents formatting issues
When You Can Break the Rules
Very rarely.
If your manuscript has highly unusual formatting requirements essential to the story (experimental fiction, concrete poetry, graphic novel elements), you need to:
- Mention it upfront in your query letter
- Provide clear rationale for why unconventional formatting is necessary
- Maintain maximum readability despite unusual elements
- Expect resistance from traditional publishers who may not accommodate experimental formats
For 99% of manuscripts, standard formatting is non-negotiable.
Your Action Plan: Formatting Your Manuscript Correctly
If you’re starting a new manuscript:
- Set up your document correctly from day one (font, margins, spacing, indents)
- Save as template for future projects
- Write without worrying about formatting again
If you’re reformatting an existing manuscript:
- Create a backup copy
- Systematically check each element (font, spacing, margins, indents, page numbers)
- Use Find & Replace to fix global issues
- Review entire manuscript to verify consistency
- Save in correct file format with professional file name
Before any submission:
- Review submission guidelines for specific requirements
- Run through final checklist
- Send test copy to yourself and open it to verify proper display
- Submit with confidence that formatting won’t torpedo your chances
FAQ: Manuscript Formatting
Q: Can I use fonts other than Times New Roman?
For manuscripts, stick with Times New Roman unless submission guidelines specify alternatives. Arial, Garamond, or Book Antiqua are sometimes acceptable. Avoid “creative” fonts entirely.
Q: Should my title page count as page 1?
No. The title page should not display a page number. Page 1 should be the first page of your actual manuscript text.
Q: What if my manuscript includes special elements like text messages or letters?
Use simple formatting to distinguish them—italics, centered text with extra spacing, or slight font variation (staying within readable fonts). Avoid overly creative formatting.
Q: Do I need to include my word count on every page?
No. Word count appears only on the title page, typically in the upper right corner, rounded to the nearest thousand.
Q: Can I single-space dialogue or certain sections to save space?
No. Maintain double-spacing throughout your entire manuscript. Do not attempt to reduce page count by varying spacing.
Q: What if the submission guidelines don’t mention formatting?
Follow the industry-standard formatting described in this guide. Standard formatting is always safe when guidelines don’t specify otherwise.
Q: Should I include page numbers on the title page?
No. The title page remains unnumbered. Page numbering begins with the first page of manuscript text.
Q: Is it okay to submit a PDF instead of Word document?
Only if submission guidelines specifically allow PDF. Most agents and editors prefer .docx for editing capability. When in doubt, use Word format.
