Rules for Typing Manuscripts

Factual Questions
1

This thread got me wondering:

If you were typing up a manuscript for professional submission, what rules should you follow when formatting the document?

In the aforementioned thread, some people mentioned particular fonts, spacing, etc. that you should use. Could you elaborate? Also, what margins should you use?

Does this differ if you were submitting to a magazine rather than a book publisher?

If you were submitting a book manuscript, and followed the rules, can you estimate how many pages the finished book will have? (Assume that the manuscript is printed as submitted, and the finished book is an ordinary hardcover.)

Thanks in advance.

[Edited by C K Dexter Haven on 12-19-2000 at 01:53 PM]

2

Aw, crap. I guess the first rule should be “preview before you submit.” Sorry about that bad link.

No sweat, Green, I have fixed thine link. – Dex

[Edited by C K Dexter Haven on 12-19-2000 at 01:56 PM]

3

You can read my discussion of the matter at http://www.sfwa.org/writing/format_rothman.htm

Here are a few other discussions:
http://www.sfwa.org/writing/format_betancourt.htm

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/vonda/vonda.htm (requires Acrobat Reader)

4

Not to mention this essential guide :slight_smile:

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/howto.htm

Seriously, the SFWA writing pages (Writing Amputees - SFWA) are a great place for all sorts of writing advice.

5

As an author for Paladin Press, it usually seems like the finished product (trade paperback) comes out with about as many pages as the original manuscript. In addition to the rules suggested by Chuck, above, I’d also suggest starting each new chapter halfway down the page. The reason for this, and the fat margins, is that editors and proofreaders like lots of room in which to scribble.

6

If you are submitting an article for a journal, that journal will have its own rules for the format. These vary quite a bit. For psychology and (I believe) medical and scientific journals, the guidelines will probably be based on APA style. For literature, I think MLA style is most common. And for history and such, The Chicago Manual is followed, usually with footnotes. Aside from the social sciences, I think parenthetical expressions are most common. Many journals have their submission guidelines online.

7

When writing with Word for Windows 95, it has under Format, Style, tons of options on automatic formatting for elegant, contemporary, eTc reports, fax, Etc…

8

If you’re writing something that’s going to be published, keep in mind that they’ll re-typeset it prior to printing, so there’s not much point in being exceedingly careful. You have to check the proofs they send you, and make sure they haven’t mangled it too badly. Since the advent of computer typesetting, the skill level of typesetters has fallen precipitously (compare the typesetting quality of the average book from 1950 to one from 1990.)

For your submission, just make sure you follow the author’s guidelines, usually printed in the first or last number of each volume if it’s a periodical. The guidelines are frequently confusing and contradictory, so have fun.

9

Thanks for the responses–just what I was looking for!