From the drop down menu select plain number three (the upper right hand corner).Go to the Insert Tab and click on: page numbers>top of page.
Some will want the header on all pages, and some will want your full author name in the header: MANY contests and e-magazines want your manuscript formatted in a similar fashion, but may require a different font.
In the upper left, your contact details formatted in the same font and size as the manuscript font. The approximate word count, some will want it only to the nearest hundred. Do not place the header in the upper-left corner, because the typesetter will often have your manuscript clipped in that corner as he or she transcribes it and will not be able to see what the current page number is.” (end quoted text) This header will consist of: the surname used in your byline, one important word from the title of your story, and the current page number. William Shunn says, “You should place a header in the upper-right corner of every page of your manuscript except the first. ( Again, check the submission guidelines) If you are using Times New Roman you can use proper italics. Use underline for italicized words if you are using Courier font. This assures the reader that no pages are accidentally missing. Center a hash sign # one double-spaced blank line down at the end of the manuscript. Indicate scene breaks by inserting a blank line and centering the hash sign (#) in the center of that line. Indent new paragraphs and each new section of dialogue, with the exception of a scene break paragraph. Single space between sentences after periods. Lines should be double spaced with no extra spaces between paragraphs. Times New Roman or Arial fonts may also be acceptable-check the submission guidelines of the magazine or anthology. Use twelve point Courier in black type only. Align to the left hand side only the right hand side should remain jagged. Set the margins for your document at 3cm (1 inch) on all four sides. IF YOU INTEND TO FORMAT YOUR MS FOR HARD-COPY SUBMISSION TO AN OLD-SCHOOL PUBLISHER: The preferred font will be clearly stated in their submission guidelines. As an editor I prefer submissions in Times New Roman, as I rarely work from hard copy. Times New Roman is easier on the eyes, when viewed on a monitor. If you are submitting this to a publisher that is publishing in an electronic format, they may require 12-point Times New Roman font. This is critical knowledge, because the font that the publisher wants the ms submitted in is the only one that will make it past the first editor’s inbox. On a side note, something I have learned through this publishing life is that in printing, point size refers to the height of the characters in a font pitch refers to the width. That is far too small and editors who have to read a lot of manuscripts won’t want to struggle to read yours and it will be summarily rejected. Don’t use a 10- point Courier, which prints out at a pitch of twelve characters per inch. Use a 12-point Courier. This means it prints out at a pitch of ten characters per inch. 
Every word processor and printer comes with Courier, so you have no excuse for not using it. For hard-copy publishers use a Courier font. If you are composing your manuscript on a computer, don’t succumb to the temptation to use fancy fonts.
William Shunn didn’t invent this, but he made this knowledge available to all would-be authors via the internet.įirst, if you are submitting this to a publisher that publishes hard-copy your manuscript should look typed, not typeset. This is because most publishers use what is considered the industry standard, Shunn Manuscript Format. If you are building a back-log of of short-fiction there are some short-cuts you can take to enable you to have submission-ready work that requires minimal adjustment to fit various requirements. if it is a contest, fees will be listed there.how they want you to format your work for their best use.length of submissions in word count ( Do not exceed or fudge this.You will find that each publisher, magazine, or contest website will have a page or section called “Submission Guidelines.” That page is your friend, because within the words on that page will be the rules specific to that particular publication or contest:
That will help your ms make it past the first hurdle. All of this information was gleaned by searching the internet when I first wanted to know why my manuscripts were so regularly rejected.įirst of all, a properly formatted manuscript shows that the author did her research and knows what the editor wants. That article sparked some questions that I will answer to the best of my ability. This post is a follow-up to the previous post on why indies need to write short stories.
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