#MANUSCRIPT LETTER SHEETS HOW TO#
#MANUSCRIPT LETTER SHEETS FULL#
#MANUSCRIPT LETTER SHEETS PROFESSIONAL#

Here’s an example for what a title page for my book, without a literary agent, might look like: #2 – Single page manuscript formattingĪfter the title page, there are also specific ways to format each page of your manuscript.

Agent’s information–if you have an agent already, their contact information goes in the upper lefthand corner, and the writer’s contact information moves to the lower righthand corner.

#2 – One double-spaced line below the author name Make sure you use your real name in the contact information section #3 – If you have a pen name, it goes here. #2 – One double-spaced line below the title (and subtitle)

Author name–this is the name you are publishing the work under.

#3 – If you have a subtitle, it should appear on the same line as your title #2 – One-third to one-half way down the page #2- The contact information should be positioned in the upper lefthand corner of the title page #1 – It should include your legal name, address, phone number, and email address

Contact information–your contact information goes on the title page of your manuscript for easy access.

#MANUSCRIPT LETTER SHEETS HOW TO#

Your title page should let the reader know what they’re reading, who wrote it, how to contact the author, and how long the piece is. Step on the right foot by perfecting the very first thing everyone sees of your final manuscript: the title page. And that’s not to mention a potential agent skipping over yours because it lacks the basics (if you’re choosing traditional publishing over self-publishing). Without the right manuscript format, you could be missing out on hitting the mark when it comes to industry standards (which can make your book look low-quality. The poorly presented options are often the first to go.ĭon’t let sloppy work make you lose out on an opportunity.īut don’t worry! Today we’re going to go over every single thing you need to check for in a properly-formatted manuscript.Įven if you haven’t finished writing your manuscript yet, you can save a lot of time by formatting it as you write!

#MANUSCRIPT LETTER SHEETS PROFESSIONAL#

When a literary professional receives bulk submissions, they need to pare them down. We go into details for more specifics for formatting a manuscript down below- click here to jump down there. The basic method for formatting a manuscript is to use 8.5 by 11-inch paper (A4 paper size), a simple serif font sized between 10-12 with 1-inch margins on all sides.

#MANUSCRIPT LETTER SHEETS FULL#

We just don’t typically write books by hand anymore, but the full term has stuck around. Ultimately, a manuscript is your draft of the book or story you’re writing. The term manuscript in current times is used to describe an early draft of a book, novel, or short story, though the origin of the term comes from “manu scriptus” which means “written by hand” in Latin. At Self-Publishing School, we now offer this with our core offer programs. Related: If you’re not looking for manuscript formatting, but rather looking for book formatting, check out this article. #5 – Submitting your manuscript to editors, agents, and publishers Here are the basic manuscript formatting standards: Give your story the proper chance it deserves. Just like a hiring manager often throws out resumes that boast “attention to detail” while they are riddled with typos, an agent or editor can be just as quick to toss a manuscript because the writer failed to comply with basic formatting and submission requests.Īnd then your chances are shot…all because of formatting mistakes I’ll help you fix in this blog post.

Speaking from experience as a professional development coach and former literary magazine editor: neatness and precision count. Not taking note of these rules can set you back immeasurably when it comes to becoming a successful author. Did you know there are specific industry standards to adhere to in formatting your manuscript?

Manuscript letter sheets