How to Correctly Format Your Manuscript for Submission

Standard manuscript format (SMF) exists for one reason: to make your pages easy to read and evaluate. Getting it wrong doesn't automatically mean rejection, but it signals that you're unfamiliar with professional submission norms — which creates friction before an agent reads a single word.

The core rules

Font and size

Use a 12-point serif font. Times New Roman is the most widely accepted. Courier New is also fine. Do not use Garamond, Georgia, Palatino, or anything that looks typeset — manuscripts should look like manuscripts, not like finished books.

Margins and line spacing

1-inch margins on all four sides. Double-spaced throughout the entire document — including between paragraphs. No extra space between paragraphs. No full blank lines between paragraphs (that's a blog format, not a manuscript format).

Header and page numbers

Every page except the title page should have a header. Standard format: AUTHOR LAST NAME / TITLE KEYWORD / page number — right-aligned or placed at the top right.

Example: SWIFT / QUERY CHECK / 42

Page numbers start on page 1 of chapter 1, not on the title page.

Title page

Your title page should include:

• Your name, address, email, and phone number — top left
• Word count (rounded to nearest thousand) — top right
• Genre and title — centered, approximately halfway down the page
• "By [Your Name]" — centered, below the title

Chapter openings

Start each chapter roughly one-third to halfway down a new page. The chapter heading (Chapter One, Chapter 1, or just the chapter title if you use titles) should be centered. Drop down two double-spaced lines before the first paragraph of the chapter begins.

Paragraph indents

First-line indent of 0.5 inches — set this using the paragraph settings in Word, not by pressing Tab. The first paragraph of each chapter and each scene should not be indented (this is a book-design convention that has made it into manuscript standards at most agencies).

Scene breaks

Use a centered # on its own line to indicate a scene break. Do not use a blank line alone — blank lines can disappear when manuscripts are reformatted.

What to do about italics

Use actual italics in your word processor. In the past, writers underlined text to indicate italics (for typesetters). That convention is largely obsolete. Use italics as they would appear in the published book.

File format

Submit as a .docx file unless the agency specifies otherwise. PDFs are not preferred because agents often annotate manuscripts in Word. If an agency uses a submissions portal that accepts only PDF, that instruction will be explicit.

The one thing that matters most

Read the agency's individual submission guidelines before you send anything. Some agents want the query only. Some want the first 5 pages pasted into the email. Some want a full synopsis attached. Some want a chapter-by-chapter outline for non-fiction. No amount of perfect formatting compensates for ignoring what a specific agent asked for.