Checking out the specs should be your first step.Īdapt your manuscript for each agent or publisher (most will be remarkably similar).įor any agent or publisher without a specific format, follow an accepted format for novel manuscripts, such as this one-įont: Twelve point, Times New Roman (or Courier New, if you insist), black Yes, many publish their specs and formatting requirements right on their websites. So how do you format a novel manuscript an acceptable way?įind out what the agent or publisher recommends. Don’t be the joke of the week at your favorite publishing house.ĭon’t give harried agents and editors an excuse to toss your manuscript before they’ve read the first word. You want an agent or editor talking about your submission, but for the right reasons. No illustrations or graphics such as your five-year-old son’s artwork for a suggested cover. There really is a time to blend in with others, to be just one of the crowd, and this is that time. Let your creativity shine through your story, not your manuscript format. If you have a font you just love looking at, use it while you’re writing.īut when you’re ready to submit your novel to an agent or publisher, follow the guidelines. If you want a purple font on a pink background, have at it. You can format your novel manuscript any way you want as you’re writing and editing. Overflow Comments for Manuscript Formatting. Not answered here, please link through to this article. If you have comments or questions about manuscript formatting that are On July 25, 2013, I closed this article to new comments because the volume of comments and their length was causing problems for the page’s setup. Januby Fiction Editor Beth Hill last modified May 1, 2016

Novel manuscript fonts