Manuscript Preparation Guide: Format Your Book for Publishers

What manuscript preparation does

Manuscript preparation ensures that the document being submitted is complete, readable, correctly ordered and consistent. It does not require the manuscript to look like a finished printed book.

Publishers and literary agents usually want a simple working document that can be reviewed, annotated and edited. Elaborate page decoration, custom layouts and print-style formatting may make assessment more difficult.

Complete manuscript or sample chapters?

The amount of text required depends on the genre, publisher and submission route. A complete manuscript may be required for fiction, memoir, poetry, children’s books and many first-time authors. Non-fiction publishers may consider a proposal and selected chapters before the full work is finished.

Standard manuscript presentation

A submission manuscript should normally use a simple, readable format. The objective is clarity rather than visual distinction.

• Use a standard readable font such as Times New Roman, Georgia or Arial.
• Use a consistent font size, commonly 11 or 12 points.
• Use clear line spacing, commonly 1.5 or double spacing if requested.
• Use ordinary margins, generally around 1 inch or 2.5 centimetres.
• Use one paragraph system consistently, either first-line indents or paragraph spacing.
• Use page breaks rather than repeated blank lines between chapters.
• Use consistent chapter titles, section headings and scene-break markers.
• Avoid decorative fonts, coloured text and complex page borders.

The title page

The first page should identify the manuscript clearly. A basic title page may include:

• Full title and subtitle.
• Author name or pen name.
• Legal name where required for correspondence.
• Email address and telephone number.
• Approximate word count.
• Genre or category where useful.
• Copyright notice only if specifically desired or requested.

Do not crowd the title page with long biographies, endorsements, design instructions or marketing claims unless the publisher asks for them.

Chapter headings and page structure

Each chapter should begin clearly. Use a page break before a new chapter and maintain one heading style throughout the manuscript. Do not create space by pressing the Enter key repeatedly.

Scene breaks should be visible and consistent. A centred symbol such as three asterisks may be used where the text shifts in time, place or viewpoint within the same chapter.

Paragraphs, dialogue and indentation

Paragraph formatting should be consistent from beginning to end. Fiction manuscripts commonly use first-line indents without extra spacing between ordinary paragraphs. Non-fiction may use either indents or paragraph spacing depending on the house style.

Dialogue should begin on a new paragraph whenever the speaker changes. Quotation marks, apostrophes and punctuation should be applied consistently.

Headers, footers and page numbers

Many publishers prefer page numbers in the header or footer. Some also request the author’s surname and a shortened title in the header. Do not add running heads, ornamental page numbers or print-style folios unless specifically requested.

Preparing fiction manuscripts

Fiction submissions should normally contain the complete and current version of the novel. The title, chapter order, character names and timeline should be consistent across the manuscript, synopsis and query letter.

Preparing non-fiction manuscripts

Non-fiction submissions may require a proposal in addition to sample chapters or the complete manuscript. The proposal commonly explains the book’s purpose, readership, structure, comparable titles, author qualifications and market relevance.

Facts, quotations, statistics, permissions and references should be traceable. The manuscript should distinguish clearly between the author’s original text and material drawn from other sources.

Preparing memoir and biography

Memoir and biography manuscripts may involve living people, private correspondence, medical information, allegations or disputed events. Authors should identify material that may require consent, anonymisation, factual verification or legal review.

A publisher may ask for supporting records or clarification of how conversations and events were reconstructed.

Preparing poetry manuscripts

Poetry collections should use consistent poem titles, section divisions, alignment and stanza formatting. Avoid accidental spacing changes caused by copying text between programs.

If visual arrangement is essential to meaning, provide a stable PDF reference in addition to the editable manuscript file when permitted.

Preparing children’s manuscripts

Children’s manuscripts should identify the intended age group and format, such as picture book, early reader, chapter book, middle grade or young adult.

Picture-book texts should usually be submitted as a clean manuscript rather than a fully designed book unless the author is also the illustrator or the publisher requests a dummy.

Illustrations, photographs, tables and diagrams

Visual material should be organised carefully. Low-resolution images embedded in a Word file may be sufficient for editorial review but not for final production.

• Number each figure, photograph, table or diagram consistently.
• Provide captions where required.
• Indicate approximate placement in the manuscript.
• Keep original high-resolution files separately.
• Record photographer, illustrator and rights information.
• Do not assume that online images may be reproduced freely.

Footnotes, endnotes and references

Academic, historical and research-based manuscripts should use one citation system consistently. Footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies and source lists should match the publisher’s preferred style where known.

References must be complete enough for an editor or fact-checker to locate the source.

File formats

DOC and DOCX are commonly preferred because they can be edited and annotated. PDF may be useful where layout must be preserved, but it is not always accepted as the primary editable manuscript.

File naming

A clear file name helps editors organise submissions. Use the author’s name, shortened title and document type.

Remove hidden editing material

Before submission, inspect the document for unresolved tracked changes, comments, deleted text, hidden text, editor notes and accidental highlighting. Accept or reject all tracked changes unless the publisher specifically asks to see them.

Word count

State an approximate total word count rather than an artificially precise number. The word count should match the current file and should not include correspondence or unrelated supporting documents.

Supporting documents

A manuscript submission may require more than the manuscript itself. Check whether the publisher asks for any of the following:

• Synopsis.
• Book proposal.
• Query or covering letter.
• Author biography.
• Chapter outline.
• Comparable titles.
• Marketing or readership information.
• Illustration samples or image list.
• Permissions information.
• Government-issued identity proof where required.
• Author declaration.

Copyright, permissions and disclosure

Authors should disclose material that may require permission, including substantial quotations, song lyrics, photographs, artwork, maps, letters, diary entries, tables and previously published text.

Any material use of artificial intelligence or automated content-generation tools should be disclosed where the publisher’s policy requires it. The author remains responsible for originality, accuracy, legality and permissions.

Preparing the submission email

The email should be brief and professional. State the title, genre, word count and the documents attached. Avoid pasting the entire manuscript into the email body unless requested.

Use a clear subject line such as:

A practical preparation sequence

Common manuscript-preparation mistakes

• Submitting the wrong or outdated version.
• Using decorative formatting that interferes with reading.
• Leaving comments and tracked changes visible.
• Sending incomplete chapters without explanation.
• Failing to follow the requested file type.
• Using inconsistent chapter titles or numbering.
• Submitting a synopsis that no longer matches the manuscript.
• Embedding low-quality images without retaining originals.
• Using copyrighted material without permission.
• Sending several unrelated files with unclear names.

Final submission-readiness checklist

Frequently asked questions