Manuscript Submission Guidelines
When submitting a manuscript to a publisher, it’s important to follow specific guidelines to ensure your submission is professional, easy to review, and adheres to industry standards.
1. Manuscript Formatting:
Font: Use a standard, readable font like Times New Roman or Arial in size 12.
Spacing: Double-space the entire manuscript, including dialogue and block quotes.
Margins: Set 1-inch margins on all sides.
Paragraph Indentation: Indent the first line of each paragraph by half an inch.
Alignment: Left-align the text (do not justify).
Page Numbers: Number all pages in the upper-right corner or bottom-center.
File Format: Submit in the format specified by the publisher (usually .docx, .rtf, or .pdf).
2. Title Page:
Title of the Manuscript (centered, bold, and in a large font).
Subtitle (if any).
Author’s Name or Pseudonym (beneath the title).
Word Count: 10000 or 1st 3 chapters to be submitted.
Contact Information: Include your full name, address, phone number, and email at the top-left or bottom-right corner.
3. Chapters and Headings:
Chapter Headings: Each chapter should begin on a new page. Title the chapters as “Chapter 1,” “Chapter 2,” etc.
Subheadings: Use consistent formatting (bold or italics) for any subheadings.
Scenes: Separate scenes with a centered “#” or “***” to clearly indicate breaks.
5. Submission Requirements:
Query Letter/ Cover Letter:A brief cover letter introducing yourself, your manuscript, and any relevant background (e.g., why you wrote it, your writing experience, etc.).
Synopsis: Provide a 1-2 page summary of the book’s plot (including major spoilers) to give the editor or agent an overview.
Sample Chapters: submit the first three chapters or 10000 words.