Your book is finished, Google Docs is resting, and you’re ready to send your story out into the world. But what should your manuscript format look like?
In this article, our Content Manager, Jessica Read, looks at why manuscript format is so important, and takes you through the recommended industry guidelines on how to format your novel manuscript for submission to a literary agent. Before joining The Novelry, Jess was a freelance proofreader and desk editor, working on paperbacks and hardbacks for publishers such as Penguin Random House, Pan Macmillan, and Quercus. She has seen author manuscripts transform into press-ready galleys and glossy published books multiple times. Now that you’re ready to format your own, let’s explore the publishing industry’s gold standards—with a few bonus tips from our editors.
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Throughout this blog post, we’ll refer to literary agents as your submission point because they are typically the destination for a completed novel manuscript. Once in a blue moon, editors may open direct submissions—but this is not the norm. Please don’t submit your novel manuscript directly to a publisher without checking. Manuscript format guidelines also vary for writing competitions, where anonymity is king.
Publishing industry guidelines for an acceptable manuscript format are simple and straightforward to follow, but it can still feel daunting to open the word processor and start preparing your story to be seen by others. You may worry about missing a piece of guidance or getting your page setup wrong—but don’t!
At The Novelry, we’ll help you—and your book—put your best foot forward; writers on The Big Edit are coached through a deep-dive into manuscript format with a Big Five publishing editor.
You’ve worked hard to make your story shine, so let’s ensure the industry sees your work at its most wonderful.

Why is the manuscript format important?
A literary agent receives up to 20,000 submissions every year. That’s over 1,600 opening chapters to read in one month—enough to give the most voracious reader a headache!
Literary agents are the gatekeepers of the published book world, and your story must win them over to move one space across the game board: to the publishers. Agents read countless submissions, day in and day out, and if they open a new document and find it isn’t formatted correctly, it trips them up. Imagine a manuscript that contains single spacing, has a word count of 195,000, is missing a title page, or is written in a tiny sans-serif font (or—horrors—a novelty font). An agent might stop reading before they get to the first chapter title.
Following the publishing industry’s gold standard for your manuscript format means you’re taking your work as a professional author seriously, and that’s crucial for the agent.

Individual requirements may vary
These formatting guidelines comprise the standard preference of agents and publishers when it comes to formatting a novel manuscript. They’re considered to be best practice across the board and should be followed when you have no other information to go on...
But wait! We’ve hit a Stop and Check point.
Before you start formatting your entire manuscript, Stop and Check the agent’s website. This is vital. Literary agents sometimes have their own submission guidelines—provided by the company as a whole or by individual agents. They might like a book manuscript to be presented slightly differently, and if your manuscript format doesn’t follow this, the agent may (reasonably) assume that you haven’t researched them all that much.
Whenever you’re formatting a submission, Stop and Check the submission guidelines. Most agents write them on their websites, their social media pages, or on an industry site like MS WishList.

Let’s get ready to format!
The key basics of formatting your novel manuscript for submission are things you might already suspect: font style, line spacing, word count, paragraph styles, etc. Let’s explore...
Font
STYLE: We recommend Times New Roman, though Arial is sometimes preferred as another example of an easily readable serif font.
SIZE: Your main text should be written in 12pt.
COLORS: Your font should be black, your background white. Some authors write in Night Mode (white on black), which is fine until it’s time for proper formatting. Apart from anything else, nobody’s printer will thank them for printing a Microsoft Word document in Night Mode.
Avoid funky formatting! It might not translate from Word to Kindle. I would also say that Courier is no longer the standard font, and sticking with a more reader-friendly font like Times New Roman is preferred.
—Georgia Summers
ITALICS: Use these to emphasize something, like shouted words. Old manuscript formats used to show emphasis with underlining, but this is no longer the case as it can be confusing at the typesetting stage. And remember: don’t overuse italics, or you’ll damage the impact of your emphasis!
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Margins and page size
MARGINS: Your manuscript should have one-inch margins on all sides (top, bottom, left, right). In Microsoft Word, this will probably be the default, but make sure you check.
PAGE SIZE: Use the standard U.S. Letter size of 8.5 x 11 inches (21.59 x 27.94cm). If you’re submitting to a U.K. agent, they may favor the British standard: A4 page size, which is slightly different at 8.3 x 11.7 inches (21 x 29.7cm). Look up their preferred format.
Spacing, indentation, and alignment
SPACING: All lines should be double-spaced. This makes your pages easier to read and is essential for agents when making notes around your text. Don’t add an extra space between paragraphs.
INDENTATIONS: Indent all new paragraphs and new dialogue between characters. Don’t indent by hitting the tab key, and definitely not with the space bar. Instead, set the indentation options to 1.25cm in MS Word by going to Format > Paragraph > Section. The first line of a chapter, or a new scene after a line break, should be ‘full out’ (publisher-speak for ‘not indented’).
ALIGNMENT: Your main text should be aligned to the left-hand side of your page, not justified. This means words on the right-hand side of the page will appear jagged, not neatly in line.
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Chapter beginnings, breaks, and endings
NEW CHAPTERS: Always start these on a fresh page. You can format this in MS Word by inserting a page break: Insert > Break > Section Break > Next Page. Place your centered chapter title at the top of the page, or about a third of the way down, using your choice of Chapter One or Chapter 1. Press Enter to add a double space below it, then begin your first line.
SCENE BREAKS: For a scene break, insert a line space between the last line of the prior scene and the first line of the next one. Mark it by centering the hash sign (#) or three asterisks (*). This is especially important when a scene break appears at the top or bottom of a page; a break between scenes won’t be obvious here unless it’s marked.
THE END: At the end of every chapter, use the page-break method above. Once you’ve reached the very end of your manuscript, don’t leave a blank space! If the agent can’t tell for sure that this is The End, they might think something is missing. Add one or two double-spaced lines after your final sentence, then type and center the words The End.
Spelling and punctuation
SPELLING: We’ll assume you’ve checked your spelling and punctuation by now (especially if you plan to self-publish). Don’t rely solely on spell-check software; do several read-throughs by eye. Pro tip! Look at your manuscript in a different format (printed out, say, or sent to your e-reader), and you’ll spot things in your paragraphs that you’ve missed during the many hours spent toiling over the word processor.
BY COUNTRY: If you’re writing in American English, stick to your natural spelling and punctuation styles. The same goes for British English. If you end up being published outside your home country and, therefore, outside your natural style, the publishers will take care of any changes at the editing stage.

Habit warning! Many of us, particularly in the U.S., were taught to use a double space after a period, not a single space. Using two spaces is an old tradition from the typewriter era and is now considered to be an outdated format. If it’s a reflex of yours to double-space when you’re typing, make sure you switch all incidents of two spaces to one space.
Page numbers
Page numbers help agents orient themselves inside your manuscript, guiding the time spent on it. They’re helpful when the agent (hopefully) discusses your story with you—for example, they love the paragraph where your character is invited to go to space on page number 34!
Your earliest page number should appear on the first page after the title page (more on this later). The numbers can go at the top or the bottom, but they should be on the right at the top and centered at the bottom.
Headers and footers
As with page numbers, a header containing your book title and your name is crucial. This is where the agent will look to remind themselves of the name of this amazing book—and the author who wrote it. (Spoiler alert: it was you!)
Whether your page numbers are at the center bottom or the top right, add your book title and your initialed name at the top left, like this:
THE NEW ROMAN EMPIRE, P. Buffay
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File name and type
FILE NAME: Keep it simple. BOOK TITLE your name. (If you’re submitting to a writing competition, your manuscript format will likely need to be anonymized, but this doesn’t apply to agency submission.)
FILE TYPE: Regardless of the word processor you’re using, save your file as a Microsoft Word .doc or .docx so it’s universally easy to open. Occasionally, an agent may prefer a PDF for ease of use on a tablet or e-reader, so Stop and Check their submission guidelines and only send a PDF if directly instructed.
I’d suggest avoiding sending submissions as a PDF. If an agent or editor is reading on Kindle, it can result in awkward line breaks. It can be surprisingly
hard
to get into the flow of reading something
when it’s
broken up like this.
—Nic Caws
The title page
Let’s move on to the velvet curtain that opens any novel: the title page. This is the very first page of your manuscript, containing the essential details about you and your book. Here’s what your title page needs.
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Name and word count
In another readable font like Times New Roman (use the same one throughout), type your book title about a third of the way down the page. Below it, after a line space, add your name. If you’re using a pseudonym or pen name, format it like this:
by Phoebe Buffay (writing as Regina Phalange)
Add one double-spaced line below it, then type in your word count (also centered), rounded up to the nearest thousand.
Contact details
In the top left-hand corner of your title page, aligned left and with single line spacing (not double), write your name, address, phone number, and email.
Success!
Formatting is done, and your novel manuscript is ready for submission! Next, you need to check how much of it your target agent wants to see. Warning: it won’t be the whole thing, so please don’t send that. Check their website for preferences—some like the first three chapters, some the first 10,000 words. Create a duplicate of your manuscript file, rename it (more on this below), and pare the pages down to the required amount.

But what about...?
Does your manuscript contain elements you’re not entirely sure how to present? Formatting for these things may not be included in industry guidance, or on your targeted agent’s site, but don’t worry. Let’s look at some of the unique aspects that may be a part of your novel, and how you can format them.
Mixed media
It’s becoming common for published books to contain mixed media paragraphs such as online comments, emails, WhatsApp chats, and so on. Some contemporary fiction novels (Clickbait by Lauren North, The Appeal by Janice Hallett, Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke, Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter) are even told largely—sometimes entirely—in this format.
If your book contains mixed media in its opening chapters, you might worry about presenting this the ‘right’ way. A new page for an email? Space between paragraphs in an interview transcript? Fear not. Being clear and consistent is the key.
Let’s say your first chapter includes an exchange of text messages between characters. You can align one message to the right of the page, add a line space, and then align the reply on the left. Type a line above each message with a recognizable message style, e.g.:
Wednesday, 5:57 PM
To format an email between characters, you might use something like:
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, December 25, 2024, 09:13
Subject: Merry Christmas
Keep the page setup clear and consistent and your agent will be able to read your chapters—mixed media and all—with ease.
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Illustrations
Agencies taking submissions specifically for illustrated books (usually children’s fiction) will have their own guidance here—usually, that you do not submit your own illustrations. Images in a manuscript file make it bulky and hard to manage.
If you have a rough idea of some illustrations, you can include art notes in your manuscript on a new line between paragraphs. However, they must be kept sparse and simple, for example:
[illustration of a quick brown fox jumping over a lazy dog]
Copyright worries
Don’t be overly concerned about copyrighting your novel so it can’t be stolen. As long as you submit your manuscript to a reputable agency (the literary agents we work with at The Novelry are excellent examples of the best in the business), then this isn’t something to worry about. Your name on the title page is enough.
A dedication or contents page
You may have a meaningful dedication in mind for your published book, but it isn’t necessary to include it now. The dedication is usually sorted out later down the line—many books by bestselling authors get all the way to the hardback proof stage and still have a marker for a dedication paragraph the author has yet to supply! Save this special moment for later—and save the extra space for your cracking opening pages.
Contents pages that list chapter titles aren’t necessary for novel submissions.

The synopsis
Your target agent might want a single submission file that includes your cover letter, your synopsis, and your manuscript’s opening chapters all in one. Others may prefer to receive the cover letter alone, in the email body, with the synopsis and manuscript as two separate attachments. Stop and Check! Be sure to comply with the agent’s preferences.
For the submission package triple crown of a cover letter, a synopsis, and the manuscript, read our advice on writing the perfect cover letter (mostly an email these days) here, and check out our comprehensive guide to writing and formatting the (oft-dreaded but extremely important) synopsis here.
Next steps
Save yourselves
This is probably already in your writer’s DNA, but saving your manuscript file when the formatting requirements of individual agents vary is so important.
Don’t rename the file according to the specific agent. Instead, create a submissions folder and a subfolder for each agent. For example:
My Book > Submissions > CAA > THE NEW ROMAN EMPIRE Phoebe Buffay
My Book > Submissions > Mushens Entertainment > THE NEW ROMAN EMPIRE Phoebe Buffay
This way, you can always find the right file for the right agent, even though the file names are identical.

The author’s name and the title of the book in the document name is a big one for me—as I would read most of my submissions on Kindle and they’d get separated from the original email. So don’t make it harder than necessary for someone loving your book to know who wrote it!
—Josie Humber
How do I submit?
Thankfully, as it is not 1992, you don’t need to spend your lunch break in a queue at the post office with a heavy stack of padded envelopes. Agency submissions these days are done entirely online—by email or through the agency’s website or an industry portal like QueryTracker. Check your target agency’s website to see how they’d like to receive your manuscript.

Well done! You’ve formatted your novel manuscript to be polished, primped, and ready to go. The next part is to press SEND... All of us at The Novelry wish you and your beautifully formatted book the best of luck.
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