: Re: Manuscript Format in Microsoft Word I plan to write a novel, but before I do so, I need to know if Microsoft Word's manuscript format is accurate.

@Cody1607638

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I'll go one step further. (I run a publishing company). Do as little formatting as possible!

Italics, bold -- ok.
Lists, numbering -- ok.
Justify -- turn off.
line spacing, indenting, page formatting -- avoid tinkering with that.

I would use only two styles from the MS Word styles: the Title style (or Heading style) and the Body style. Then I would modify the Body style to choose a more readable font (like Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Consolas and Corbel). Edit the Style -- not the text itself.

A publisher will accept a digital copy, then import the content into their own template. Any extraneous formatting needs to be manually removed.

Each publisher is different -- and if they have guidelines, you will need to follow them. But generally, the fewer things you format, the better.

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