First Page: Title Sheet
No Header or Footer
Margins 1" all the way around
Font: Courier New 12 pt.
Double spaced
Half way down, centered, type Title
Next line, type byline (by, your name/your pseudonym)
Next line, type word count
Next line, type genre or subgenre
Enter to move down to the lower left of the page and type your real name
Next line address
Next line city, state, zip
Next line, phone
Next line, email
Next line, website url (if you have one)
(See below for sample title page)
Page two, first page of your ms:
Header, 1/2" from top of page: left, type title/your last name; right, type page number. Hit "Format Pagenumber" begin with "0")
Enter down about 1/3 to 1/2 (I go down 2 1/2") Center the words Chapter 1 (do the same for all subsequent chapters. They should always begin on a new page. Use a hard page break by choosing "Insert", "Page break" after the last sentence of the previous chapter.
Enter twice and begin the body of the chapter.
Indent the first line of paragraphs .5" (or .3 for Harlequin)
Font: Courier New 12pt
Spacing: 25 lines per page. To achieve this, highlight all your text after the title page, go to "Format" and down to "Paragraph" Select "Exactly" under "Line Spacing" and next to it type "25" pt. Then hit the tab for "Line and Page Breaks" at the top and unselect/uncheck all four boxes for widow/orphan, etc. When finished, click okay.
Use underlining to indicate internal dialogue. This dialogue should be written in present tense.
Avoid tagging dialogue with s/he said, quipped, responded, etc. Best to use action to identify speaker.
Use centered ### or *** to indicate a passage of time, POV shift or scene break.
Your name
123 S. Main Street
Your city, State, Zip
(123) 888-0000
Youremail@aol.com
Chapter 1
The body of the text on the first page of each chapter should begin approximately 1/3 down from the top. Chapter headings may be either centered or aligned to the left.
Internal dialogue should be underlined like this, and written in present tense. I can't believe it!
Quotation marks go on the outside of punctuation like this, "Quote?"
Avoid using tags like "s/he said, muttered, replied," etc. Instead use action either before or after dialogue to identify speaker. (Example: "I don't know what you mean." Tom crossed his arms over his chest.)
###
Use a series of three pound signs or asterisks centered to show a scene break or POV change. Double space before and after like the example above.
