How to Format a Book Manuscript
While we advise writers to check the individual submission requirements for every place they send their work, these are the formatting guidelines required by Quill & Ink House when submitting a full manuscript.
At Quill & Ink House, all manuscripts must be submitted using standard letter-size pages (8.5” x 11”) with 1” margins on all sides. The manuscript should use black, 12 pt text in either Times New Roman, Garamond, or Courier New. Paragraphs include a 0.5” first line indent, and all manuscripts should contain a title page, page numbers, and headers.
Don’t worry, we’ll help you through the process.
File Naming
Before submitting your work, make sure your file name is professional and easy to locate.
We recommend the following format:
LASTNAME_TITLE_DATE
An example:
WIER_PROJECTHAILMARY_MAY2026
Including the date helps us keep track of submission timelines.
Accepted file formats:
.doc
.docx
.pdf
Page Formatting
All manuscript pages should:
Be letter size (8.5” x 11”)
Have 1” margins on all sides
Use black 12 pt text
Be double spaced
Accepted Fonts
Times New Roman
Courier New
Garamond
Double spacing makes manuscripts significantly easier to read and annotate during the review process.
Headers & Page Numbers
Headers should appear on every page after the title page and include:
Your last name
The title of your work
The page number
Headers should be written in ALL CAPS.
Example:
RIGGENBACH / THE CRUEL PRINCE / 1
If your title contains more than three words, abbreviate it to the most recognizable keywords.
Do not count the title page as page one.
Title Page Formatting
The title page should use the same font size as the rest of the manuscript.
Upper Left Corner
Include:
Your legal name
Email address
Phone number (optional)
If you are represented by an agent, include their contact information instead of your own.
Upper Right Corner
Include your approximate word count rounded to the nearest thousand.
Example:
92,000
Center of the Page
Center the title of your manuscript on the page.
Your name or pen name should appear two lines below the title.
Bottom of the Page
Include:
Category (intended audience age group)
Genre
Please limit genres to the two that best represent your manuscript.
Example:
Fantasy, Romance
Chapters & Scene Breaks
Each chapter should begin on a new page using a page break.
Chapter titles should appear in ALL CAPS, and be centered.
Example:
CHAPTER FOUR
If your chapter includes a subtitle or chapter name, place it two lines below the chapter number.
Example:
CHAPTER FOUR
The Man from Okinawa
For scene or perspective breaks within chapters, please use one of the following:
#
/
* * * (each asterisk should have a space between them)
Scene breaks are commonly used to signal a POV change, a shift in location, or a significant passage of time.
Ending the Manuscript
At the end of your work, please write:
The End
This helps us confirm that the manuscript file is complete and no pages are missing.
Thank you for considering Quill & Ink House for your work. We look forward to reading every manuscript submitted to us.
Please note that we only review full manuscripts that have been formally invited for submission.
