- The complete written text of a book before publication.
- Industry-standard format: Times New Roman or Courier 12pt, double-spaced, one-inch margins.
- Typically a Word document (.docx).
- Goes through developmental, line, and copy editing before publication.
- Word count varies by genre: 70-100k for adult fiction, 30-50k for middle grade.
A manuscript is the complete written text of a book before publication. In modern publishing, a manuscript is typically a Word document (.docx) formatted to industry standards: Times New Roman or Courier 12-point, double-spaced, one-inch margins, with chapter breaks and page numbers. Manuscripts go through developmental, line, and copy editing before becoming a published book.
Chapter i·Why it matters
"Manuscript" is the canonical term for "the book before it’s a book." Agents, editors, contests, and submission systems all use the word with this specific meaning. Knowing what counts as a "complete manuscript" (a finished draft formatted to industry standards) is foundational to participating in publishing.
Chapter ii·What to include
- A complete draft (not chapters as you write them).
- Industry-standard formatting: 12pt serif font, double-spaced, one-inch margins.
- Chapter breaks and page numbers.
- A title page with title, author name, word count, contact info.
- A .docx file format for submission.
- A clean, proofread state before any editor or agent sees it.
Chapter iii·Example
A debut novelist completes her 92,000-word fantasy manuscript in Word, formatted to Shunn standard (Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced, one-inch margins, title page with contact info). The .docx file is what she submits to agents in her query package.
Chapter iv·Related questions
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