What file format should you save your manuscript in?
- Microsoft Word (.docx) is the industry standard for editor handoff.
- Workspace tools (Scrivener, WriteLoom, Ulysses) compile to .docx on export.
- .rtf is acceptable but less common; PDF is for final/galley only.
- .txt or Markdown are for personal use, not industry handoff.
- Google Docs files should be exported to .docx before submission.
Save your manuscript as Microsoft Word (.docx) for any industry handoff — agents, editors, contests, beta readers. Workspace tools like Scrivener, WriteLoom, and Ulysses are fine for drafting, but they compile to .docx on export. Avoid .pdf, .txt, .rtf, or Google Docs native format for submission — none are the industry standard.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Editors and agents work in Word with Track Changes. A manuscript in any other format forces them to convert (lossy) or reject (common). The .docx convention is decades old; trying to "modernize" by sending Markdown or Google Docs links signals unfamiliarity with the industry — and triggers fast rejection.
Chapter ii·What to include
- Microsoft Word (.docx) for industry handoff.
- Scrivener, WriteLoom, or Ulysses for drafting (compile to .docx).
- Industry-standard formatting: 12pt serif font, double-spaced, one-inch margins.
- A title page with title, author name, word count, contact info.
- Chapter breaks and page numbers.
- Exports verified before sending: open the .docx in Word and read the first 5 pages.
Chapter iii·Example
A querying writer drafts her 92,000-word manuscript in Scrivener. For each query batch, she compiles to .docx, opens the file in Word to verify formatting, and pastes the requested pages into the email body. The Scrivener project stays on her drive; agents only ever see the compiled .docx.
WriteLoom’s Write studio compiles your manuscript to industry-standard .docx on export — no formatting fixes needed.
See the Write studio