Taking Writing Seriously: The Manuscript, Printed Drafts and the Editing Method

Article Written By: katieb

For many burgeoning writers, the process of turning a folder of typed or handwritten pages into a final, published novel seems like some alchemical process, a deliberately kept secret. As with many industry standard formats, the novel manuscript is a way of collaborating clearly with the editor, copy editors and typesetters in order to publish work with the absolute minimum of errors. Forget the stories of the greats tossing a notebook onto a publisher s desk with a defiant it s finished; knowing how to produce a manuscript is the mark of a writer who knows his trade.

The Format

There are a few preliminary things to remember. The choice of font should be legible and unadorned; the sans serif group and Courier are ideal, as although they do not look as polished as a printed page, they are easy on the eyes and give little room for doubt. All type should be double-spaced, lines should allow for ten words each, with an average of six characters per word (including punctuation), justified hard-left. This allows for the typesetter to properly estimate the way the text will be laid out on the page, a process having more to do with 'page count than word count. New paragraphs should be five-space indented, new sentences after two spaces. There should be twenty-five lines per page and if printed use a high quality laser printer and paper to express a higher standard.

The Title Page

Proper novel manuscripts are incredibly plain things to look at. Your name (i.e. the one you wish to appear on the finished book) and address details should be first, top left, followed often by a separate name and address for your agent if applicable. This is of course to avoid slow correspondence and loss of contact details. The novel title should follow, normally in capitals and centred mid-way down the page, with the author s name again beneath it. An accurate word count for the manuscript can be added to the top-right of the title page and should be checked before printing on a high quality

printer

The Header, Pagination and Chapters

Your header acts as a reminder of all the important information about the manuscript. Therefore, it has the author s name, followed by the novel title, followed by the page number, all commonly right-justified. New chapters should be begun on a completely new page, often seven or eight lines down from the top of the page.

Getting used to producing working manuscripts of novels is a way of promoting an element of professionalism into your working practice. First of all, it means less work when you come to produce a final draft, and secondly, it gives you an incentive to consider the end of your work, when the novel will be finished. Printing out your work in manuscript form allows you to assume great control over the work, and to critically evaluate what you have written. Even without full knowledge of proof-reading techniques, you can develop your own system of notation, editing and correcting the pages of your manuscript in pen to be re-written.

About the Author

I have a wide range of knowledge on writing and using printer such as the laser printer .

You Can Link Directly to "Taking Writing Seriously: The Manuscript, Printed Drafts and the Editing Method" by using the url:
http://www.allbestarticles.com//writing-and-speaking/writing/taking-writing-seriously-the-manuscript-printed-drafts-and-the-editing-method.html

This Article Has Been Published on Thu, 1 Apr 2010 and Read 207 Times

Find All Best Articles at http://www.allbestarticles.com

Rating: Not yet rated

Comments

No comments posted. Comments are closed.

Related information on Writing

Latest News Across Asia and Africa
Essay Writing Service
Attorney Resume Example: Guide to Create Effective Resume
Why Writing Your Own Professional Resume Is A Bad Thing Sometimes
Federal Resume Writers: Good Options If You Want Your Resume To Look More Attractive
How To Write a Memorial Poem
5 Tips to Write Winning Content for Your Websites or Blog
Does an MBA mean a bigger salary?
Tips for negotiating executive salaries
Dissertation writing tips
The Resume-Making Tips How-To-Do Assistance
Want To Become A Compelling Writer? 5 Quick and Easy Tips!
Article Automation Rears An Ugly Head
What You Need To Do To Get Your Work Published
Fundamentals in Novel Writing
Guidelines on good cover letter writing
Creating Legal Cover Letters Which Impress
Web Content Writing
Taking Writing Seriously: The Manuscript, Printed Drafts and the Editing Method
How to Write an Autobiography
Six Tips for Winning Story Contests
Anniversary Poems - communicating something suggestive
GCSE Geography Coursework
Important and sundry top 10 lists
How to Write an Amazing Essay