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What type style format should be used when creating a document? MLA, APA, Chicago are a few of the choices available. In the end, the style that works is the one that your editor is looking for, which may or may not comply with any of the above.
Even though there are no shortages of style manuals to guide you, to save you some grief, here are some generally accepted basic recommendations for production of fiction documents. Guidelines for non-fiction are similar to those for fiction but differ regarding such things as requirements to identify features unique to these types of publications such as: “works cited” or “footnotes/endnotes”.
Regardless of the type of document being created, it is imperative to remember that editors are looking for a product that is easy to read.
General Guidelines
· Use good quality, white paper, 20-lb. minimum. Never use erasable bond.
· Use standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper
· Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
· Double-spaced documents throughout
· Indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch from the left margin
· One space after periods or other punctuation marks
· Use a legible barebones font: Times New Roman if you want your print serif (that extra little flourish on some letters), Arial if you want your print sans-serif (without the flourishes), or Courier (if you want it to look like a typewriter font). Never use any kind of fancy font such as Script. Remember, less is more.
· A 12-point font size is recommended.
· Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively (see header guideline for details). Booklength documents should be numbered sequential from the first page of the book to the last. Don't number each chapter separately (e.g., 1-1, 1-2; 2-1, 2-2, etc.).
· Do not number your title page.
What type style format should be used when creating a document? MLA, APA, Chicago are a few of the choices available. In the end, the style that works is the one that your editor is looking for, which may or may not comply with any of the above.
Even though there are no shortages of style manuals to guide you, to save you some grief, here are some generally accepted basic recommendations for production of fiction documents. Guidelines for non-fiction are similar to those for fiction but differ regarding such things as requirements to identify features unique to these types of publications such as: “works cited” or “footnotes/endnotes”.
Regardless of the type of document being created, it is imperative to remember that editors are looking for a product that is easy to read.
General Guidelines
· Use good quality, white paper, 20-lb. minimum. Never use erasable bond.
· Use standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper
· Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
· Double-spaced documents throughout
· Indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch from the left margin
· One space after periods or other punctuation marks
· Use a legible barebones font: Times New Roman if you want your print serif (that extra little flourish on some letters), Arial if you want your print sans-serif (without the flourishes), or Courier (if you want it to look like a typewriter font). Never use any kind of fancy font such as Script. Remember, less is more.
· A 12-point font size is recommended.
· Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively (see header guideline for details). Booklength documents should be numbered sequential from the first page of the book to the last. Don't number each chapter separately (e.g., 1-1, 1-2; 2-1, 2-2, etc.).
· Do not number your title page.