Being a Writer : The manuscript …

THE MANUSCRIPTA manuscript to be produced,But how to print must be deduced?This is the point at which you startNow … who goes first, the horse or cart?Print or EBook … you must chooseAnd how you are to make it news!Being a Writer : The manuscript …Now you have completed your sketch, you will no doubt be eager to start work on your manuscript. This is, in effect, a straightforward process that with a standard knowledge of Word, or the word processing program you are using in your writing project, will be fairly easy to set up. However, there could be one or two things to consider before you get ‘stuck in’ to the very first chapter … and some of them are listed here.Tip 39: Print Or EBook?:The answer to this question will dictate how you should best format your manuscript and set all the relevant defaults. As I have said before, there is no golden rule but it makes sense to set up your page for print and then convert the final manuscript for EBook. It’s easier to do and will not normally affect primary settings such as indents and line spacing etc. If you are not writing for print, then you will normally be free to work in standard Letter or A4 page size with normal margins. If writing for a print production, it can often be easier to download a template from the Internet if you’re unsure of things like Gutters, Mirror margins and Page Breaks etc.One tip in relation to templates is that when you first look at the template in your WP program, it will be a good idea to view it with paragraph marks and other hidden symbols set to ‘show’. In ‘Word’, the tab is indicated by a Paragraph mark in the ‘Paragraph’ tabs box. By doing this you will not only see the marks but the section breaks and page breaks you will need to manage as the manuscript progresses.Tip 40: Agent Or Self-Publish?:If you are fortunate enough to have the services of an experienced agent, he or she will no doubt provide you with a set of criteria in relation to setting up your manuscript. If you are self-publishing, then make sure you read the help and advice section of the publishing facilitator such as Amazon, Create Space etc. They have some great, easy to understand advice sections and FAQ’s on setting up your manuscript so that when you submit it to them there will be minimal chance of rejection. Follow the relevant instructions carefully as they are designed to limit the amount of hassle you may experience as you load up your .doc or .pdf files to the web. Some conversion programs, for example, may not accept any tab marks at the beginning of new paragraphs. Others may limit the maximum font size for the title and chapter headings. There can also be a limit on the attributes of a .pdf file conversion and you may have to reset them on your PC before making a direct conversion from Word or another WP program. Some current on-line convertors will only accept .doc and .docx or later Word files and so if you are using another type of software, you may need to be careful with compatibility. You will need to be particularly diligent with uploading to “Smashwords” but there is an excellent downloadable file available to tell you exactly how to format your manuscript for submission to their site.

Source: Being a Writer : The manuscript …