Manuscript Format

Manuscript format for submission for writers and authors to be published
Manuscript format for submission

Submission format: In order for Left Hand Publishers to consider your manuscripts for publication. Our preferred format is based on the Shunn template, which is considered the standard. The Word template attached to this page has all of the styles you need … pre-made. You just have to apply a style to a paragraph.

Submission Format: At A Minimum:

  • Font: Times New Roman 12
  • All paragraphs indented (except first one) 1/4″ (.25). Use style LHP Normal in the sample template provided.
  • Paragraphs to be double spaced.
  • Do not tab or use spaces to indent paragraphs. We have created a style in the template for you. All paragraphs except the first one should be LHP Normal. This will set your font, spacing, and indent correctly.
  • Do not indent the first paragraph. Do not tab or use the space bar to indent paragraphs. The style for the first paragraph of the story is LHP First Line as shown in the sample template provided .
  • Paragraphs should be only flush left, not justified (not justified in the right margin).
  • Body of your content should start one double-spaced line below your name (byline).
  • Please use italics if needed and not underscores.
  • Use * to denote time/scene breaks centered on a single line. Please do not leave blank lines. In the template, apply the LHP Scene Change style to this asterisk.
  • NOVELS: Start each new chapter on its own page, one-third of the way down the page.
  • NOVELS: The chapter number and chapter title should be in all caps, separated by two hyphens: CHAPTER 1—THE BODY.
  • NOVELS: Begin the body of the chapter four to six lines below the chapter title.

Header

In the header, put your last name, title, and automatic page count , flush right. i.e.  “Header example: Jones/The Queen City/2 of 5”.

You can insert the auto-page count in Word by

  1. using menu items “View > Header and Footer”
  2. Insert Auto-Text “Page x of x”. You can remove the word “Page” if you like. This tells us how many pages and which one we are on.
  3. Click on Close Header and Footer in ribbon.

First page

  1. Name – Word Count –
    1. Flush left, put your first name and last name on line one.
    2. On the same line, hit the TAB key and type “Approx. ” On this line, set your first tab to be flush right all the way to the right side of the page.
    3. From the Insert menu, select “Field…”
    4. When the dialog box pops up, select Document Information from the left hand panel.
    5. Select NumWords from the right hand panel.
    6. Click OK.
    7. Type in “words” after the number appears. This should give you a count of how many words are in your document.
  2. Address on line two.
  3. City, State & Zip code on line three.
  4. Email address on line four.
  5. Mobile phone number on line five.
  6. Apply the style LHP Contact Info in the template provided to the whole address, word number section.

Title – about halfway down the page, the title of your story in bold, Initial Caps, centered. Or better yet, use the style LHP Title in the template provided.

  1. Highlight the title. (if you apply the style LHP Title in the template provided, you can skip items 2-5)
  2. In the Format menu, select “Change Case…”
  3. When the dialog box pops open, select “Title Case”.
  4. Click OK.
  5. With the title still selected, press CTRL-B (or CMD-B on a Mac) to make your title bold.
  6. The byline “By FirstName LastName” should be centered one double-spaced line (or two lines) below your title. Use the style LHP Byline in the template provided.

Publishing, Independent, Writers, Authors, Manuscripts, marketing, EditingLeft Hand Publishers is NOT a vanity press. We will never ask the writer for an investment or to pay any part of the cost of being published. We provide our publishing services as a percentage of revenue which we participate in, once the work sells. Optional Services are available to writers who need assistance in getting their manuscripts and/or their marketing tools honed for a successful and profitable publishing experience. For various consulting services, outside of publishing, we will provide an estimate in advance at no charge. For more information, contact us at .