Manuscript Format Issues

by Bobbie Christmas

Q: What format should I use to emphasize a word? Italics, underlining, bold text, ellipses?

A: Before the advent of computers, way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and writers used typewriters, underlining words in a manuscript was a typist’s way of indicating words that should be italicized when a manuscript was designed for printing. In those days, therefore, underlines were used to emphasize the occasional word. Underlines, however, have absolutely no place in today’s computer-generated manuscripts—not for emphasis, not for titles, and not for anything else. Instead we can now generate italics on our computers, so forget underlines entirely. As for attempting to emphasize a word, strong writing indicates emphasis by itself without resorting to italics, although italics may be used on the rare occasion for emphasis. Instead use italics where they are meant to be used.

Italics are to be used only for the following:

  • Terms in a foreign language
  • Words used as words
  • Titles of works, plays, movies, books, paintings, and vessels, although song titles are in quotation marks, not italics

An author may choose to use italics to indicate thoughts, although Chicago style no longer advocates their use in such a case.

As for the other formatting possibilities, bold text should never be used in running copy. Boldface type is okay, but not required, to use in chapter heads, section heads, or perhaps chart labels.

Ellipses do not emphasize a word. Ellipses indicate hesitant speech in dialogue, and in narrative, ellipses indicate words missing from a quotation. Ellipses have no other use in narrative.

Q: I’ve read that the word count generated by my computer is not accurate from a publisher’s viewpoint. How do I calculate an acceptable word count for my story?

A: I’ve heard the same rumor from writers, but I’ve never heard it from a publisher. In most cases Microsoft Word gives an accurate enough word count, which is all a publisher needs.

The old way to estimate word count was first to be sure the manuscript was in standard manuscript format, which it should be, anyway. When a manuscript is in correct format, it averages about 250 words a page, so you can multiply the number of pages by 250. Again, it’s an estimate, but it will tell you and your publisher whether the count is within acceptable guidelines.

If you’re not sure what standard manuscript format (sometimes simply called SMF) entails, email me and ask for my free report on standard manuscript format.

Q: I’m writing a book that spans a long period of time. What’s the best way to show the transition from one era to another?

A: The easy way out is not always the best way—simply to put the date at the beginning of a new portion as a subhead, a chapter title, or under the chapter title. Although that method works, it’s too pat, too easy, and it’s distracting to some readers.

The best way for the format to show a transition in time is either to start a new chapter or add an extra space between paragraphs. In fact, standard manuscript format does not have extra spaces between paragraphs except to show a shift in time.

After adding the extra space, strong writing sets the era with events, music, and other references that are current in that era to help readers identify the new time setting.

Q: My writing organization is preparing an anthology. Would standard manuscript format apply? We are unsure of individual submission formats at this point. Please advise.

A: Standard manuscript format applies when submitting a manuscript to an agent or a publisher. Because you are going to self-publish the anthology, you may set the format any way you want, but if an editor is going to edit the submissions, which I strongly advise, you would do well to ask for submissions in standard manuscript format. Requiring standard manuscript format gets writers in the habit of using it, plus it standardizes submissions for easier layout and design later. In addition, standard manuscript format is easiest to read, which helps judges and editors with their work.


Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style: Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications, will answer your questions, too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Read more Ask the Book Doctor questions and answers at www.zebraeditor.com.

1 thought on “Manuscript Format Issues”

  1. “Words used as words.” It’s gonna take me all night and next week to unpack that. Or maybe you’re advocating for all-italic texts?

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