Remember that you want to make a good impression and that the preparation of your manuscript is the first step. When you're preparing a manuscript, whether it's an article, a short story, or a novel, there are certain styles that make your piece stand out. You want it to look professional-not like the large percentage of manuscripts that appear as if the writer took no care at all in the presentation.

Writers disagree on whether editors really care about the typeface and the line spacing and whether the manuscript follows a certain style or format. Some editors don't care about these things, but all are impressed with presentation by writers who took time to prepare them in the conventional manner. There are at least two reasons to follow the general conventions.

First, while some editors don't care, most do, and it's always better to please the ones who care.

Second, manuscripts prepared in the conventional style are easy to estimate for word count. Newer fonts are spaced differently, and word processors do not count words in the same way as a typesetter counts them. Especially for books and for articles that have to fit a certain space, this count and spacing issue matters. In some cases, it matters a lot.

So how do you prepare that manuscript?

In your word processing program, set your font to Times Roman, 12 point or a similar serif font. Serif fonts have feet while arial fonts are smooth. The emphasis should be on making your manuscript easy to read. You don't have to put two spaces after each period; that's an old fashioned approach that interferes with the new electronic typesetting methods. Use one and a quarter-inch margins at the top, bottom and left-hand side. On the right, use a one-and-a-half unjustified margin so that the editor can make comments. Set the line spacing to exactly 25.

Set your indent at half an inch, and put no spaces between paragraphs. With this setup, you will have about 250 words per page. Double space of course. New chapters should begin a third or halfway down the page. Watch out for "orphans"-the last word of a paragraph that appears as a single word on the following page.

If you're submitting an article or short story, type your name and address in the upper right-hand corner. You do not need to put a copyright notice or your Social Security number, as some guides recommend. Here's a little-known fact: you are already protected by the copyright laws of the United States as soon as you create a manuscript or document. Leave two blank lines and type the title centered on the page. On all following pages, include your last name, an identifying part of the title, and the page number.

Put your last name, title (or portion of title) and page number on all subsequent pages.

Always use white paper. Twenty pound copier paper is fine, although a twenty-four pound inkjet or laser printer feels a little nicer. You don't have to buy special resume or 100% cotton papers. Editors are accustomed to the same kind of paper you use in your printer every day, and they don't want anything unusual.

If you're sending your manuscript in an envelope, send it flat rather than folded. If you're mailing a book manuscript, use a manuscript box. They are available at most office supply stores. By following these suggestions, you can produce a manuscript that any editor will be happy to review.

About the Author:
Barry Beckham is a novelist and CEO of the Beckham Publications Group, Inc. For more advice and information, visit http://www.beckhamhouse.com/jointventure.html