Manuscript format and word processors

A reader sent an interesting question the other day:

What are the rules to numbering pages of a novel?
Does every page need a number? If so, top or bottom of each page?

I also read somewhere, that last names should be on each page before submitting to a publisher.
I take a deep breath here, because I have over two hundred pages completed without numbers/name and my wonderful reliable computer does not have a format that includes the inserts.

Microsoft Word costs more than I can dish out right now. Is there any other way?

Good questions.

Yes, normally a manuscript does need a number on each page, usually in the upper right corner but sometimes at the bottom center or right. Putting the author's name at the top of each page is a fairly common practice, but not essential. (It's just insurance, in case part of the manuscript is misplaced in an office full of manuscripts!)

Here's one way around the cost of Microsoft Word: Get one of the free downloadable word processors like Open Office.

You might also try a web-based word processor like ThinkFree, Google Docs or Zoho. I haven't used them much, but they seem to handle most routine word-processing chores. And they're free.

It shouldn't be hard to learn the basics of whatever free word processor you pick, including how to insert page numbers. Then copy your existing manuscript and paste it into a file in the new word processor. You may have to make some formatting changes, but basically that should work fairly well.

Also, visit the websites of the publishers you plan to submit to. See what they require. In many cases, they may just want an electronic version of the manuscript. Whatever they want, supply it. Remember that it may be a personal achievement for you, but it's just work for your editor. Make it as easy for her as possible.

Comments

[Norm]

Hi, I've used Open Office and it feels pretty close to MS Word.

There may be easier ways of putting one's name/story title in the upper left of the header and the page number in the upper right of the header. This one works for me.

I put a one row and two column table in the header. Make sure the table's borders have no lines. The (story title/author) left box is left-justified. The (page #) right box is right-justified.

In Word, you can tell the program not to put a header on page one. I suspect this is true for other programs.

[r_harvey]

Any word processor that supports headers, will also support right-justified tab stops. You don't need a table. Set tab stops for any additional information on the line, then a final tab for the page number on the right.

It's never a good idea to use direct formatting for a long document. I would avoid tables in a text-only manuscript, anyway. Learn to define and use styles, and you can instantly change the look of the whole document by changing a style or two.

Say one publisher requires Courier or TNR, you can change the styles to match any unique specifications, then print or export.

If you later need to copy a block of text between documents, you won't have to wrestle with mysterious fonts or screwball formatting... the text will simply copy, and assume the formatting of the new document.

Learn your tools.

[Paula Johnson]

Mac users may be interested in Storyist, a program that does a lot of the formatting work for you.

I even use it for writing flash fiction—with the word count window open.