Submissions
Manuscript formatting
The file type, font, spacing and layout we ask for, so editors can read your manuscript comfortably.
On this page
This page tells you exactly how to format your manuscript file. Clean, consistent formatting lets our editors focus on your writing rather than the layout. It takes about 30 minutes to set up in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice.
Quick reference
| Setting | What to use |
|---|---|
| File type | .docx (preferred) or PDF |
| Maximum file size | 20 MB |
| Font | A standard serif font such as Times New Roman, Garamond or Georgia, 12 pt |
| Line spacing | 1.5 (double spacing is also fine) |
| Margins | 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides |
| Alignment | Left-aligned (ragged right), not justified |
| Paragraphs | Indent the first line of each paragraph by 1 cm; no blank line between paragraphs |
| Page numbers | Bottom centre or top right, on every page |
| Paper size | A4 |
For Bengali or Hindi manuscripts, use a Unicode font (for example Noto Serif Bengali or Noto Serif Devanagari) at 12 pt, so the text displays correctly on any computer.
The first page
The first page is a simple title page. Put these on separate lines:
- The book's title
- Your name (and pen name, if you use one)
- Genre and approximate word count, for example "Literary Fiction, 82,000 words"
- Your email address and phone number
Start the text of the book on the next page.
Chapters and sections
- Start each chapter on a new page (use a page break, not lots of blank lines).
- Give each chapter a heading, for example "Chapter 1" or "One", with the chapter title underneath if it has one. Use the same style for every chapter.
- Mark a scene break inside a chapter with a centred
#or***on a line of its own. - Put any prologue, epilogue, notes or acknowledgements in the order they'd appear in the finished book.
Poetry
- Start each poem on a new page.
- Single-space the lines of each poem, and use one blank line between stanzas.
- Keep any unusual spacing or indentation you intend; we'll preserve it.
- Include a contents page listing the poems in order.
Non-fiction
- Include a contents page listing all chapters, even ones you haven't written yet.
- Put notes as footnotes or endnotes using your word processor's built-in feature, not typed by hand.
- List sources in a bibliography at the end.
- If the book needs images, charts or tables, describe them in square brackets where they would appear, for example "[Photo: the author's grandmother, Kolkata, 1952]". Don't embed large images: they make the file too big.
Word count
Use your word processor's word count for the whole manuscript, excluding the title page. Round it to the nearest 1,000 when you enter it in the form.
Saving your file
- Name the file with your surname and a short title, for example
Sen_The-River-House.docx. - If you save as PDF, check that the text is selectable (not a scanned image).
- Check the file size before you upload. If it's over 20 MB, it almost always has embedded images you can remove.
Next steps
Now prepare your synopsis.