Before an agent reads a word of your story, they see how the manuscript looks. Standard manuscript format is the shared convention that makes a submission look professional and easy to read, and getting it right takes about twenty minutes once you know what it is. This guide lists exactly what the format requires, explains how the title page and running head work, covers where agents differ, and ends with a checklist. The last section shows how to produce a correctly formatted Word or PDF file with Quillen's agents and publishers export, with no manual setup.
The short answer
Use Times New Roman 12 point, double-spaced, left-aligned, on US Letter paper with one-inch margins. Indent every paragraph half an inch with a paragraph style, not the Tab key. Put a title page first with your contact details, then start each chapter on a new page with the heading about halfway down. Add a running head of your surname, a short title and the page number at the top right of every page of text, and number the first page of text as page 1. And always check the agent's own submission guidelines first, because they come before any general rule.
Always follow the agent's guidelines first
Standard manuscript format is a convention, not a law. Agents and agencies publish their own submission guidelines, and those override anything in this guide. They differ on which materials to send (a query letter only, or a query plus a synopsis and the first chapters), whether to paste text into an email or attach a file, whether they want Word or PDF, and sometimes on font or spacing. Following their instructions exactly is part of the test. Where an agent gives no instructions, standard manuscript format is the safe default, and Word is the most widely accepted file type. Send a PDF only if asked.
What standard manuscript format requires
| Element | Standard |
|---|---|
| Font | Times New Roman, 12 point (some agents also accept Courier) |
| Spacing | Double-spaced throughout, with no extra space between paragraphs |
| Alignment | Left-aligned (ragged right), not justified |
| Paper and margins | US Letter, one-inch margins on all sides |
| Paragraph indent | Half an inch on every paragraph, set with a paragraph style, not tabs or spaces |
| Title page | First page: your contact details top left, title and byline about halfway down, approximate word count |
| Running head | Surname, short title, page number at the top right of every page of text |
| Page numbering | Page 1 is the first page of text, not the title page |
| Chapters | Each starts on a new page, heading about halfway down |
| Scene breaks | A centered # on its own line |
| Not included | Copyright page, dedication, contents, epigraph, other books, About the Author |
Why these choices?
The point of the format is practical. Double spacing and wide margins leave room for notes. A common font makes word count predictable from the page count. The running head means a loose page can be traced back to its manuscript. Leaving out front and back matter keeps the agent's attention on the story, and those pages are added later if the book is published.
The title page
A manuscript title page is plain. Your name and contact details sit at the top left, single-spaced. The title and your byline sit about halfway down the page, centered. An approximate word count goes near the foot. There is no running head or page number on this page.
Contact name versus pen name
If you write under a pen name, the byline carries the pen name but the contact block should have your real name, so an agent can reach and contract with you. List your real name, address, phone number and email in the contact block. An optional extra line can carry a professional membership or website.
The word count
Agents want an approximate figure, not an exact one, rounded: "about 80,000 words", to the nearest thousand for a full-length book. Use the count from your manuscript itself, not an estimate from page count.
The running head
The running head is a short line at the top right of every page after the title page: your surname, a slash, a short version of your title, a slash and the page number. For The Salt Road by Ada Marlow, page 12 reads Marlow / The Salt Road / 12. If your title is long, shorten it to its first few words. Page 1 is the first page of text, so the title page carries no number.
Chapters and scene breaks
Each chapter starts on a new page, with the chapter heading about halfway down and the text starting below it. Use the same heading style for every chapter. Mark scene breaks with a centered hash mark (#) on its own line, so the break shows even when the break lands at the top or bottom of a page.
Doing it by hand in Word
If you format manually, set it up once through styles, not paragraph by paragraph:
- Set the Normal style to Times New Roman 12 pt, double line spacing, no space before or after paragraphs, and a first-line indent of 0.5 inch.
- Set page size to US Letter and margins to 1 inch.
- Create a heading style for chapter titles: centered, same font, with a page break before and space above so the title sits about halfway down.
- Add a header on every page after the title page: right-aligned, with your surname, the short title and an automatic page number. Turn the header off on the title page and start numbering at the first page of text.
- Use a centered # for scene breaks.
- Add the title page as the first page, with your contact details.
It works, but it takes care to keep the formatting consistent across a whole manuscript, and it is easy for stray tabs, blank lines or pasted text to break it.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it matters | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tab or space indents | They look right on your screen and break when the file is opened elsewhere | Use a paragraph style with a 0.5 inch first-line indent |
| Blank lines between paragraphs | Inflates the page count and breaks the look | Use double spacing and no extra paragraph space |
| Page numbers typed by hand | They go out of order after any edit | Use an automatic page number field in the header |
| Numbering the title page | Page 1 should be the first page of text | Start numbering after the title page |
| Decorative fonts or chapter graphics | Signals unfamiliarity with submission conventions | Keep to plain headings |
| Including a copyright page or dedication | Not part of a submission | Leave them for later |
| Ignoring the agent's own instructions | The easiest way to look careless | Read each agency's page before sending |
Do it in Quillen
Quillen has a dedicated export mode for submissions. It applies standard manuscript format for you, builds the title page from your details, and exports a Word or PDF file. There are no styles to pick, so there is little to get wrong.
- Open your book, click Export in the top bar, and choose Agents & publishers.
- Fill in the title page. The left list starts on Title Page & contact details. Enter the name for contact details (it defaults to your author name, so enter your real name if you use a pen name), your address, phone and email, and an optional extra line for a membership, agent or website. The byline uses the author name from Edit Details.
- Check the word count. The Word count box shows an approximate figure counted from your manuscript and rounded, as agents expect (to the nearest thousand for a book-length count). Type your own to override it.
- Read the Format panel. Click Format in the left list. It lists what the export applies: Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced, left-aligned, US Letter with 1-inch margins; title page first; the running head at the top right of every page of text; page 1 is the first page of text; each chapter starts a new page with the heading about halfway down; every paragraph indented half an inch; # centered for scene breaks; and no copyright page, dedication, contents, epigraph, other books or About the Author.
- Preview your chapters. Click a chapter name to see it exactly as it will export. The text is edited in the writing view, not here.
- Choose Word (.docx) or PDF at the bottom left. Word is the most widely accepted format, and the panel reminds you to send a PDF only if asked.
- Click Export and choose where to save. The file name is your book's title followed by "manuscript".
- Open the file and read it through, then check it against the agent's guidelines before you send it.
Two details are worth noting. The running head uses your author surname and the first few words of a long title, so for The Salt Road by Ada Marlow it reads Marlow / The Salt Road / 1. And because the byline says "A Novel by" for a fiction book and just "by" for nonfiction, it adjusts to your book type. If the agent's guidelines contradict anything in the Format panel, the app itself says to follow the agent's guidelines.
Checklist before you send
- The agent's guidelines read and followed.
- Contact details checked on the title page (real name, not only the pen name).
- Word count rounded and sensible.
- Running head shows surname, short title and page number.
- Page 1 is the first page of text.
- Chapters start new pages; scene breaks are marked with #.
- No copyright page, dedication or other extras.
- File named clearly and opened once before sending.
- Word format unless the agent asks for a PDF.
Common questions
What is standard manuscript format?
Times New Roman 12 point, double-spaced and left-aligned on US Letter with one-inch margins, a half-inch paragraph indent, a title page, a running head with your surname, short title and page number, and each chapter starting on a new page. Always check the agent's own guidelines first.
Should I send a Word file or a PDF to an agent?
Word is the most widely accepted format. Send a PDF only if the agent asks for one. Quillen can export either.
Does the title page have a page number?
No. The title page has no running head or page number, and page 1 is the first page of text.
How do I format a manuscript for agents in Quillen?
Choose Export, then Agents & publishers. Fill in your contact details on the title page screen, check the word count, choose Word or PDF, and click Export. The format is fixed, so there are no styles to set.
What if an agent's guidelines differ from standard format?
Follow the agent's guidelines. They take priority over the general standard, and Quillen's own Format panel says the same.