Finished editing, now, what are the specifics of format?

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Question:

I have finished editing my novel (finally) but i need some tips on how it should look formatting-wise before i send it off to an editor!. I was just wondering about the specifics!.

~What font should i use!? Courier new looks a bit too new!. :P
~On Word 2007 should i use "No spacing," or "Normal," with double spacing and if so, what font should it be in!?
~How much should i indent it to, or, how big should the margins be!?

and!.!.!.

Most importantly, how do i remove those annoying extra pages at the end of my work!?

Thanks for all your help, again, I'm pretty sure that without answers to questions before i would've been lost in the publishing, editing and agency spiral of misfortune!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Marilyn hit just about everything!.

As for indentation, this is how I did it!. I have Word 2003, so I'm not sure what they changed!. Some things may be different!.

Open a new Word doc, go up to the Format tab at the top of the doc and choose Styles and Formatting!. Click New Style (I called mine Manuscript)!. At the bottom of that window, click Format!.

First, go to Font and, even though Courier looks a little odd, that's what you want!. Courier New 12!. Ok, that!.

That will take you back to the Style/Formatting window!. Go back to Format and click Paragraph!.
Under the Indents and Spacing tab, go to Indentation!. Special!. First Line!. By 5 (although I use 3)!.

Under Spacing, just do Line Spacing Double!.

Go back up to the Line and Page Breaks tab and make sure that Widow and Orphan Control is the only thing checked!.

Voila! Now when you sit down to write, you can just start in your Manuscript window!. Or, if you prefer to write in something different, you can c&p it into the Manuscript format when you're ready to submit!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

First, be aware that you don't send the work to potential agents or publishers!. You send a one-page query letter trying to drum up enough interest that they ask you to send your work!.

Let's say that's where we are!. Find the writer's guidelines for whatever place you intend to send your work and follow them exactly!.

If there are no writer's guidelines, here's the best guide to formatting manuscripts that I know of: http://www!.writerswrite!.com/journal/dec9!.!.!.

Courier 12, double spaced, one-inch margins, ragged right margin, tabs one-half inch for paragraph indentation (don't use five spaces, use the tab key), no blank lines between paragraphs, hyphenation turned off, header on each page, underline what will be italicized in print!.

Edit: The extra blank pages are probably just a bunch of paragraph symbols filling up pages without text!. Put your cursor on the character after the "d" in "The End!." Press Ctrl-Shift-End to select all the characters after the "d!." Press Delete!. Those pages should be gone now!.Www@QuestionHome@Com