The format

[DLCroix]

Hi! I did a quick check on the threads and I don't seem to have detected anything similar. In any case, I would like to clarify that this only corresponds to the format in which I usually work my texts and that is why I want to comment on it for someone can use it.
I am aware that those who have been writing for several years do not need to change their formula. Rather I do it thinking of the youngest, those who perhaps wonder how others do it. (I didn't say something too silly, did I?)
At least me when I started this I felt the same curiosity, so I thought it would be good to share it.
Since I'm a designer, I initially wrote the stories in QuarkXPress layouts. Then I started doing it in InDesign. This allowed me to visualize the text on facing and numbered pages as hypothetically they would look in a book. But over time I found that the files were too heavy. Also, it was not the most common file type that is usually handled. In fact, later you had to convert them to doc or rtf. So I started to think that in the end maybe it would be better to work from the beginning in Word.
Which is the program I currently use. I tried others like Writer 6 and the like for a while, but I still like Word.
Regarding the format, after examining several pocket books, I determined a page size of 13 x 20 cm. With a margin of 1.27 cm top, bottom, left and right. Or Narrow, as it appears in the panel preferences.
The body of the text: Times New Roman, 10.
Display scale: 178%.
Paragraph: Justified. First line indentation: 0.5 cm. Line spacing: 12 or exact.

The advantages of this format, as I see it, are two:
The first, that you can also work on facing pages so that on a scale of 120% you can get an idea of how the text would look once printed. It also allows you to print it that way, so it's the closest you can get to knowing what it will look like.
And BTW you save paper. The trees will thank you!
The second advantage is that it allows you to divide the screen in 2. In this way, on the left-hand side you can have a video play or watch a photo that inspires you.
Anyway. I hope this helps those who are curious to know what work methods others have.

 

[AlexH]

I write in Times New Roman standard manuscript format, simply because it's the format most short story markets I submit to request. Sometimes I temporarily change the font and font size for one last read before submitting. As the story looks different, I may spot new things.

Classic Manuscript Format | William Shunn

Manuscript format for fiction writers, the way the professionals do it. It's the online formatting guide more editors point to than any other. Created by Hugo and Nebula Award nominated author William Shunn.

www.shunn.net

 

[.matthew.]

I write in two pieces of software, neither of which I use with a page layout. Page layouts add distracting and useless gaps in the writing and often annoy me if they end up looking badly formatted (from length or wasted space or that extra word leaking onto a new page etc).
Usually have a 10-20pt margin on the screen.
As for font, Segoe UI Light as I find it very clear and less tiring.
Straight quotes, again for clarity.
Despite being British and using British spelling I happen to use the double " for dialogue as I think it looks clearer and we use ' for other punctuation.
I prefer to write with indents and no empty lines, but have a conversion setup in calibre if I need to space it all out later for others.
Also, have the editor set to a night mode colour scheme because I find it less tiring (usually a dark grey background and light grey text).
If I'm writing on my main computer, the editor also sits on one half of the screen so I can use the other for other stuff plus having it super wide looks a bit stupid...

Edit: With digital sales being so huge now, it doesn't seem to make much sense for professionals to format it for a print version first and foremost. That can always be done later with a quick copy paste

 

[Astro Pen]

To write I use Word,
Ragged right,
Arial 13pt.
Paragraph first line indent .9 (1.27 is way too much)
1.5 line spacing (which I also print out at for live readings)
100% scaling
'Print layout' view
All the supposedly helpful Word garbage like 'automatic headings' turned off
(I also killed the talking paper clip after first two "It looks like you are writing a letter?" popups )

I find that the most comfortable mode. Clear and clean.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I wrote this a while back to help authors set up stylesheet formatting in Word for self-publishing:

How to use Styles in MS Word for formatting a manuscript

I've used Microsoft Word since the early 1990's, and learned to simply format text as I came across it. This is now the wrong way to do it. Or, more simply put, it's a great way of making things difficult for yourself when formatting a manuscript for agents or publishers. As I found out as I...

www.sffchronicles.com