Please bring me up to date: One or two spaces between sentences? Italics or underline?

I'm afraid that I'm going to be the voice of dissension. Because I submit my ms in a word doc attachment (I already work with a publisher and that's what they prefer), their formatting specifically suggests one space after a period.

I also italicize, rather than underline.

However, if you're submitting in Courier, which is standard for a traditional publisher, please underline that which you want in italics. It's easier on the copyeditor's eyes.

The rule about two spaces at the end of a sentence was an invention for typewriters. More people thought that looked better with the fixed-width fonts used on typewriters. However, typesetters almost unanimously used one space between sentences. They thought that looked much nicer, especially considering how narrow a period/full-stop character is in a proportional font like Times Roman. Can you find any book in which double spaces are used between sentences? I doubt it. On word processors, the obvious thing to do, is to use one space when using a proportional font line Times Roman or Helvertic or Arial and use two spaces when using a fixed-width font like Courier or Prestige, which most people don't use any more in standard typing. However, some people are very stubborn. and will insist that whatever system they learned thirty years ago, for spelling, punctuation, or typing is always right and always has been right. Can they support this by checking a style guide? Often not. Have they ever checked this out in books they have read. Probably not. If a teacher insists on a particular format, then try to follow that format. You will probably only have to put up with that teacher once and it is useful to know up front that in some areas at least that teacher may be an ignorant, opinionated bigot. Right or wrong in such matters is a matter of convention. Which convention are you using, and why? If you have a good style guide, and have no reason to dispute it much, then you might as well stick with it. Many word processors have a feature that eliminates extra spaces, that is, it changes any run of multiple spaces to single spaces. It is good to run this on your document when it is finished, to remove any double-spaces you have accidently left in, if you are following the typesetter single-space rule.

Yes, everything is doublespaced. It's so editors can mark changes that need to be made, and it's so copyeditors and can mark instructions for the typesetter. Single space is an eyesore anyway...for anyone, actually, because most novels use doublespace if you look closely and compare it to singlespace.

Underline the words to show italics for thoughts or emphasis, or just leave thoughts as they are.

That's strange that you've read contradictory information. Every site I go on for manuscript format says the exact same thing.

Make sure you have one inch margins all around and the top right hand corner labeled like this: Last name/ title/pg #.

And make sure you have a right jagged margin.

Also, if you want to indicate scene breaks, do this: #. That's all you need.

Dixie,

There is only one space after the period. You can hit the return twice to double space for the next line, but I find it easier to single space the entire novel and then format it correctly after I'm finished. As far as the italics, you simply use them for spoken thoughts that are usually made to sound condescending or facetious. Other times they are used as emphasis for a single word. The italics thing usually comes into play when you are submitting a short story to an anthology. Some editors/publishers of the anthology want to see the words underlined and then do the italics themselves.

The problem with this is, I’ve submitted work this way and ended up seeing my story with underlined words. Really dumb that they forget to format it correctly. Most of your novel submissions are right up front with the formatting. Double spaced, one inch margins all around, half inch indent for new paragraphs.

PJ M

Yeah! This a brave new world for writers. However double spaces between sentences is always good. (It helps the poor readers of manuscripts from going blind from all of the reading and gives their eyes a short break). However it does seem that Italics is preferred to the old fashioned underline. Good Luck PAL!!!!!!! ~M~

Yup. Two spaces after your sentences.

As for the formatting question, you'll typically be sent a long list of guidelines when the request is made. If you're not sent a long list of guidelines feel free to ask a long list of questions. :)

It varies. I had an agent several months ago request a view of a full manuscript and he wanted all formatting stuff footnoted but not visible. The other one I sent a full manuscript to wanted it formatted how I wanted it printed but with 13 pt courier. It seems to depend entirely on the readers.

But, as always, what do I know?

(You done, Dix? Good luck!)

Double space the manuscript, always doublespace. Also i don't think the rule still applies with underlining words. Good luck with your book!!!

-KV KID 19

What I have learned is:

Double spacing after sentences. Italicize instead of underline, as a general rule. (As you indicate, underlining in the old days of typesetting was a direction to the typesetter to italicize what was underlined. Nowadays with word processing, it is as easy for the author to do, and so if you want it to be italicized, you should italicize. You want your manuscript to look as polished and close to the final product as reasonably possible.)