This document provides guidelines for formatting manuscripts for publishing using a computer. It advises writers that computers are typesetters, not typewriters, and can think independently if given confusing commands. The key guidelines are to use styles consistently, use the space bar only once after periods and words, never use the tab key or enter key wildly, and respect the computer's ability to format text. Understanding and following these rules will help writers maintain control over their manuscript's formatting.

1. Formatting Your
Manuscript
by Jean Reynolds, Ph.D.

2. We live in a new era…
…the Age of Electronics.

3. Our new
world
requires
new
thinking
and new
skills.

4. Forget about what your
typing teacher told you.
Computers
aren’t
typewriters.
They’re
typesetters that
can think.

5. Today’s writers need to be
aware – constantly – of the
brain inside the computer.

6. So you have to be careful
not to send confusing
messages…
…to that
typesetter
who’s hiding
inside your
computer.

7. If you don’t respect your
computer’s brain…
…you can expect
a disaster when
you try to publish
your book.

8. Because we all own computers
(which are actually typesetters!)…
…writing a
manuscript is
no longer
enough.

9. Writers need to create a
computer file that’s ready
to be published.

10. That means following
some rules.
Use the space bar
only once after a
period and after
a word.
Never use the
space bar for any
other purpose.
Never use the Tab
key.
Set up your
Styles before you
start writing, and
stick to them.

11. You also have to understand
the power of the…

12. …innocent-looking but
dangerous ENTER key.

13. Every time you hit the Enter
key…
…hidden
commands
format the next
paragraph.

14. And then you wonder why one
paragraph looks great…

15. …but the next one is a
hopeless mess.

16. Later you may
have to pay
someone big
bucks to fix
your
manuscript.

17. If you go wild and crazy with
the Tab key and Space bar…
…the hidden
brain inside the
computer tries
to guess what
you’re trying to
do.

18. It creates a plan for the next
paragraph….
…which
probably won’t
be what you
wanted to do at
all.

19. Learn to respect the Enter
key.
Its job is to
insert a “hard
return” into
your
manuscript.

20. It can be your friend…
…or your
enemy.

21. Here’s a lifesaver you
should get to know:
The “show all
nonprinting
characters”
symbol.”
It will reveal
some of the
hidden
formatting that
may be causing
problems.

22. Let’s take a look at Styles.

23. Rule 1: Limit yourself to a few
Styles.
Recommended Styles for basic writing
tasks:
Heading 1 (for your title)
Normal (for your text)

24. Some situations call for
additional Styles:
Bullet list
Numerical list
Heading 2
Heading 3
Title (if you’re writing a book)

25. Let’s review what
you’ve learned.
Computers aren’t typewriters: They’re
typesetters.
Computers can think.
Computers make their own decisions (if you
let them!)

26. You want to maintain control
of your manuscript.
Use the Space Bar only once after a period and after
a word.
Never use the Space Bar for any other purpose.
Never use the Tab key.
If your run into a formatting problem, try deleting
the hard return at the end of the previous paragraph.
When all else fails, save your document as a .txt file
and start over, using Styles this time.