Ok, this is probably really dumb, but I haven't been able to figure it out on my own in about a week of monkeying with it. I've read probably a dozen different sources on manuscript formatting and of course each one is slightly different. That's fine, they agree on the major points.
One of those major points is that you should use Courier 12pt font, and when double spaced you should have 25 lines on each page. My problem is that with 1 inch margins all around (another point they all agree on), I can only seem to get 24 lines of text on each page.
Is this a big deal? I'm tempted to just let it stay the way it is now, but if I try to estimate the word count the way "they" say to do it, I won't have 250 words per page. Should I just tailor my count estimate and use 240 words per page?
In case it's relevant I'm using Word 2007 but I've saved my document in 2003 format.
[This message has been edited by coralm (edited December 28, 2010).]
Posted by Foste (Member # 8892) on :
I just checked one of my manuscripts... I get 23-24 lines down usually but less when I have a lot of dialogue going on.
Do you often parse paragraphs?
Posted by coralm (Member # 9274) on :
I do have a lot of dialogue, but it doesn't seem to make a difference on my pages. I get 24 unless Word moves the last line to next page to keep paragraph parts together.
[This message has been edited by coralm (edited December 28, 2010).]
Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
First question:
Do you have widow and orphan control turned off? (It's under format/paragraph/line and page breaks in my versionof Word.)
That could make a difference in how many lines/page.
I just counted mine and I get 25 lines.
Second:
I'm not convinced that you need to use the estimated word count any more. When he was still an agent, I asked this question of Nathan Bransford and he said to use the actual word count.
Posted by Osiris (Member # 9196) on :
I have the same problem, and haven't been able to figure it out. I end up with about 208 words per page and have my format exactly as you do.
Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
quote:I do have a lot of dialogue, but it doesn't seem to make a difference on my pages. I get 24 unless Word moves the last line to next page to keep paragraph parts together.
You just answered my question. You still have widow and orphan control on. Turn it off so that the number of lines per page is consistent.
Posted by coralm (Member # 9274) on :
Ok, I turned of Widows and Orphans but I'm still only getting 24 lines of text. I must just have smaller pages.
I guess I won't worry about it too much, it didn't seem like a huge problem but I just kept reading 25 lines per pages everywhere so I wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something terribly wrong.
Glad to know I'm not the only one Osiris!
Posted by eyegore242 (Member # 9317) on :
im not using word but open office and i noticed something i had to adjust for in that when i had headers turned on (for name title page) i have to adjust the top margin and header settings to keep the headed from taking up spaces in the body area. i ended up having the top margin set at .60" and the header at .20" with a .20" gap so that it works out right.
[This message has been edited by eyegore242 (edited December 28, 2010).]
Posted by Osiris (Member # 9196) on :
The only other thing I can think of that might be effecting this is the number of spaces in a tab.
Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
Ah. One more thing. Spacing. Word doesn't really make a true double space. On that format/paragraph dialog go to the indents and spacing tab. Set the line spacing for exactly and then 24pt.
Posted by coralm (Member # 9274) on :
When I change to line spacing 24, I get 27 lines per page. You took 30 pages off my manuscript! I don't know whether to cry or not. Posted by PB&Jenny (Member # 9200) on :
OMG, that is too cute. Posted by walexander (Member # 9151) on :
2cents -
coralm adjust the pt spacing till you get 25 per page.
W.
Posted by Osiris (Member # 9196) on :
Hot damn, I'm gonna try that now...
... same result as coralm! Thank you Meredith! This has bugged me for months.
[This message has been edited by Osiris (edited December 28, 2010).]
Posted by coralm (Member # 9274) on :
For future reference 25pt spacing gave me 25 lines per page.
