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Front Matter of a Novel
This page illustrates manuscript form for the front matter in a book manuscript. All chapters should begin on a new page.
These manuscript sample pages are based on typewritten manuscripts, but they should serve as guide to settings in a word processor that will produce acceptable hard copy. Most of this formatting is not appropriate for files for electronic submissions.
The margins have been cut off so the page will be viewable on most text browsers. The inch measurements are from the left edge of the paper. In the scale, the | represents a margin setting and a ^ represents a tab. Comments and line numbers in braces, {}, do not appear in the manuscript.
1" 2" 3" 4" 5" 6" 7"
000011111111112222222222333333333344444444445555555555666666666677777777788
678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234568981
---------|----^------------------------^-----------------------------|-----
{Top edge of paper}
{01}
{02} {3 single spaces = 1/2"}
{03}Surname/short title
{04}
{05} {No page caption as it ought to be obvious where this
{06} belongs. If it goes to a second page, use "contents--2"
{07} in the place of a page number]
{08}
{09}
{10}
{11} Contents
{12}
{13} 1. It was a Dark and Stormy Night
{14}
{15} 2. You Can't Know
{16}
{17} 3. The Page Numbers of the Final Book
{18}
{19} 4. Don't Type in Page Numbers
{20}
{21} 5. Pencil the Manuscript Page Numbers
{22}
{23} 6. In the Left Margin
{24}
{25} 7. And Circle Them
{26}
{27} 8. Circling is the Sign
{28}
{29} 9. To Typesetters
{30}
{31} 10. Not to Set the Circled Stuff
{32}
{33} 11. In Type
{34}
{35} 12. If You See Pages in Proof
{36}
{37} 13. Page Numbers May be Represented
{38}
{39} 14. By Zeros
{40}
{41} 15. Page Numbers are the Last Thing
{42}
{43} 16. Filled in
{44}
{45} 17. Just Before the Book
{46}
{47} 18. Goes to press
{48}
{49}
{50}
{51}
{52}
{52}
{54}
{55}
{56}
{57}
{58}
{59}
{60}
{61}
{62}
{63}
{64}
{65}
{66}
{bottom edge of paper}
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