What Format when writing a book?
Word or WordPerfect is fine. Most of the files I see are in Word, but I know some people still prefer WordPerfect. Make sure it is a reasonably recent version of the program though. Always double-space. If your manuscript is accepted for publishing, your editor will need that extra space in between the lines for writing any necessary corrections. While it is true that your editor can double-space the manuscript herself, it’s simply courteous to have the manuscript already double-spaced for her. Some people want a serif font, some want a sans serif font. Whatever font you choose to work in, use a standard font such as Courier, Times New Roman, or Arial. Do NOT use a fancy, hard-to-read font. It’s annoying to read, and unprofessional. Although some publishers are using Adobe to edit their documents, most are still using word processors. I would stick to Word or WordPerfect, unless someone specifically asks for a file in PDF format. Always always always read the publisher’s guidelines and
