Click here for tips on self-editing your work.
If you do not have access to Microsoft Word, please contact me, and we can discuss alternatives.
Format your document
Please use the following guidelines to format your manuscript:
- Microsoft Word Document
- Double-spaced
- 12-point font
- 1-inch margins
- Header including page number, title of the work, and author name
- Single space between sentences (never double)
- All new paragraphs should be indented with a single tab, including the first paragraph of a chapter
- Double-enters, asterisks, hashes, or other dinkuses should be used exclusively to demarcate a break in the scene or chapter (never for a simple a paragraph break)
Chapter Edit: Submit 3,000-5,000 words of your manuscript (1-2 chapters from anywhere in the book)
Full Edit: Submit the complete manuscript
Chapter Edit – Write your summary
For a Chapter Edit, please prepare a 500-750-word summary of the manuscript, including the intended genre. The purpose of this exercise is to give me a sense of the book you believe you’ve written, so I can assess if your chapter is setting appropriate expectations for the reader.
Formatting:
- 500-750-word Microsoft Word Document
- Single- or double-spaced
- 12-point font
- 1-inch margins
Full Edit – Write your letter of intent
For a Full Edit, please prepare a 1-2 page letter of intent. This letter should cover:
- A summary of the work
- The intended genre
- Your ultimate goal for the piece (agent querying, indie press, academic press, self-publishing, etc.)
- Any questions you’d like me to specifically address (if applicable)
- A description of what’s stumped you or where you’re stuck in your process (if applicable)
Formatting:
- 1-2-page Microsoft Word Document
- Single- or double-spaced
- 12-point font
- 1-inch margins
Leslie Stonebraker 