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Question: Does font type, size matter for NOVEL manuscripts!? !?
I was wondering if Courier is the proper font to use for all fiction works!? I tried using it but realized it's hard to tell the difference between regular and italics text!. Tips!? Is Courier what all writers use!? I just find it super hard to tell the difference between the regular and italics texts!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
You're going to get conflicting answers!. If you research online, you're going to get conflicting answers there, too!. ANYONE who tells you that you MUST do something is wrong!.

Each publisher has a preference!. I sent an ms to a publisher who said if it comes in Courier, it goes in the garbage!. They simply can't stand reading it!. Some hate reading Arial!. It's hard on the eyes - on paper, but it's easy to read on a computer screen!. Times New Roman is easy to read on paper, but harder on a screen!.

Fonts don't need to be the same width anymore!. They used to, but not anymore!. That said, some publishers still prefer it!.

Based on the MAJORITY of the information online and in the current information I've found, Times New Roman is preferable!. You should use a 12-point font, and you should always use 1-inch margins!. But you should always check the publisher's guidelines first!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Personally, I always use TImes New Roman, 12pt!. It has served me well!. This is for several reasons!. It is easier to notice the difference between regular and italics!. The human brain can read a times font 10% faster and decipher it 10% faster than other fonts (Kole, 2003)!. also it is more economical as it uses slightly less ink - something to be taken into consideration when printing a 80,000 word manuscript!. All publishers I have had dealings with like their manuscripts to be in either Times New Roman or Arial!. (That's not to say that other publishers will not accept Courier!. You can always email them and ask, anyway!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com

You can use whatever font you find the easiest to work with, Courier just looks like a typewriter!. The editor and publisher will pick the final typeface for a printed book anyway!. So long as it is easy to read it doesn't really matter what font you use!. Ariel is the easiest to read and Times New Roman is the most popular!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i use arial!.

ms should be formated in 12 point and in a monospaced font such as courier, new courier or arial!.

monospaced means thart all characters take up the same amount of apce, an i takes the same page space and an m!.

you should not be preparing a ms using italics simply because they are hard to pick out for an editor!. you should underline the words that you want read as being in italics!.

a;sp!. remember to double space your work with a 1 inch indentations on all sides!.

hope this helps

edit: never use times new roman!. its no good as an inication of page length etc and is too hard on the eyes when reading alkot of it!. besides, alot of editors won't even read a ms in times, it will get an auto rejection!.

every agent and editor i have worked with has specified a mono type!. your best bet if you fon't like courier it to use arial!.

don't give them a reson to reject you before they even read your ms!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you are submitting a manuscript, you need to use whatever font the publisher or agent wants!. It's up to them!.

But if your novel uses a lot of italics, or relies heavily on its use for emphasis, you might want to reconsider that!. Most novels don't use italics!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Courier is not a Aerial!. Regular and Italics are distinct!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Most writers use Times New Roman (more common) , Courier or Arial!. Either is fine, but size 12 is preferable!.Www@QuestionHome@Com