I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Should I use different fonts in my manuscript?

I’d limit yourself to no more than 3 different fonts as a rough guideline, just to avoid confusing the reader. But keep in mind that font choice is a design/layout choice in the publishing process, so if you’re using a professional editor or layout person (which hopefully you are), then you’ll need to work with them.May 25, 2019

What fonts are acceptable for a manuscript?

1. Font: Your font should generally be 12 point Times New Roman. Though some agents and editors may prefer different serif or sans serif fonts like Arial or Courier New, Times New Roman with a 12 point font size is the industry standard.
Sep 8, 2021

Why do authors use different print fonts?

The right text font for a book can complement the author’s message. If it’s a good fit, the reader probably won’t even notice; the reading will feel easy and just “flow.” In contrast, the wrong choice of typeface can feel jarring. Imagine a book meant to evoke the reader’s emotions, and the body text is Helvetica!
May 26, 2021

What fonts do most authors use?

The most widely used typefaces for book body text include Baskerville, Bembo, Garamond, Janson, Palatino, and Times Roman (although this more of a newspaper font). Sans serif fonts may be difficult to read for an entire book.
May 1, 2008

Should your manuscript be single or double spaced?

double spaced

Line spacing: All lines should be double spaced. Double-spacing your lines makes the manuscript easier to read and mark up. Do not add an extra space between paragraphs.

What font is Harry Potter written in?

Some of the notes and letters and signs in the Potter books use all caps, which also decreases readability. But Adobe Garamond was a great choice — and the book was a fine piece of typesetting.
Aug 7, 2007

What font does Stephen King use?

ITC Benguiat Gothic is a sans-serif variant for the original serif font family.



ITC Benguiat Gothic.

Category Sans-serif
Designer(s) Ed Benguiat
Foundry International Typeface Corporation (ITC)
Date created 1979

What font is easiest to read?

Helvetica. Along with Georgia, Helvetica is considered to be one of the most easy to read fonts according to The Next Web. This is a sans-serif font and one of the world’s most popular typefaces—a modern classic.

What font size is most books written in?

between 10 and 12

For most books, a font size between 10 and 12 is generally used for fiction and non-fiction printed books.

What is the most preferred font for professional publications?

Helvetica / Helvetica Neue / Helvetica Now



Without a doubt, Helvetica is the most heavily used font by professionals in graphic design.
Mar 24, 2022

What format do publishers want?

Manuscript Formatting Guidelines



Each agent and publisher may have slightly different submission guidelines — some specifying that they prefer The Chicago Manual of Style or the AP (Associated Press) Style, and some offering style specifics of their own.

How many pages is 50000 words?

Book Length by the Numbers



A 50,000-word manuscript is 200 pages.
Jun 7, 2017



Are books 1.5 spaced?

Double-spacing: the industry standard



Most publishing houses and editors follow the industry standard, which is to double-space your novel. Double-spacing means your manuscript will have extra space between lines.

Can you use different fonts in a novel?

I’d limit yourself to no more than 3 different fonts as a rough guideline, just to avoid confusing the reader. But keep in mind that font choice is a design/layout choice in the publishing process, so if you’re using a professional editor or layout person (which hopefully you are), then you’ll need to work with them.
May 25, 2019

What are TrueType fonts examples?

Using TrueType Fonts

Regular Italic Bold
Courier Courier Italic Courier Bold
Helvetica Helvetica Italic Helvetica Bold
Times Times Italic Times Bold
DejaVuSans DejaVuSans Italic DejaVuSans Bold

How do fonts work?

A font is defined as the complete character set within the typeface, often referring to a particular size and style. Helvetica Bold 10 point is a way to reference a font. Fonts are specific to the files that contain all the characters and glyphs within the typeface.

What is a way to tell if a font is TrueType or open type?

The OpenType fonts appear with an “O” icon next to them, the PostScript fonts have a red “a” icon and the TrueType font icon has a gray and a blue “T.” A third way to tell is by using font management software, such as Suitcase Fusion. Such programs should list the type of font next to it’s name.



Should I use TTF or OTF?

OTF is more likely to be a “better” font, as it supports more advanced typesetting features (smallcaps, alternates, ligatures and so on actually inside the font rather than in fiddly separate expert set fonts).

Are TrueType fonts going away?

As stated, Adobe Photoshop will stop supporting Type 1 fonts in 2021, and all other Adobe programs will end support in January 2023.
Feb 15, 2021