Name/Title/Page# or Title/Name/Page#

Nightd · Feb 27, 2012

I've been reading around, and when you submit a manuscript, the header should contain a combination of name/title/page.

Some of the sites I visited said to Name/Title/Page

Others said

Title/Name/Page

or does it not really matter?

BethS · Feb 27, 2012

Fwiw, I put name/title in the top left corner, and the page number at the bottom middle of the page. I don't think it matter, so long as the information is there.

alleycat · Feb 27, 2012

I always use name/title/page number.

Does it matter? Probably not.

dpaterso · Feb 28, 2012

Logically ('cause we know that always works) you'd think the title belongs alongside the page #

So Surname/Title/Page # works for me.

While Beth's approach is interesting

I think it's kinda non-standard.

<...checks novel docs...> Yep, I have my header set up as Surname/Title/Page # ...right-justified... with "Different first page" ticked (in Header and Footer > Page setup) so it doesn't show up on the first page, which already has centered title and author details. Footer is blank.

-Derek

Bufty · Feb 28, 2012

Surname/title at top left. Page X of Y at top right.

Doubt it matters too much if the guidelines don't say what's preferred.

shaldna · Feb 28, 2012

I always put Surname / title / page #

DeleyanLee · Feb 28, 2012

I've beta'd for several published authors and they each use a different combination of what's together, what side of the page it is, what order it all goes in.

As far as I can tell, as long as you've got it all in the header, you're good.

My preference is Surname/Title on the left and the page # on the right, but that's just me.

BRDurkin · Feb 28, 2012

I've got Surname/Title/Page Number, top right of the page.

BethS · Feb 28, 2012

dpaterso said:
While Beth's approach is interesting I think it's kinda non-standard.

Well, in Beth's defense, she had trouble figuring out how to get Word to do a header and page numbering in the same space. Surely this must be possible, but since I had an agent waiting for the manuscript right then, it was just easier to do the page numbering at the bottom, rather than fight with Word.

No one ever complained.

dpaterso · Feb 28, 2012

BethS said:
Well, in Beth's defense, she had trouble figuring out how to get Word to do a header and page numbering in the same space. Surely this must be possible, but since I had an agent waiting for the manuscript right then, it was just easier to do the page numbering at the bottom, rather than fight with Word.

I can appreciate that you had urgent priorities. And Word can be annoying sometimes. But yes, it's possible. 'Cause I do it.

No one ever complained.

Damn agents, accepting non-standard formatting!

Glad it worked out OK, though. What else matters?

-Derek

Jamesaritchie · Feb 29, 2012

The idea of putting name/title/page number in the upper right margin of the header is so an editor can tell which manuscript he has, and where he is in it, by looking at one spot. Never, ever put the page number at the bottom of the page. It not only isn't standard, it makes everything far too complicated.

This is somewhat less important with e-manuscripts, primarily because you can't drop an e-manuscript and have to reassemble it, but it still matters. It isn't difficult to do with Word.

No one will yell at you, or even mention it, if you get it wrong, but it still complicates things, and just isn't difficult to get right.

BethS · Feb 29, 2012

Jamesaritchie said:
Never, ever put the page number at the bottom of the page.

Too late...

Though it was an electronic file, not a paper manuscript. Now, whether or not the agent printed it out on his end, I have no idea.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 1, 2012

BethS said:
Too late...

Though it was an electronic file, not a paper manuscript. Now, whether or not the agent printed it out on his end, I have no idea.

It's really not nearly as important in an e-file, primarily because an editor can change it to the way he wants it is a few seconds.

Name/Title/Page# or Title/Name/Page#

Nightd

BethS

alleycat

Still around

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist

BRDurkin

Trigger-Happy Pyromaniac Writer

BethS

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

Jamesaritchie

BethS

Jamesaritchie