Please Help - To Double Space or Not to Double Space . . .

BrookieCookie777 · Sep 7, 2007

That is the question! I just finished my devotional book and I had ten requests for partials! Yea! =) But of all the mags and networks I've written for, devotionals look weird if they are double spaced beacuse of the bible verses that are inside are usually doubled spaced to put emphasis on them. Since in the book world anyway - I am a children's author - I don't want to look like I don't know anything - is it ok to not double space if it effects the way the story flows?

Thanks guys! Have to send this out tomorrow and i'm totally freakin' out!

oscuridad · Sep 7, 2007

remember that double spacing is to make it easier to read and to leave room for comments and corrections (if you get that far), otherwise can't help you. Maybe you should keep it double spaced and change fonts...

rugcat · Sep 7, 2007

You could single space the Bible quotes for emphasis, if that's your concern.

Roger J Carlson · Sep 7, 2007

What do the publisher guidelines say about line spacing?

BrookieCookie777 · Sep 8, 2007

I'm not sure. Actually, this all came about because I write devotionals for television networks and Christian mags. I began to get requests for a book so this is being submitted to an agent. I searched her website and found no specific guidelines. It's simply amazes me how even something so simple as double spacing can make you feel like a fish out of water when you are used to a certain format. Sounds pretty nuts I suppose! Thanks for your help guys. I will see if I can get these double spaced in a way that still makes them easy to read.

Thanks a million! God bless!

Maryn · Sep 8, 2007

FWIW, I think my choice would be to double space the manuscript and single space the Bible quotes. It's not like a picky editor was going to correct the Bible, right?

Maryn, wishing you well (and sinking back into lurk mode)

BrookieCookie777 · Sep 8, 2007

Thanks Maryn. =) You're right. Who can argue with God?

You remind me so much of my mother in law! She is quite young and so adorable . . . oh and did I mention witty? =) Too cool. You could be twins!

dadburnett · Oct 1, 2007

Sounds like you are maybe considering self-publishing? Otherwise your editor/publisher will have suggestions for what sells. I fall on the double space or one-one half space side for easier reading. You might spend some time looking at availabe similar works to see what you like best, what seems to look best. Bottom line, its about what works or does not work for your readers. When in doubt, fall back on your inspiration ...

Pat~ · Oct 1, 2007

Hi Brookie cookie...I write devotionals for magazines, and I've always double-spaced them. It'd be my guess that they'd want double-spacing for a book manuscript as well (and I'd do what Maryn suggested, and go with single spacing for the Bible quotes). I've submitted manuscripts for a devotional book that way with no complaints.

Deleted member 42 · Oct 1, 2007

Double space everything, even block quotes.

The copy editor may still need to add instructions to the typesetter even for Biblical passages, so leave room. It's annoying to try to squeeze them in on single space text.

Use Courier, or, possibly, maybe, Times New Roman. If you don't have specific guidelines, Courier is a better choice.

Please Help - To Double Space or Not to Double Space . . .

BrookieCookie777

oscuridad

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

Roger J Carlson

Moderator In Name Only

BrookieCookie777

Maryn

I Tried

BrookieCookie777

dadburnett

Pat~

Luftmensch Emeritus, A.D.D.

Deleted member 42