[mj Posts: 48 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

  I have gotten conflicting info on how to format a PB manuscript for submission: (1) page breaks where I think they should be or (2) No page breaks and let publisher decide.

Also: 10 pt. or 12 pt. ??

Thank you.

[Arona Posts: 449 Status: Offline The house didn't fall on me. It fell on my sister.]

I'm going to take a shot at answering because I, too, read conflicting information for a long time until I decided the below information seemed most prevalent/consistent.

You page break. If the publisher disagrees, they'll change it.

12 pt.

Font: New Time Roman.

If there is current, reliable information out there that confirms any of this has changed, I'm all ears. 

[dkshumaker Posts: 1,510 Status: Offline WWW]

I'll give a more "vague" answer. Unless the agency/publisher specifically states yes or no for page breaks, I personally don't think it matters. It's about the writing, the story. I think most agents/editors want something that looks professional and clean, with plenty of white space. As long as it is easy to read, I don't think page break/no page breaks will make or break a deal.

I personally have never put page breaks in, and I have had agents and editors ask for more work based on my slush pile submissions. But I hear other authors always put in page breaks. :-)

Hope that helps!

[Vijaya Posts: 7,337 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

12 pt

No page breaks unless I'm asked to.

Vijaya

[mj Posts: 48 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Thank you everyone.

[Betsy Posts: 2,123 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

What Vijaya says.  Go here:

http://www.ellenjackson.net/formatting_a_manuscript_123773.htm

[mj Posts: 48 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

  Betsy, thank you for link to ellen jackson. Very helpful.

[Anne Marie Posts: 2,855 Status: Offline VAMPIRINA season 3 is on Disney Junior now! WWW]

I never include page breaks, FWIW.

[HaroldU Posts: 805 Status: Offline Exec. Editor, Kane Press WWW]

My basic advice, as an editor: http://www.underdown.org/manuscript-format.htm

[Cali Posts: 187 Status: Offline Twitter: (csuefrye) WWW]

Great information above! Plus, I've always heard to use 12 points New Times Roman unless stated other-wise in the submission guidelines. I've also heard of submitting picture books both ways, with and without page breaks so the recipient can choose whichever they prefer.

Best Wishes,
 

[Schriscoe Posts: 1,803 Status: Offline www.sharonchriscoebooks.com WWW]

 :goodpost

I have actually done both. Some stories I have done with page breaks and others without. Arbordale asked for them. RPKids didn't.

I also use 12 points.

[Dionna]

This is how I format. It may be old school. Don't know. 12-point, Times Roman, no page breaks, one inch margins, double space, when mailing the first page is a title page with contact info in left corner and genre and word count in the right, when mailing next page begins one-third the way down with title and name, when mailing a header for each page thereafter left side last name, title, right side page number.