Document Design for Creative Writers

Document design is the way you format your writing on the page. It helps promote the readability of your manuscript, you query letter, or your book proposal.

Although document design is not as important as the substance of your writing, the way it’s formatted makes a difference in how your audience perceives it.

Many editors, agents, and others who read submission require certain formatting such as double-space, 12 pt. font, etc. Their requirements, whatever they may be, likely promote manuscript readability. The requirements also standardize the look of submissions, which makes it easier to read them when editor is reading dozens or even hundreds of them.

Document design for fiction and other types of creative prose is usually pretty simple. When you create something like a book proposal that has multiple sections and headings is where you could have more flexibility. Adding items like a cover page, table of contents, section headers and subheaders all contribute to making your content easier to read.

When your content is easier to read and navigate, it ensures that your audience will focus on your excellent content rather than straining its eyes through poor font sizes or style choices, lack of spacing, or even too much spacing among other document design faux pas.

See here for more on document design.

Written by Anne Greenawalt