The Dreaded F-Word (Formatting)

Tamara
Cribley

In the world of self-publishing, you the author wear many hats:  publisher, cover artist, formatter, marketer, and so on. And most of those roles are taken on after you've finished your book! For some of them, it’s obvious that you should consult or hire a professional. A bad cover for example, can turn off a reader before she even decides to purchase your book. So if you're not adept at cover art, you'll consult someone who is.
Formatting, on the other hand, seems like a no-brainer. You've combed through your manuscript and formatted and stylized all of your copy. It looks beautiful, until you upload your files to the printer or publisher…and nothing displays like you expect it to.  The problem with formatting is that when it's done properly, it practically disappears from the page, as it should. That means that readers will focus on your story. When done poorly it becomes disruptive and it's not always easy to put your finger on the cause.
There are two main considerations when formatting your manuscript, both equally important.

Read the entire article in the Dec/Jan  issue of InD'Tale magazine.

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