“A beautifully written book with terrible interior formatting is like a gourmet meal served on a paper plate. The content deserves better. Give your words a home they deserve.”
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
Interior formatting is the unsung hero of publishing. Nobody notices GREAT formatting—it’s invisible, letting the words shine. But EVERYONE notices BAD formatting: weird margins, inconsistent fonts, paragraph indents that jump around, and page numbers in bizarre places.
Interior Formatting Essentials
| Element | What to Do |
| Font | Choose a readable serif font for print (Garamond, Baskerville). 11–12pt. |
| Margins | Standard: 1 inch top/bottom, 0.75–1 inch sides. Adjust for gutter (binding edge). |
| Line Spacing | 1.15–1.5 for print. Not double-spaced (that’s manuscript format, not book format). |
| Chapter Headings | Consistent style throughout. Drop down 1/3 of the page for the first line. |
| Page Numbers | Centered bottom or outer edge. No page numbers on blank pages or title pages. |
| Front Matter | Title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents. In that order. |
| Back Matter | Acknowledgments, about the author, other books. Keep it clean. |
Formatting Tips
- Use professional tools. Vellum (Mac), Atticus, or Adobe InDesign. NOT Microsoft Word for final formatting.
- Get a print proof. Always order a physical proof before approving your print book. Screens lie.
- Be consistent. Every chapter, every page, every element should follow the same formatting rules.
- Study published books. Open your favorite books and look at their formatting decisions. Emulate the professionals.
- Consider hiring a formatter. For $200–$500, a professional formatter saves you hours and produces a polished result.
Your Move, Creative
Open a traditionally published book in your genre. Study the title page, chapter headings, margins, and page numbers. That’s your formatting model. Now make your book look like it belongs on the same shelf.
Stop letting your stories stay stuck.
