Manuscript Formatting
Formatting your manuscript correctly is crucial: it ensures your paper is clean, professional, easier for editors/reviewers to read, and less likely to be rejected for technical reasons. Our Manuscript Formatting service takes the burden off you by aligning your document with journal standards and submission expectations.
Why Formatting Matters
Formatting isn’t just a cosmetic detail, it plays a crucial role in how your manuscript is perceived, reviewed, and ultimately accepted. Below are the key reasons that proper formatting can make or break your submission:
First Impressions Count
- Editors often see dozens or hundreds of submissions. A manuscript that shows poorly formatted,mismatched fonts, chaotic headings, inconsistent references, can signal a lack of care or professionalism. In some cases, manuscripts may even be desk-rejected before peer review because they don’t meet basic submission standards.
Facilitates Reviewer Efficiency
- Poor formatting complicates the review process: it makes it harder to follow text, locate citations, assess figures, or leave comments. Reviewers have limited time, and if navigation is difficult, they may be less favorable toward your manuscript. Clean, consistent layout helps reviewers focus on your science, not wrestling with document clutter.
Reduces Post-Acceptance Delays
- When your manuscript adheres to journal style from the outset, the production, copyediting, and typesetting phases proceed more smoothly. There’s less back-and-forth asking you to reformat, fix references, or reorganize sections. That means faster turnaround to publication.
Conforms to Journal Expectations
- Many journals have explicit “Instructions for Authors” detailing font, margins, section order, citation style, figure placement, and more. Formatting according to those requirements demonstrates that you understand and respect their standards, it increases the likelihood your submission will pass the initial screening.
Improves Readability & Accessibility
Correct formatting ensures that headings, subheadings, tables, figures, and references are organized logically and consistently. This not only aids reviewers, but also future readers, indexing services, and digital platforms. Well-structured manuscripts are easier to navigate, understand, and reuse.
- Many manuscripts are desk-rejected not for content, but for formatting noncompliance (fonts, margins, section order, citation style).
- Good formatting smoothens peer review: reviewers can focus on your science, not wrestling with layout issues.
- It prevents later delays: after acceptance, papers often must be reformatted, getting it right from the start saves time.
What Our Manuscript Formatting Service Includes
We apply a full suite of formatting adjustments to make your manuscript submission-ready:
- Apply Journal Template & Style
- Use the journal’s official template (if available) or match its style rules: margins, font size, line spacing, headings, section structure.
- Section & Order Organization
- Structure the manuscript in standard scholarly order (e.g. Title page → Abstract → Introduction → Methods → Results → Discussion → Conclusions → Acknowledgments → Declarations → References → Tables → Figures → Supplementary). For article types (reviews, commentaries) adapt section order as required.
- Headings & Subheadings Consistency
- Format heading styles (fonts, numbering, capitalization) uniformly. Use hierarchical levels as permitted by the journal.
- Font, Spacing & Margins
- Use consistent font (e.g. 12 pt, Times New Roman) and black text throughout. Double-spacing is common in submissions. Set margins (e.g. 1 inch / 2.54 cm) on all sides. Remove any hidden formatting, tracked changes, headers/footers that interfere.
- Line Numbers
- Add continuous line numbers (when required) so reviewers can easily refer to specific lines. Many journals prefer this.
- Title Page & Metadata
- Format title page with manuscript title, authors, affiliations, corresponding author, ORCID IDs, keywords, and word count (if required). In double-blind reviews, author identifiers may be omitted from the body and kept in the title page only.
- Abstract & Keywords
- Format abstract according to journal rules (structured vs unstructured). Place keywords immediately below the abstract. Check for word/character limits.
- Citations & References
- Reformat in-text citations and reference list to the journal’s style (e.g. numeric, author-date). Check consistency, ordering, punctuation, DOI inclusion, and cross-check that all cited works appear in the reference list.
- Tables & Figures
- Format tables in an editable form (not images), with clear headings and footnotes. Place them near where first cited (or at end if required). Figures should be high resolution and numbered sequentially. Legends and captions formatted per journal rules. If required, separate figure files may be prepared.
- Supplementary / Appendices
- Format supplementary files (if any) and ensure they are safely referenced in the main text.
- Declarations & Ethics / Data Statements
- Insert conflict of interest, funding, ethics approvals, data availability, author contributions in the appropriate location per journal policy.
How the Formatting Process Works
- 1. You submit your manuscript & journal target
- Send us your manuscript file and the desired journal’s author guidelines or template.
- 2. Formatting adjustments & checks
- We apply the style rules (template) and reformat each section accordingly.
- 3. Quality assurance review
- We review the formatted version for consistency, missing elements, section order, and adherence to guidelines.
- 4. Deliver formatted version
- You receive a “submission-ready” version, typically both a version with visible formatting marks and a clean version for submission.
Pricing for Manuscript Formatting
Below is a sample pricing structure for formatting services. These are indicative rates; for each manuscript we will provide a custom, transparent quote based on word count, journal guidelines, complexity, and desired turnaround.
Typical Pricing Model
We generally charge formatting either as a flat rate or by word count / page. Rush or highly bespoke formats may carry surcharges.
Service Tier
Deliverables
Typical Rate (USD)*
Turnaround
Standard Formatting
Full layout (text, headings, references, figure placement) to match journal style
≈ $125 flat for typical manuscripts
3 business days
Per‐Word / Per‐Page
For custom or long manuscripts
e.g. $0.015–$0.05 per word or $5–$15 per page (depending on complexity)
Varies
Rush / Expedited Format
Faster delivery (1–2 days)
+25% to +50% surcharge above base rate
1–2 business days
Special / Custom Formats
For manuscripts with complex layouts, special journal templates, supplementary files
Quoted individually
Depends on complexity
Sample Quotes (Illustrative)
- Manuscript of 5,000 words → Standard formatting: ~ $125
- Manuscript of 10,000 words → Customized per-word rate: ~ $200–$300
- Rush formatting (same manuscript) → +25% surcharge → $156–$375
What Affects the Price
Several factors influence the final cost:
- Manuscript length / word count
- Complexity of formatting: multiple headings, footnotes, cross‐references, numbered sections
- Figures, tables, supplementary files needing placement or adjustments
- Journal template requirements or custom styling
- Turnaround time (rush work demands premium pricing)
- Reformatting after revisions (if authors request reformat for new version)
FAQs
Who will edit my book manuscript?
Your manuscript is assigned to an editor (or team) who has both editorial expertise and subject knowledge in your field. We match your book to an editor with experience relevant to your discipline and genre.
What is the difference between book editing and article / scientific editing?
Book editing addresses the full scope of the work, structure, coherence across chapters, pacing, flow, style consistency, indexing, front/back matter, in addition to sentence-level polish. Article editing is more limited in scale and scope.
Can I submit my manuscript chapter by chapter instead of the whole book?
Yes. We accept manuscripts in separate parts or chapters. Just inform us so we can maintain consistency across sections and ensure the same editor(s) work across chapters.
What file formats do you accept?
We typically accept manuscripts in Microsoft Word (.doc / .docx) and LaTeX (.tex). If your document is in PDF, we may edit it with comments or return it for conversion, depending on complexity.
How long does book editing take?
Turnaround depends on the length of the manuscript, the level of editing required, and editor availability. We discuss and agree on timelines before work begins. For larger manuscripts, editing may take several weeks or more.
Will I see all of the changes you make?
Yes. You will receive a version with tracked changes (so you can review each edit) and a clean/“final” version that you can use (or read) more easily. We also provide editorial comments and suggestions to guide you.
What happens if I modify the edited manuscript after you return it?
If you make substantial changes, we cannot guarantee the edited parts remain fully coherent. For major additions, it’s best to request a re-review or re-edit of the new content.
Can I request a sample edit before committing?
Yes, on request, we provide a sample edit (e.g. a few pages) to help you assess our editing style and decide whether to proceed.
