iUniverse gets you to your First Draft – Part 2

Our first article, iUniverse gets you to your First Draft – Part 1, highlighted two specific areas as you start your first draft, the title where we gave you some ideas on the best options, and penning your book which covered areas of organization. In this second editorial we take you to the next steps in the journey with how to layout out your manuscript, writing or using a keyboard and living with your book. Writing is a big task and knowing what’s involved will make the journey more fun.

Laying out your manuscript

Having plenty of space around what you are writing will be very helpful when it comes to making your proof more attractive to work with and giving enough space for any edits you place on a proof. Set your page margins so your copy block is about 10.5cm (4.2 inches) wide and 18cm (7 inches) tall. This should, depending on your paper size, center your copy box in the sheet of paper.

Writing or using a keyboard

No matter which method you are using; a pen, pencil or keyboard and in some cases voice-recognition software which is now relatively inexpensive; the procedure you implement for writing should be a constant. Once your notes and research material are divided into chapter piles you can spread them out over an area, in an order which you understand and start writing from what is in front of you. Remember what you are penning is your first draft, it’s not Shakespeare. It’s just your thoughts, ideas and if appropriate a plot, being put into a semblance of order. Whatever you do, get it down somewhere on paper or a hard disk and make a copy!

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