The number of manuscripts written and submitted for review to large publishers is astronomical. For the publisher, reading a manuscript is time-consuming, particularly if the effort has not been made to prepare a suitable one. There are a few basic elements that go into preparing your manuscript. These elements include:
Parts of the Manuscript: You should write your manuscript with the book layout in mind. The Chicago Manual of Style lists and discusses the sections that make up a book. Plan it so that you manuscript meets this format and write it accordingly. In general, the manuscript and eventually the book, will consist of: the cover, the front matter (i.e., title page, copyright page, dedications, table of contents, list of illustrations, foreword, preface, etc.), the text, the back matter (i.e., appendix, index, bibliography, glossary, notes, etc.), and back cover. With each manuscript that I write, I automatically use this outline. It also makes the typesetting and layout phase easier.
Fair use/Permission: Why do you need permission? Well, because it's the law! Copying from another author's work is illegal and considered "plaigarism." If you want to use the work of another source, plan on obtaining written permission from them. If you are using their ideas to enhance your own, generally, permission is not needed. The rule of thumb is -- When in doubt, check it out. As you become an author yourself, you will need to protect yourself from others plaigarizing your material. This is covered by the copyright statement in your book and ultimately by submitting a form to the copyright office. Don't worry about that for now, that's in Step Two.
Editing/Proofreading: You will want to do some general editing and proofreading on your own (reference Edit Yourself, by Bruce Ross-Larson and Elements of Editing, by Arthur Plotnik). Ideally, you want another, objective party to edit and proofread your manuscript. Friends and family are good sources for general comments, but use another trustworthy source for the knockdown, drag-out editing. This is not the time to solicit praise, pats on the back, or ego stroking. You want constructive criticism, powerful proofing and energetic editing at this point. If you submit your manuscript to an outside editor, make sure that it meets their formatting (or better yet, unformatting) criteria. Editors are not interested in the layout of your book. They are focusing on word usage, grammar, writing style and content.
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