Why does manuscript formatting matter when editing?

Font and line-spacing preferences can vary from author to author, but certain fonts and spacing work better for editing and proofreading.

Fonts:

While the many font types available seem almost endless, some are used more widely because of their features and readability. When considering readability, clear letter formation and good letter spacing are most important. These characteristics allow our eyes to read long lines of text more easily.

After years of experience in editing and proofreading, KLS team members find Times New Roman to be their font of choice at 12-point size. 

Line spacing:

Alternatively, line spacing has fewer options, but it is nevertheless just as useful for editing and proofreading. If the spacing is too close, it can make large blocks of text harder to read. Whereas, if the spacing is too far apart, it can make the text appear longer and require more scrolling. We have found that 1.5 line spacing is a perfect middle ground. Since we use track changes for editing and proofreading, the extra spacing provides room for markups and for reading around the tracked changes. It can be challenging to read manuscripts with single-line spacing because the page appears crowded.

Alignment:

Left-aligned text is also a preferred choice for the layout of a manuscript. It creates a consistent margin that allows for easier reading and a natural flow. This type of alignment also makes extra spaces in the text highly visible. If a manuscript is fully justified, it can be really challenging to spot extra spaces. 

The fonts and spacing used in manuscripts can directly impact readability and facilitate smoother editing and proofreading. While these are KLS’s formatting preferences, you may find there are other fonts and line spacing that work better for you during the writing stage. We appreciate it when we receive manuscripts that use an easy-to-read font, are left-aligned, and have 1.5 line spacing.