A few decisions made before submission make the difference between a fast, accurate quote and a slow back-and-forth.
Written by Ata Rafi, Founder and Chief Formatter at Format Fix, from reviewing manuscripts at every stage of readiness.
Get A Free QuotePreparing a manuscript means organizing its files, confirming its structure, and deciding a few key things upfront — not formatting it yourself.
Organize files, confirm structure, and decide target market, output format, and font status before sending the manuscript.
Reviews and assesses the manuscript once it arrives. See Arabic Typesetting Process Explained for that side of the pipeline.
An unprepared manuscript doesn't get rejected, but it does mean more has to be clarified after submission — which slows the quote and can mean it needs revising once the real structure and condition become clear.
A clear file, known structure, and key decisions already made — the first quote is accurate and the project starts quickly.
Missing details surface after the quote is given, requiring a revised estimate and a slower start.
A clean digital file is faster to quote and format than a scanned or handwritten manuscript. A scanned manuscript is still workable — it just adds a digitization stage before layout can begin.
Ready for direct assessment and quoting — the fastest starting point.
Still workable, with digitization added as an earlier stage. See Arabic Typesetting Process Explained for how that stage works.
For a multi-volume project specifically, see Multi-Volume & Series Formatting for how volume order and structure carry through the whole set.
Heading hierarchy intentions, whether footnotes or cross-references exist, and any front or back matter needs all affect how a manuscript is scoped. Providing this upfront means the first quote reflects the real project, not a guess.
See Arabic Editorial Formatting for what this structural layer actually includes.
An unprepared manuscript isn't turned away. It just means more has to be clarified after submission, which slows the quote process and can mean the initial estimate needs revising once the real scope is clear. Preparation doesn't gatekeep the project — it just makes the first pass more accurate.
See the portfolio for the range of manuscript conditions this has covered, from clean digital files to fully scanned and handwritten sources.
Submitting a manuscript for professional formatting for the first time and unsure what to prepare beforehand.
Resubmitting a manuscript to a new formatter and wanting the handoff to go smoothly this time.
Organizing a large or multi-volume manuscript before sending it for a quote.
Once your manuscript is ready, see Pricing & Quote for how to get started.
Organizing your files, confirming the manuscript's structure, and deciding a few key things — target market, output format, font status — before submitting, not formatting it yourself.
A clean digital text file is faster to quote and format, but it's not required — a scanned or handwritten manuscript is still workable, it just adds a digitization stage before layout begins.
It can still be formatted — digitization is simply added as an earlier stage in the process, which is factored into the quote and timeline.
Heading hierarchy intentions, whether footnotes or cross-references exist, and any front or back matter needs — the more of this provided upfront, the more accurate the first quote is.
No — it just means more has to be clarified after submission, which can slow the quote process and mean the initial estimate needs revising.
Yes — a quote is only as accurate as the information it's based on. Providing structure, format, and key decisions upfront means the first quote reflects the real project.
