Create Tabletop Rulebook with InDesign: Formatting Text for Layout

When preparing a manuscript for publication, proper formatting and layout can make the text much easier to edit and design. For game designers and rulebook authors, following some basic formatting guidelines can streamline the process of taking a raw manuscript and turning it into a polished, printable document. In this article, I’ll explain some tips for formatting manuscripts to make the layout process smoother.
These guidelines are intended for students in game design courses to share with the designers and writers creating manuscripts for their games. By submitting clean, consistently formatted documents, authors enable editors and designers to focus on polishing the content itself rather than fixing basic formatting issues.
Here are some formatting tips for game manuscript preparation:

Formatting Tips for Authors’ Manuscripts

1. Use a standard word processing program like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or LibreOffice. Google Docs is preferred for easy sharing and collaboration.
2. Save the file in a standard format like .doc, .docx or Google Docs format. Avoid formats like .pages that limit accessibility.
3. Compile the full manuscript in one single file for easier handling.
4. Use a standard, easy-to-read font like Times New Roman or Cambria in 12pt size. Avoid fancy or display fonts.
5. Left-align all text.
6. Format all text in black and set the page background to white.
7. Use 1.15 – 1.5 line spacing. Avoid single spacing.
8. Separate paragraphs with a single line break, not multiple returns. Let the app handle proper spacing.
9. Use page break formatting, not multiple returns, to divide chapters.
10. Format headings using the app’s style tools, e.g. Heading 1, Heading 2.
11. Create the following pages before the main content:
    • Title page with title, subtitle, and author name
    • Edition notice, disclaimers, dedications
    • Table of contents
12. Follow the main rules content with back matter like:
    • Glossary
    • Appendices
    • Index
    • Bibliography
13. Avoid adjusting margins – use the app’s defaults.
    Following these basic formatting guidelines will give editors and designers a clean, consistently styled manuscript to work with. The students in the game design course should pass these tips on to the writers creating manuscripts for their games in order to streamline the production process. Proper formatting ultimately allows everyone to focus on polishing the content itself.