Why is Lacuna the best software for turning a manuscript into a book?

Because Lacuna turns your finished Word manuscript into a publish-ready EPUB and print PDF while giving you the freedom to build the book you want, not the book the app allows. Since we started building it, almost every feature has come straight from authors asking for it, so the tool keeps growing toward more customization and more control instead of locking you into a handful of presets.

What is standard manuscript format?

Standard manuscript format (often called Shunn format, after William Shunn) is the plain, uniform layout agents and editors expect when you submit fiction. The core rules: one-inch margins on all sides, 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced lines, a half-inch first-line indent on each paragraph, black text, and left-aligned (not justified). On the first page you put your contact details in the top-left corner and a rounded word count in the top-right. It is deliberately plain so editors can read and mark up every submission the same way. Always follow a specific agent or publisher’s own guidelines first; when they do not specify, this is the safe default. William Shunn’s Proper Manuscript Format

What is the difference between formatting for submission and formatting for publishing?

They are two different jobs. Submission format is the plain standard format above: a Word document an agent or editor can read and mark up. Publishing format is a designed book: a reflowable EPUB for ebook stores and a print-ready PDF for paperback and hardcover, with real typography, chapter openers, and styling. You write and submit in standard format, then format for publishing when you are ready to release the book. That second job is what Lacuna is for.

Can I format my manuscript in Microsoft Word?

Yes, for submission. Word is perfectly fine for standard manuscript format, and most authors draft there or in Google Docs or Scrivener. Where Word struggles is the publishing step: turning the manuscript into a clean EPUB and a print-ready PDF. For that, export your DOCX and import it into a formatting tool like Lacuna, which builds the EPUB and PDF for you.

Do I need to format my manuscript before submitting to an agent?

Yes. Agents and editors expect standard manuscript format, and a clean, conventional file signals that you take the craft seriously. Read the agency’s submission page first and follow it to the letter, since some ask for specific fonts, spacing, or a particular number of pages. When they do not specify, fall back to standard manuscript format.

What is the difference between manuscript writing software and formatting software?

Writing software (Scrivener, Word, Google Docs) is where you draft and revise. Formatting software (Lacuna, Vellum) turns a finished manuscript into a publish-ready EPUB and print PDF. Some tools (Atticus, Reedsy Studio) combine both jobs in one app. Pick based on where you are in the workflow.

Can I import my Word manuscript into Lacuna?

Yes. Word manuscripts (.docx) are Lacuna’s primary import format. Lacuna detects your chapters from Heading 1 styles and preserves bold, italic, alignment, ornamental breaks, footnotes and endnotes, tables, and images. Structuring your chapters with Heading 1 before you import is the single best thing you can do for a clean result. Read our manuscript import best practices

Can I import my Scrivener project into Lacuna?

Lacuna imports DOCX. Scrivener exports DOCX from its Compile feature. Compile your manuscript out of Scrivener as a Word/DOCX file, then import the DOCX into Lacuna. Your chapters, formatting, footnotes and endnotes, and images come over.

What if I am still writing my manuscript?

Use a writing tool while you draft. Scrivener, Word, Google Docs, or anything else you are comfortable with. You can also write directly in Lacuna, and you can import DOCX files into an existing project as you go, so you can slowly build up your book chapter by chapter inside Lacuna. The last part is a feature authors requested a lot.

Does Lacuna handle non-fiction as well as novels?

Yes. We have a lot of users formatting fiction, non-fiction, and everything in between, which is why we give you so many features and options: footnotes and endnotes, tables, callout boxes, image handling, and per-section style overrides.

Manuscript Formatting Software Comparison

The Best Manuscript Formatting Software for 2026

You have a manuscript. Now what? Five manuscript formatting tools that take a finished draft and turn it into a polished book. We build one of them. We will tell you where each one fits.

No credit card required. Full features during trial.

By Corey Jackson, developer of Lacuna

Reviewed by Melissa Erin Jackson, author of 15 self-published books

Updated July 22, 2026 · Read about us

Full disclosure

We built Lacuna, one of the tools on this page. We are authors too. We know how confusing the line between “writing software” and “formatting software” gets when you are searching. This page is here to help you tell them apart. If a tool you already use fits your workflow, stay with it. If you are stuck, here is a clear comparison.

Manuscript Writing vs Manuscript Formatting

Two different jobs. Different tools. Knowing which you need saves a lot of time.

Writing tools

Where you draft, restructure, and revise. Features include outliners, distraction-free modes, research storage, and word-count goals.

Examples: Scrivener, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Ulysses, Atticus’s writing mode.

Formatting tools

Where you turn a finished manuscript into a polished book. Features include pre-made styles, per-section styling, drop caps, callout boxes, and live device previews.

Examples: Lacuna, Vellum, Atticus’s formatting mode, Reedsy Studio.

Some tools blur the line

Atticus and Reedsy Studio handle both jobs in one app. Scrivener is primarily a writing tool with a formatting export (Compile) that exports to EPUB and Kindle. Lacuna and Vellum both include rich editors and writing features, but their primary focus is formatting and design. The right tool depends on where you are in your workflow.

How to Format a Manuscript in Standard Format

Before you submit to an agent or editor, your manuscript should be in standard format: the plain, uniform layout the industry expects. Here is the whole thing in six steps.

Always follow a specific agent or publisher’s own submission guidelines first. When they do not specify, this widely used standard (often called Shunn format) is the safe default.

Set your page size and margins

Use Letter size in the US (or A4 elsewhere) with one-inch margins on all four sides. Plain white page, black text, no colors or decoration. This is the blank canvas every standard manuscript starts from.

Choose a standard font

Set the whole document in 12-point Times New Roman (Courier is the classic alternative). These are the sizes and faces editors expect, and they keep your page count honest.

Double-space and indent

Double-space every line, give each paragraph a half-inch first-line indent, and keep the text left-aligned rather than justified. Do not add a blank line between paragraphs; the indent is what marks a new one.

Build the first page

Put your legal name and contact details in the top-left corner of the first page, and an approximate word count, rounded to the nearest hundred, in the top-right. Center the title about a third of the way down, with “by Your Name” beneath it.

Add a running header

On every page after the first, add a header with your last name, a keyword from the title, and the page number (for example, Jackson / SABOTAGED / 12). It keeps loose pages identifiable if they are ever printed.

Start each chapter on a new page

Begin every chapter on a fresh page, with the chapter title about a third of the way down. Mark scene breaks within a chapter with a centered # or * * * on their own line. If you use Heading 1 for chapter titles, your file will also import cleanly into a formatting tool later.

Submission Format vs Publishing Format

Two different jobs, and mixing them up is the thing that trips up first-time authors most.

Formatting to submit

For agents and editors. Plain standard format in a Word document: 12-point type, double-spaced, one-inch margins, a title page, and a running header. No design, by design. It is meant to be read and marked up, and you can do all of it for free in Word, Google Docs, or Scrivener.

Formatting to publish

For readers and stores. A designed book: a reflowable EPUB for Kindle, Apple Books, and Kobo, and a print-ready PDF for paperback and hardcover, with real typography and chapter openers. This is the step a formatting tool like Lacuna handles for you.

Download the Lacuna learning template

See what a clean, well-structured manuscript looks like. This is a real, finished book by Melissa Erin Jackson, one of Lacuna’s makers and a working novelist, with its chapters set in Heading 1 styles and page numbers in place. Open it to study the structure, or import it straight into Lacuna to watch a finished manuscript become a book.

Download the template (DOCX)Read the import best practices

What to Look For in Manuscript Formatting Software

Five things that actually matter when you pick the tool for the publishing step.

Clean, valid output

The EPUB should pass EPUBCheck and the print PDF should meet PDF/X-1a, so stores and printers accept your file without rejections.

Both ebook and print

One tool that exports a reflowable EPUB and a print-ready PDF saves you from rebuilding your book twice.

Real design control

Pre-made styles to start from, plus per-section overrides for chapter openers, headers, and spacing when you want them.

Runs where you do

On your operating system, ideally offline, with your manuscript kept on your own computer rather than a company’s servers.

A clean import path

It should take a Word DOCX and detect your chapters from Heading 1 styles, so you start from your finished draft instead of rebuilding it.

Side-by-Side: Five Manuscript Tools

Lacuna, Vellum, Atticus, Scrivener, Reedsy Studio. Where each one focuses, and what it produces.

Feature	Lacuna	Vellum	Atticus	Scrivener	Reedsy Studio
Pricing
Price	$149	$199.99 / $249.99	$147	$59.99	Free
Position
Built for	Formatting	Formatting	Writing + formatting	Writing	Writing + formatting
Platform
Mac		macOS 13+	Browser	macOS 11+	Browser
Windows			Browser	Win 10 64-bit+	Browser
iOS			PWA	$23.99 (App Store)	Browser
Works offline			Writing only
Files stay on your computer
Manuscript-Side Features
Outliner / corkboard					Premium
Distraction-free / writing mode
Word-count goals					Premium
Snapshots / version history
Research storage / multi-format import
Formatting Output
EPUB 3
EPUB 2				Via legacy file	Not stated
Print PDF	PDF/X-1a	PDF/X-1a	PDF/X-1a	PDF	PDF/X-1a:2001
Other exports		MOBI	DOCX	Word, RTF, OO, Final Draft
Per-section style overrides		Limited	Limited	Via Compile
Templates / themes	32 pre-made styles	Styles preset system	Custom theme builder	Per-format Compile templates	3 fixed

A Quick Take on Each Tool

One paragraph each. Where each one fits in the manuscript-to-published-book journey.

Lacuna (that’s us)

Lacuna is the best software for turning your finished manuscript into a book, and yes, we build it.

More customization freedom than anything else here: build the book you want, not the book the app allows
Import your Word manuscript (DOCX), pick a pre-made style, and customize every section
Desktop app for Windows and Mac, works offline, with your files staying on your own computer
Exports EPUB 3 and EPUB 2 for ebook stores and PDF/X-1a print for KDP and IngramSpark
$149 one-time with lifetime updates, no subscription

Since we started building Lacuna, almost every feature has come straight from authors asking for it. That is how it ended up with more customization freedom than anything else here.

Vellum

Vellum is a Mac-native visual editor with a Styles preset system. Two SKUs: $199.99 for Vellum Ebooks and $249.99 for Vellum Press (which adds paperback). EPUB 3, EPUB 2, MOBI, and PDF/X-1a print. Mac only.

Read our full Vellum comparison

Atticus

Atticus made the case for one app to do both jobs. Browser-based, with writing-mode and formatting-mode in the same place. Sprint Timer, writing goals, and streaks for the writing side. Custom theme builder, EPUB 3 and EPUB 2, and PDF/X-1a for the formatting side. $147 one-time. Files live on Atticus’s servers.

Read our full Atticus comparison

Scrivener

Scrivener is a writing tool first. Corkboard, outliner, binder, Scrivenings mode, snapshots, splits, full-screen composition, and project targets. Compile is the export step. It outputs Word, RTF, OpenOffice, PDF, Final Draft, and EPUB 3 / Kindle. Windows and Mac at $59.99 each (or $95.98 bundle), iOS at $23.99. Use it for the manuscript stage. Pair it with a formatting tool for the publish stage.

Reedsy Studio (formerly Reedsy Book Editor)

Reedsy bet on free for the core experience. Browser-based writing-and-formatting platform. EPUB 3 and PDF/X-1a:2001 output. Three fixed export themes with per-template fonts. A free Reedsy account is required. Studio is part of Reedsy’s broader marketplace for editors and designers.

Why We Built Lacuna

Melissa has been writing for over 20 years and has 14 published books. She has drafted manuscripts in Word and Scrivener, then moved to formatting tools to publish them. She wanted a formatting tool that worked on Mac and Windows, kept files local, and did not make her relearn her workflow every time.

She and her brother Corey built Lacuna. Rich editors and writing features built in, primary focus on formatting and design. Bring a DOCX from any writing tool you already use, or write directly in Lacuna.

No investors. Just a family business building software for authors.

What Authors Are Saying

Real authors. Real books. Formatted with Lacuna.

I’m a cover designer and interior formatter by profession and run my own small publishing press, so trust me when I say I’m picky and my standards are high. InDesign has always been the only program that formats for print with the level of customization I need. For years, I’ve used it for print and another program entirely for ebooks to get the results I wanted. When I saw Lacuna, I immediately went to check it out and within an hour from having downloaded the trial, I was hooked.
This gives me so much more freedom with print options than other formatting programs like Atticus or Vellum while still making ebooks a breeze. The ability to work from one file and have separate print and ebook settings is a complete gamechanger. I’m still learning my way around the program and loving every second.

JJ Carpenter

The Haunting of Kenmore Asylum

I originally checked out Lacuna because somebody in a KDP publishing group I belong to asked if anyone had tried Lacuna out yet. I published nine other books using a different formatter, but I wasn’t happy with it. I ended up taking a look at Lacuna even though I was pretty much sold on Atticus or Vellum. Once I started diving into Lacuna and saw the ease of use and flexibility, I was absolutely floored. It was a no-brainer, and I purchased Lacuna. Since then the program has only improved. Corey is amazing at fixing things and streamlining processes.

If you take a look at the book that I formatted with Lacuna you will see, it would be pretty difficult to do something like that with one of those other formatting programs. Plus they cost more. In my opinion Lacuna is already the best formatter on the market and only getting better. Thanks, Corey and Melissa, for making this available.

NextGen Victory Press

3-Minute Wrestling Devotionals for Rising Athletes

I tried numerous formatting methods and followed endless instructions from publishing websites, but nothing ever turned out right. Since finding Lacuna, everything has changed. I’ve been able to update all my manuscripts effortlessly and give them the professional look they deserve.
Lacuna helped me perfect one of my most cherished stories, The Magic Globe, and finally present it exactly as I envisioned. It’s truly been a game changer for my author journey.

Samuel Graham Astley

The Magic Globe

View all books created with Lacuna

Manuscript Workflow Questions

See the full book formatting software comparison Or the ebook-focused comparison

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