Export & The Formatter
Exporting your manuscript and typesetting it into a finished book with the Formatter.
Exporting and Formatting Manuscripts with Writing Desk
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0:00 With Writing Desk you can export your manuscript in multiple formats, ready for agent submissions or for self-publishing.
0:07 What do you do when you finish your manuscript? Writing Desk gives you a few different options.
0:14 The first is exporting as one of these formats: .docx, .md, .txt, or PDF.
0:24 If you download as a PDF, it uses the print dialogue, and you save that to your device.
0:31 You can also use the agent-ready Submission Export. Add your name and contact details, the manuscript title, and total word count.
0:45 Then choose the font, page size, and how many chapters or total word count, and click Export as .docx.
0:52 This uses standardised formatting, so your document is ready for submission in moments.
1:03 Finally, there's a professional typesetting and formatting feature.
1:08 Click Typeset and this opens the Formatter in your browser, automatically uploading your manuscript.
1:15 Here you can design and format your novel for print and EPUB.
1:21 Set the front and back matter details, then use the designer to select the font, heading size, and more.
1:26 When you're ready, click Export, and your EPUB and print-ready PDF download to your device.
1:33 And that's how to export, typeset, and prepare your manuscript for print and agent submissions with Writing Desk.
From the desktop app: .docx, Markdown, plain text, and a submission-standard manuscript format. From the Formatter: EPUB and print-ready PDF.
A companion web app for professional book typesetting. It turns your manuscript into a properly designed, print- and e-book-ready file, with a range of customizable design options.
No, use the same login for both the desktop app and the Formatter.
No, chapter body text is read-only in the Formatter by design. Fix typos back in Writing Desk, then re-upload to the Formatter.
To keep one source of truth for your manuscript. Writing Desk is where your text lives and gets edited; the Formatter is where it gets designed and typeset.
A fixed 5x8 inch trim size.
Yes, EPUB and PDF export together as a bundle, or you can export either one individually.
Yes. Once it's typeset and formatted, you can upload your PDF and EPUB files to most major self-publishing platforms.
Not yet. A beta reader and feedback feature is planned, but there's no launch date yet.
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