When Submitting Essays and Manuscripts
Every assignment has different parameters and style guides, but many require certain criteria, such as:
- Double spacing or the double-spaced approach.
- Use of a Serif font (for example, Times New Roman or Georgia) which is standard format.
- A 12-font size.
With that in mind, no matter your writing style, a standard, double-spaced page 1,000-word document equates to approximately four pages of A4 (typed, not handwritten, read on to find out more about handwritten pieces).
If you’re writing a single-spaced document, then 1,000 words will be half of the above, equating to two pages of A4. For 4 single-spaced pages, expect a piece of 1,000 words. SIngle-spaced handwritten pages equate to more pages.
The above gives you a guide but there’s a lot more to consider as not all documents, blogs, manuscripts, web content, articles etc., are the same or have the same requirements and certain factors affect the end result. Read on to find out more.
What Factors Affect Page Count?
Depending on the type of document you’re writing, you may or may not need to include images, videos, graphs, tables and more. All of these items definitely make a difference to amounts of space and how many pages your 1,000-word piece has. There are other factors too, as follows:
- Typing a Document Rather Than Handwriting
Often students need to submit handwritten essays rather than typing them up. This definitely makes a difference as to number of pages needed for a 1,000-word piece! The obvious reason is that everyone has different handwriting, different sized handwriting and different shaped handwriting.
The type of pen used and spacing of text also contributes to the end result. Plus, choosing ruled paper over blank paper also makes a difference.
To give you a guideline, handwriting is usually around twice the size of words typed up in 12 font. If you choose single spacing, 1,000 words will probably end up at around 4 pages of text and if you double space, expect around 8 pages of text.Two-and-a-half pages of 12pt in a Serif font is about 750 words.
If you cross out sections and rewrite areas, this will add pages to your end result.
- Choosing a Different Font Size
Font size measurements are in “point” or “pt" for short. Of course, if you select a smaller font (10 or less) this significantly changes the number of pages you’ll end up with, and 1,000 words of 10 pt will likely end up at around 3 pages.
If you choose a larger font, you’ll end up with more pages. Sometimes, you’re tempted to use a smaller pt to deliver 1,000 words in a lesser number of pages but remember that 12 is the standard. This is because it’s easier to read for most people.
If you have guidelines for your piece, and you’re told to use 12pt don’t use anything else – you may end up with a penalty!
- The Font Choice Makes a Difference!
All fonts are different. Some standard fonts are simply larger than others and a 12pt in Arial is larger than a 12pt in Calibri, for example. Bear this in mind because changing your font will alter the size of your text and therefore alter the number of pages needed for 1,000 words of text.
The smallest font is Garamond (which is a Serif font) and the largest is Rubik (a Sans Serif font). It's best to stick with common fonts.
What are Serif and Sans Serif Fonts?
Serif fonts include “Serifs”. These are decorative strokes that you’ll notice at the end of each letter. Sometimes, they’re called “feet”.
A Sans Serif font doesn’t have feet or Serifs.
As a recommendation, long articles are typeset using a Serif font because these fonts are easier to read. Examples of Serif fonts are Times New Roman and Georgia. Sans Serif font examples are Arial and Verdana (there are plenty more).
Don’t forget to account for the width of your chosen font! If you want to find out more about different fonts and sizes, this is a useful, brief video.
- Bold Characters Change Text Size
Another factor that alters size of text is using bold to highlight your text – this increases the size of your text and using lots of bold text changes the number of pages used for 1,000 words of copy.
We’ve already mentioned how line spacing alters the number of pages used for 1,000 words of text. The choice is usually single space one-and-a-half spacing and double spacing – of course, this affects the number of pages used for 1,000 words of text.
Generally, essays and manuscript submissions are double-spaced.
Did you know that character spacing is adjustable? There’s a term for it too – it’s called “kerning.”
You don’t need to worry about kerning because it’s normally a task undertaken by book designers when they’re presented with a finished manuscript. Their job is typesetting which is when they use kerning to alter character spacing.
- Paragraph Structure: Breaks and Indents
Paragraph breaks and indents also make a difference to your final page count. If you add an indent to every paragraph, you’ll end up with more pages because you lose valuable space.
Books often use indents but it’s unnecessary to include them in essays, manuscripts, blogs, web content etc.
The same applies to paragraph breaks, they’re usually used in books and alter the end number of pages and it’s not uncommon so see them in general article writing, blog writing, web content etc. because paragraph breaks make text easier to read.
- Changing the Size of Your Margins
If you increase a margin or decrease it, you’ll alter the end page count for 1,000 words because margin changes affect the number of words per page. The standard measurement for margin spacing is 2.5cm (1-inch margins or the 1-inch rule) either side of the page.
Adjusting margins on Word, for example, is easy, just hop into document settings - the layout area and adjust your margin accordingly.
Writing a Typical Essay of 1,000 Words
There are lots of different types of written content and each has its own set of criteria. Let’s start by talking about writing one 1000-word academic essay.
If you’re tasked with writing an essay, perhaps you’re a student, you’ll likely have a set of rules to follow. There’s no absolute set of rules. Each institution has its own regulations, and each teacher may prefer different formats. For clarity, it’s best to check format requirements and structure for college papers with your own institution/teacher. The same applies to college applications and academic papers.
However, if that’s not possible, stick with the basics! Use Times New Roman font in size 12pt with a double spacing and 1” margin. For an average word count 1,000-word essay you should end up with approximately 2.2 pages (using single spacing) and 4 pages (using the double-spaced approach). 500-word essays will be half that size.
A News article is different, and each title has its own set of guidelines, there's no standard requirements. Some use smaller fonts, wider margins and large headlines to grab the reader’s eyes. Submitting articles though is different and you should follow the essay rule unless otherwise told.
Writing a Blog of 1,000 Words
In terms of blogging or article writing, it’s sensible to follow the same format as above but unless you’re writing for someone else, who may have their own preferences, if it’s your blog or your article, feel free to apply your own rules.
How Long is a “Long” Blog Piece?
A long blog is a piece of at least 1,000 words right up to 2,500 words. It’s best to produce a blog of no less than 300 words (don't be tempted to write just 100-200 words), especially if you want to rank on search engines such as Google. A longer post ranks better than a short post and a post of around 2,500 words normally ranks the best.
Writing a White Paper of 1,000 Words
White papers are technical writing pieces or academic writing. 1,000 words is fairly short for a white paper, usually between 6 pages (so around 1,500 words of 12 point in Serif font) to 15 pages long.
Writing an eBook of 1,000 Words
Unless it’s a children’s book, it’s unlikely you’ll find a book of 1,000 words – but a short eBook may well just consist of 1,000 words. In books, it’s different to essay writing. It also depends on the type of book you’re writing. Hardback books are different to paperback books in terms of font size, spacing, point size etc.
A novel is usually around 85,000 words on average, but this is not a strict rule! A print book is different and has a standard trim size. A publisher determines the book’s design. Lots of publishers and book editors prefer a tight typeset text and small margins because of the cost reduction in print books, these are common requirements.
As a guide, a single page in a book is around 300 words which is around 3.5 pages per 1,000 words.
What About Submitting a Manuscript to a Publisher?
If you’re submitting a manuscript piece of writing, literary agents and publishers usually ask for the same format as essay writing, as discussed above. They’ll also want to check for plagiarism and word count too.
As you’re writing 1,000+ words, a useful tool for character counting and word/sentence counting is Originality AI – which also checks for plagiarism. It’s the ideal online tool for manuscripts (and any other type of writing too).
How Much Time Should Writing 1,000 Words Take?
This very much depends on you and your personal reasons for writing! There’s no general rule, it’s fairly personal. Some people write 1,000 words quickly, in as little as a couple of hours, whereas others take much longer. The length of time it takes to write 1,000 words depends on whether the ideas flow, speed of handwriting/typing, if you’re distracted by other tasks and the research involved in the subject matter.
Final Words on How Many Pages You Need for 1,000 Word of Text
The above information gives you a very general guideline on the number of pages of A4 1,000 words requires for an average writer. However, normally expect around 4 pages of 12-point text in a Serif font such as Arial.
Keep an eye on your word count and sentence count too by using a reputable online tool such as Originality AI which calculates word, character and sentence count in an instance. Just enter your text into the box and the tool does the rest for you, giving you various analytics to help you produce a quality piece of work.
