When sending your book to a publishing company, what format do they usually want the book in??

Answer 1

Publishers that accept submissions usually have someplace on their Web sites that will tell you the exact format. But the norm is:

double spaced
1" margins on all sides
numbered pages
the title or your name as a running head
an easy-to-read font--Courier is often mentioned by name--no smaller than 12 point, in black
Single sided on regular 20-lb white paper

*nothing fancy*--no snazzy paper, no bindings, no colored type, no zippy fonts, etc. If it's hard to read or there are distractions, the editor (or intern) will toss it without reading farther than the first line.

Follow each publisher's instructions to the letter!

Answer 2

This is where research comes in handy--if you've narrowed it down to a few publishing houses you'd like to submit to find out in what format they require their submissions to be sent. Most of the time they don't want the manuscript first. You have to start with a query letter, etc and if they are interested they'll ask for the manuscript.

The first answer you got covered the basics but in order to tailor your submission to specific publishers you have to do it their way--and it's up to you to research them via website or authors' source books (writer's market and others) to find out how to submit to said publishers.

Answer 3

You got a good answer and if they are accepting an electronic file, I think they would definitely accept the .doc format.