A reader writes to ask:
Love your clear instructions on manuscript preparation and am wondering if the formatting is the same for memoir?
Yes, exactly. You should format a personal essay the same as a short story, and book-length memoir the same as a novel.
These are, in fact, the same formats you would use for many types of general nonfiction. As you move into more specialized types of writing, however—journalism, academic writing, scientific writing, technical writing—more specialized types of formatting are required, and you should consult a relevant style guide.
