Always write your title entirely in capitals, leaving one space between each letter of each word in the title, and three spaces between each word.  Say that your title contains three words, as the foregoing.  After you have written the first word—­with a space between every letter—­the machine will automatically space one.  Do not count that as one, in leaving the three spaces suggested, but touch your space-bar three times.  This will move the carriage back so that the first letter of the next word will be printed four spaces away from the last letter of your first word, leaving three spaces between.  Take one sheet of your typewriter paper and keep it as a test sheet, trying out your title-spacing thus:  Write the complete title, with spacing as suggested above, once, getting it as nearly right (with even spaces on either side) as you can at a good guess.  If it is not right, space one line down on your trial sheet and try it again, this time a little farther to the right or left as the case demands.  One or two trials and you will have it as nearly even in margins as it can be made on a typewriter.  Thus, in a title like

     T H E H E R O I N E O F T H E
                P L A I N S

you will find that to start the first word at 11 on the scale-bar, managing the spacing as suggested, will get your title in the centre of the page with practically no variation in the two margins.

Then, about an inch below the title, write the descriptive lines: 

Dramatic Photoplay in 28 Scenes;

5 Interior and 12 Exterior Settings

as described in the chapter on “The Synopsis.”  About an inch below this, write the word

          S Y N O P S I S

starting to write at 28 on the scale-bar.  The O in the word OF, the middle word of your title, is the exact centre of the title.  Starting the word

          S Y N O P S I S

on 28 causes the centre of this word (which is the space between the O and the P) to fall exactly beneath the centre of the title.  Then, about 1-1/2 inches below that, start to write your story in synopsis form.  Commence your paragraph at 15, indenting ten spaces from the left margin.  Thus the neatness and businesslike appearance of your pages will impress the editor favorably at the very first glance.  Follow the same rule when typing the scenario, or continuity, and also the scene-plot, if one is made.

Having written your synopsis, if you find that you have plenty of room on the last sheet to write your cast of characters, do so; but do not crowd it in.  If you cannot get it in so as to look well, double spaced, and appearing to be, as it should, a separate division (though not necessarily a separate sheet) of the manuscript, by all means give it a separate sheet.

On the other hand, there is a rule regarding separation of divisions of the script which must be observed in every case.  You must ALWAYS start to write the scenario on a fresh sheet, no matter how much room you have left after writing your cast.  The reason for this is simply that, should your scenario be in proper shape for the director to work from just as it is, he wants the scenario separate.  Having read the synopsis once or twice, he is through with it; whereas, when working on a picture, the director “sleeps with the scenario.”